Michele McLean
The first all-girls elementary cricket teams at the Toronto District School Board have hit the wickets. Vradenburg Junior Public School physical education teacher Tim Stone said boys cricket has been at the board for six years, but the demand was there for an all-girls team. He has coached a boys and a co-ed team at the school for the past six years. He said he has appointed a girl captain on the co-ed team at Vradenburg in the past, but said more could be done. “There have been co-ed teams, but I believe in extending the opportunity to the girls,” Stone said. “They like the game and they wanted to play just as much. It’s about equality and the girls showing leadership.” There are currently 10 girls from grades 5 and 6 on the team.

The Vradenburg team played their first game on Tuesday, June 7 against Scarborough’s John Buchan Public School’s girls team made up of grade 7s and 8s.

Stone is currently organizing the Vradenburg Cricket Festival to be held at Vradenburg on June 22 complete with opening and closing ceremonies.

Besides simply playing the sport, Stone said he teaches the spirit of cricket.

“Cricket aligns with character,” he said.

“It gives the kids values and teaches co-operation and fair play.”

Stone said he sent a letter to the Toronto District Elementary School Athletic Association (TDESAA) stating if cricket is offered to boys it should also be offered to girls. He also emailed elementary school coaches to see if they had an interest in a girls cricket league and said he got a positive response.

“I think the time has come,” he said.

Stone, who said he grew up playing hockey and baseball and had to learn the rules of cricket along with the kids, offered some encouragement to coaches who are new to the sport.

“I’m doing some teacher training,” he said. “I try to de-mystify the sport. It has a bad reputation of being complicated, but it’s not that bad.”