Students from different schools unite to learn the 2nd most popular sport in the world
One hundred high school students from across Simcoe County united Friday for one purpose, to learn about the world's second most popular sport - cricket.
- Download the CTV News app to get local alerts on your device
- Get the latest local updates sent to your email inbox
The Simcoe Muskoka Catholic District School Board (SMCDSB) organized the event as part of an ongoing effort to promote inclusion through diverse sports activities.
The initiative was inspired by a ministry program to give Canadian students studying abroad a sense of home.
High school students from across Simcoe County learn to play cricket in Bradford, Ont., on Fri., March 24, 2023. (CTV News/Catalina Gillies)
Some of the students at the event were experiencing the game of cricket from childhood, like Grade 12 student Paranvir Banwaid, who emigrated from India.
"I have like emotions connected to this game. So when I see other people playing the game that I love, I feel very like the game is being promoted in a country where it's not, like, that popular, so I would like people to go crazy about cricket here also," Banwaid said.
High school students from across Simcoe County learn to play cricket in Bradford, Ont., on Fri., March 24, 2023. (CTV News/Catalina Gillies)
The students learned some of the game's terminology, including 'wicket' and 'googly.'
Bradford Cricket Club Founder Ankit Patel said the game has rapidly grown in Canada over the last few years and more recently in smaller towns.
"Now we see Alliston, Orillia, Barrie, Bradford, Tottenham, Shelbourne, they all are participating. We played last year with all the cities, and it really feels nice to have the community part of the game," Patel said.
High school students from across Simcoe County learn to play cricket in Bradford, Ont., on Fri., March 24, 2023. (CTV News/Catalina Gillies)
Students at Friday's event will use what they learned to introduce cricket to feeder elementary schools, creating more opportunities for students of all ages to learn the sport and grow the game locally.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Demand soars for solar eclipse glasses in Canada. Are they worth buying?
The demand for total solar eclipse glasses used to safely view the rare celestial event has been ramping up as sellers, along with astronomy and eye-care experts in Canada, warn that viewing the eclipse with the naked eye is dangerous.
NEW Where to watch the state funeral for former prime minister Brian Mulroney
A state funeral for former prime minister Brian Mulroney will be held in Montreal on March 23. CTV News will have live special coverage of his funeral service.
Hertz CEO out following electric car 'horror show'
The company, which announced in January it was selling 20,000 of the electric vehicles in its fleet, or about a third of the EVs it owned, is now replacing the CEO who helped build up that fleet, giving it the company’s fifth boss in just four years.
NEW High thoughts: The habits of Canadian cannabis users are revealed in a new StatCan report
Statistics Canada has conducted a series of surveys to measure the impacts of legalized cannabis since the Cannabis Act took effect in 2018. The latest one, the 2023 National Cannabis Survey, sheds light on users' preferences and habits last year.
Freddie Mercury's home is on the market for first time since 1980 minus his 'exquisite clutter'
Freddie Mercury's sanctuary in London, where he lived the last decade of his life, is on sale for the first time in nearly half a century -- minus his "exquisite clutter."
NDP motion regarding Palestinian statehood passes after major Liberal alterations
A motion from the federal New Democrats initially calling on Canada to recognize the 'State of Palestine' passed amid widespread acrimony on Monday, after the Liberals drastically altered its wording to see the government simply work towards that aim as part of a two-state solution.
Retired teacher pleads guilty to paying for sex with 15-year-old in Collingwood, Ont.
In a Barrie courtroom on Monday, a retired high school teacher from the Niagara Region pleaded guilty to sexual touching and obtaining sexual services from a 15-year-old boy in Collingwood in 2021.
Toronto family doctor who called patient's body 'perfect' suspended for 3 months: tribunal
A family doctor in Toronto has been suspended for three months after a disciplinary tribunal found that he failed to follow proper protocols while examining a patient's breasts and made inappropriate comments about her body.
'He didn't want to die': Family of Calgary man killed in standoff speaks out
Family of a Calgary man killed after a 30-hour standoff with police last week are speaking out, sharing details of the tense and heart-wrenching experience.