As a non-profit organization dedicated to youth cricket, we are currently training over 100 kids to participate in USA Cricket approved pathway games. Many of our young athletes have represented NJ and NY in Zonal and National events for under 13, under 15 and girls teams organized by the internationally recognized official USA Cricket organization, showcasing their talent and dedication. However, they are in need of an appropriate facility to play and practice - a natural turf wicket which is a hard and flat clay surface in the middle of the ground. Last year more than 1000 kids from various age groups across New Jersey played at the Saddle River County park at Fair Lawn for the USA Cricket pathway games. In addition to this in Bergen county over 200 adults also play cricket in this park.

Currently, the Saddle River County Park at Fair Lawn is used as a multi-sport facility allowing soccer, rugby, and cricket. This lack of dedicated space hinders our ability to provide optimal training conditions for our young cricketers. The pitch gets damaged while played with metal spiked shoes that are not designed for cricket. While there are multiple soccer grounds in each town within Bergen county, only two grounds are available in Bergen County for cricket (one being Astro turf and not suitable for official Cricket), it's clear that there's an urgent need for more facilities.

Cricket is not just a game; it teaches teamwork, discipline, strategic thinking and physical fitness. It brings people of different nationalities and cultures together. According to USA Cricket’s 2019 annual report, there has been a 35% increase in youth participation nationwide over the past five years (USA Cricket Annual Report 2019). Cricket is also on the rise in popularity due its introduction into Olympics LA 2028 for the first time ever and also due to the upcoming World Cup in June 2024 hosted jointly by the USA and West Indies ( Caribbean Islands) with 8 of those games including some of the most high profile games being played in our neighborhood in Long Island, NY at a brand new stadium with seating for 36,000. It's high time we meet this growing demand with infrastructure that complies with International Cricket Council requirements.

We urge you to support us by signing this petition requesting Bergen County authorities to establish a dedicated official cricket ground with natural turf wicket suitable for USA Cricket approved youth games along with other facilities including storage options, lighting, nets and player dugouts. Your signature can help ensure these young athletes have access to world-class facilities they deserve, while promoting growth of cricket locally ahead of global events like World Cup 2024 and Olympics LA 2028

Cricket World Cup in Long Island, NY

https://www.nassaucountyny.gov/5676/ICC-World-Cup-2024

Cricket confirmed for LA 2028 Olympics

https://usacricket.org/featured-news/cricket-confirmed-for-the-la28-games/

Forbes article on growth of cricket in the USA

https://www.forbes.com/sites/tristanlavalette/2023/08/20/why-cricket-in-america-can-emulate-soccers-rise/

Other major news media

https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/why-cricket-is-having-a-resurgence-in-popularity-in-america

https://www.nctv17.org/community-sports/cricket-in-a-baseball-country-the-sport-continues-to-grow-across-chicago-and-the-u-s/​

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2022/may/23/millions-of-dollars-are-flowing-into-us-cricket-but-is-there-a-market-for-the-sport​

https://globalsportmatters.com/culture/2023/06/26/growth-cricket-nashville-united-states/