Chicago Youth Cricket Academy (CYCA) to expand youth & women cricket.

CYCA, the premier institution of cricket learning, is taking a proactive approach to provide a platform to youth cricket in the Greater Chicagoland Area.

Following their vision of providing a better learning experience, the institution hosted their first ACF Level 2 coaching certification camp during June 15th & 16th 2019 weekend at Hoffman Estate, IL. ACF coaching & practical training sessions are a bench mark in coaching in the United States.

Introducing cricket at a grass root level has been a challenge not only in the Chicago Metropolitan area, but also in other states in the Continental United States. A shortage of well-trained coaches makes the mission more challenging if not impossible.

CYCA understands that the platform for cricket cannot be sustained without a strong foundation of well-trained coaches who bring their own set of expertise to the table. When combined, a well-trained coaching staff can promote and sustain the sport of cricket through peer to peer mentoring as well as getting resourceful information and support from the ACF.

Coaches and Youth players in action at the camp

Chicago area schools, have in the past, dabbled with the idea of introducing cricket in the school system as an approved extracurricular activity but have failed to sustain the program.

Inadequate equipment, untrained coaches, lack of knowledge with school programs could be all is linked to the failure that we see today. CYCA plans to develop cricket with a three-prong approach.

1. Have well trained coaches on hand. This provides a base line understanding of the curriculum

2. Share the knowledge with peers, parents, and other coaches in and outside of the school system. Spreading the knowledge is the key to get more interest generated in the sport itself while also getting more and more coaches certified.

3. Provide scholastic help to students who excel in the sport. This can be accomplished by partnering with the ACF coaching program & USA Cricket.

Youth player begins with striking the ball on ground

With this recent weekend long cricket coaching clinic, conducted by renowned national level ACF’s Director of Coaching Jatin Patel we were able to get some folks started towards the journey of coaching the next generation of talented individuals.

The vision and experience that Jatin Patel brings to these coaching sessions are second to none. He brings in the experience of being played the game with the stalwarts, and also now being actively involved with many of the current breed of international cricketers into these sessions.

Never ever we felt like he is teaching or preaching all the sessions were practically conducted with bat and ball in hand. Starting from basics of the game, player corrections to game situations he blended everything so well and empowered the attendees by sharing his immense knowledge of the game that he has acquired from his experience.

On behalf of entire CYCA family, we will like to thank Coach Jatin for his time. Coach Jatin Patel’s practical approaches and knowledge enhanced our understanding of coaching. It put lots of things in perspective to provide the grass root level insight to coaching. With this deeper understanding in coaching for our coaches will help to progress cricket throughout Chicago Land area.