New school-based program aims to introduce 500,000 young people to cricket while developing life skills through the power of sport.
On Saturday, July 18, at the Cricket Impact Lunch in Oakland, Cricket Impact Group CEO Adam Hall unveiled Cricket Impact Play - a landmark new schools initiative that aims to introduce 500,000 young people to cricket by 2031 while equipping them with the confidence, teamwork, resilience and leadership skills to thrive on and off the field.
The announcement was made before a room of leaders from the worlds of cricket, business and technology during the Cricket Impact Lunch, held in partnership with the San Francisco Unicorns and Seattle Orcas on the day of the Major League Cricket Championship Final.
Cricket Impact Play has been designed to remove the barriers that have historically prevented schools from introducing cricket. Delivered at no cost to participating schools through future corporate partnerships, the initiative will provide coaching, equipment, educator training and curriculum resources while using cricket as a vehicle to develop essential life skills.
With an inaugural pilot planned for 2027, Cricket Impact Group's long-term vision is to build a scalable model that expands into major cities across
North America and introduces half a million young people to the game by 2031, creating the next generation of players, fans and community leaders.
"American cricket has never had more momentum," said Adam Hall, CEO of Cricket Impact Group. "Major League Cricket has demonstrated what's possible at the professional level, and the return of cricket to the Olympic Games in Los Angeles in 2028 represents another landmark moment for the sport.
"But if cricket is going to become part of America's sporting landscape for generations to come, we have to start where every major sport starts - with young people. Cricket Impact Play is about creating that first experience of the game while helping children develop confidence, communication, resilience and leadership skills that will stay with them for life.
"This isn't simply about growing participation in cricket. It's about using cricket as a vehicle to create opportunities, strengthen communities and inspire the next generation. Our vision is bold, and we're excited to work alongside schools, educators, partners and communities to make it a reality."
Cricket is the second most-watched sport in the world, with an estimated 2.5 billion fans globally, yet relatively few young Americans have ever had the opportunity to play. Cricket Impact Play has been created to help bridge that gap by making cricket accessible within schools and providing children with a fun, inclusive introduction to one of the world's fastest-growing sports.
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