India Post News Service
FREMONT, CA: Willow Cricket Academy organized a socially distanced cricket camp over the Labor Day weekend for Bay Area kids. Close to 100 youth in the age categories of Under 12, Under 14, and Under 16 participated in the outdoors camp, which were spread out over three locations for the different age cohorts. Camps were held safely with pandemic conditions in mind, in consideration of CDC and CDPH guidelines.
This year, Willow Cricket Academy saw a tremendous outpouring of support from players and parents in the context of COVID-19. Camp organizers worked to ensure that social distancing precautions were strictly implemented and enforced at all camp locations. All participants and players wore masks and did not congregate in larger groups.
“In my opinion, this has been a very gratifying experience,” said Prem Suri, of Willow Cricket Academy. “Parents and students took our safety precautions very seriously, and our social distancing precautions were complied with across the board at all locations. As cricket is not a contact sport, social distance efforts were easily maintained while playing. In addition to temperature scans, all players received specific instructions about how to wear masks and stay safely distanced from their fellow teammates and players on the field.”
The camps were adjusted to ensure the health and wellbeing of all families. Parents were spread across the grounds with a distance of at least 6 feet constantly maintained. Some tents were erected for parents, with only three to four persons sitting per tent.
At the conclusion of the camp, community leaders were honored for their contributions and commitment to seeing cricket flourish in the Bay Area. “Kids are the future of USA Cricket, and it’s great to see this level of participation in the Bay Area,” said Suraj Viswanathan, Board Member of USA Cricket, President of the Bay Area Cricket Alliance, and Milpitas City Council candidate. Suraj Viswanathan asked students some of their takeaways, and many cited teamwork.
“I love cricket,” said Justin Sha, candidate for Fremont Mayor and Chairman of Asian American Millennials for American Advancement (AAMAA). “As Chair of AAMAA, I look forward to working with our stakeholders to ensure equitable opportunities for our next generation to learn about cricket and to play cricket.”
Prior to his Fremont mayoral bid, Justin Sha has consistently advocated for local residents in his mission to achieve a more representative, accountable, and transparent government. This has included instances of fighting against perceived bureaucratic laziness by City of Fremont contractors to ensure fair representation of cricket in official planning efforts by the Fremont Recreation Services department. Justin Sha has received the endorsement of the Bay Area Cricket Alliance.
The coaching camps were held at Rancho Milpitas Middle School in Milpitas for the Under 16 category, Delaine Eastin Elementary School in Union City for the Under 14 category, and Nielsen Elementary School in Dublin for the Under 12 category.
Willow Cricket Academy offers programs for kids, including those for Basic, Intermediate, Advanced, Girls Coaching, and Specialized Coaching in the areas of Fremont, Dublin/Livermore, and Santa Clara County.
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