Gavaskar brings the game to youth in New Jersey

NEW YORK: Almost 100 children participated in the “Meet the Legend” Cricket Coaching Camp with legendary cricketer Sunil Gavaskar. The event was conducted by the DreamCricket Academy and United States Youth Cricket Association (USYCA), and sponsored by MetLife, a leading global provider of life insurance and other financial services.
Children ages 7 to 15 took part in the event, which was held in Hillsborough, New Jersey. During this extraordinary three session event, young cricketers met with the legend, received batting and bowling tips as well as a one on one photo opportunity with Gavaskar and Snoopy, MetLife’s brand ambassador.
To participate, families submitted a brief statement on why the child should be chosen to be coached by Gavaskar. All the participants also had to have previous experience in cricket. A panel of judges from DreamCricket and USYCA selected the applicants.
“I’m so happy to be here at this facility because I was here a couple of years back and to see again that DreamCricket continues to give the opportunity to youngsters to come and play their favorite sport is something which is absolutely terrific and of course without sponsors like MetLife, I don’t think cricket can survive,” Gavaskar said.
Families appreciated the chance to meet with Sunil Gavaskar and have him give valuable tips to the children to refine their playing techniques. They also enjoyed special appearance by Snoopy during all three sessions.
“We were thrilled to sponsor this event that gave children a chance to learn more about the game of cricket, especially with the help of such a legendary player as Sunil Gavaskar. It was exciting to see so many children and their families take part in such a memorable day” said Laurel Daring, assistant vice president of Diverse Markets at MetLife.
“USYCA is proud to conduct this great event, and is delighted to be supported by MetLife as we grow cricket among young people in America,” said USYCA President Jamie Harrison. “We’re also thrilled that hall-of-famer Sunil Gavaskar was there, taking the time to pass on his knowledge to the children.”
“It is truly an honor for DreamCricket Academy and a unique opportunity for any aspiring cricketer to meet Sunil Gavaskar. Sunil is not only known for his many record breaking feats on the field. He is also a very keen analyst, a widely read columnist, an author of four books and a hugely popular TV commentator,” said Kranthi Bayya, CEO of DreamCricket Academy.
MetLife, Inc. is a leading global provider of insurance, annuities and employee benefit programs, serving 90 million customers. Through its subsidiaries and affiliates, MetLife holds leading market positions in the United States, Japan, Latin America, Asia, Europe and the Middle East.
DreamCricket Academy, the training arm of DreamCricket.com, conducts camps and training for cricketers across a variety of age groups and abilities in the U.S. DreamCricket Academy also partners with leagues and parks departments to organize camps and little leagues. DreamCricket Academy runs from dedicated indoor cricket facilities in New Jersey and California.
The United States Youth Cricket Association (USYCA) is the largest organization in the United States devoted to the promotion of the game of cricket among young people and is a tax-exempt organization.

India Post News Service