Cricket is the new pickleball for Barrie youth

A young boy swings at the ball in Barrie Arts and Sports Academy's cricket camp, Sat., Aug. 10, 2024 (SUPPLIED)

Painting, violin and cricket are all under one roof, so to speak.

The new Barrie Arts and Sports Academy aims to help children succeed, no matter where their interests lie.

And right now, it's playing cricket.

"The demand for cricket in Barrie is very real," said the academy's president, Nithin Liviero.

"You can see the game being played all over the city."

To his point, the Simcoe County District School Board held its first-ever cricket tournament this past June.

Teams from 10 local high schools made up of almost 200 students took part. Many high school students on the field said it was their first time playing cricket.

Liviero said in response to this demand for more organized play, the academy is launching its inaugural cricket league, 'Super League Barrie,' which will play between August 31 and September 15, for local teams.

Due to the short timeline, there will only be eight Barrie teams.

"We are still receiving calls from other local teams eager to join. Next year, we plan to extend the season and include more teams," said Liviero.

This past weekend, the Barrie Sports and Arts Academy hosted a free clinic, where a dozen kids aged 6 to 12 got a feel for the game.

Liviero said one of the challenges of playing cricket in Barrie is the availability of one clay cricket pitch at Maitland Park.

"Many of the baseball diamonds in Barrie are being used for cricket in the evenings, even though they are not ideal for the sport," he said.

Both violin and painting lessons are available at the academy on August 24.

With files from Mike Lang