The inaugural cricket match – Toronto Mayor’s Youth Cricket Team Vs. Toronto Police Cricket Team – a great success.

The inaugural Toronto Police Vs. Toronto Mayor’s XI cricket encounter took place at the Toronto Cricket Skating & Curling Club (TCSCC) on July 19th, 2016. The official ceremony was attended by Ms. Kiva Clarke, Consul General (Acting) for Trinidad and Tobago and Andy Pringle Chair of the TPSB. The 30 Over cricket match also gave  young Toronto cricketers an opportunity to play at the TCSCC cricket pitch with conditions similar to the cricket grounds in Trinidad and Tobago and meets International cricket standards.

Toronto Mayor’s youth cricket team – recently announced by Mayor John Tory to represent Toronto in Trinidad and Tobago – took part in cricket action for the first time as a team on July 19th. The Mayor’s Team played against  the Toronto Police Cricket Team in preparation for the tour to Trinidad and Tobago on August 7th to 14th. The young cricketers were selected through the Cricket Across The Pond (CAP) program that uses cricket as a vehicle to reach out and engage youth from diverse neighborhoods.

Toronto Parks, Forestry & Recreation (PFR) is CIMA’s partner in launching the CAP scholarship program. CAP aims to develop young leaders in Toronto through a wholesome overseas learning experience in cricket and leadership and gives them a sense of hope, increased self-esteem and opportunities to become positive role models in our communities. Working in partnership of with the overseas cricket academies and municipal partners CAP provides young Toronto cricketers with the opportunity to represent our City internationally and learn life skills as ambassadors. Since 2008, that CAP program has provided over 125 young Torontonians with cricket training in England and Sri Lanka.

The Royal Bank of Canada, Toronto Police Services Board and Tom’s Place lead a group of corporate, community and media partners brought together by CIMA in this unique public-private community initiative.

CIMA is an internationally recognized professional association of accountants with a significant presence in the GTA. CIMA members and students are actively involved in the communities in which they live and youth cricket is one of a broad range of volunteer activities. A significant majority of the CIMA Members in the GTA have roots in cricket playing nations from around the world. Since 2005, CIMA Canada has designed and implemented cricket programs to engage young people in health-giving activities and teamwork through the game of cricket.

For more information on the CAP scholarship program please contact Michael Lam (905) 553 0346 or visit us on the web at www.cimacanada.org