Cricket is a

piece of home.

A free after-school and summer cricket program for refugee, immigrant and local youth in Spokane, ages 9 and up. Sixteen young people train with us regularly, and two adults are at every session.

Practice is at Underhill Park, 2910 E Hartson Ave, Spokane's only public cricket pitch. No experience needed. All backgrounds welcome.

If you want to play, come and find us. You do not need gear, experience, or money.

Our schedule changes with the seasons and the weather, and we are looking for indoor space for the winter. Email info@spokanecricketacademy.org for current practice times. We reply within two days.

SEE PROGRAMS

A session at Underhill Park, Spokane's only public cricket pitch. The player in the middle is bowling, cricket's version of pitching.

Youth across the world are wild about cricket.

When they move to Spokane, they bring that passion with them.

The Spokane Cricket Academy develops excellent cricketers. Players from age nine up, in middle school, high school, college and work, gain skill at batting, confidence in bowling, endurance for fielding.

Some have played since they could walk. Others had never held a bat before they came to Underhill. They arrive from different countries and end up on the same side.

These kids are making Spokane home. And a better home for everyone here.

Girls and boys of every background and skill level are welcome, and every player plays free.
Our players come from Shadle Park, Rogers, North Central, Bemiss and Spokane Community College, from English classes, and from work.

Read Irshad's letter about the program

Irshad Ahmad Rahimi wrote this while serving as Cultural Engagement Navigator at Manzanita House.

Cricket for refugee youth: Watch the video

Read the full article

Mission

To give refugee, immigrant, and local youth in Spokane a welcoming path into the game of cricket and the sense of belonging that comes with it.

Vision

A Spokane where cricket belongs to every community. Where refugee, immigrant, and local players compete as neighbors, not rivals. Where youth play hard and work hard in ways that fit their culture and passions.

How the program started

Manoj began coaching as a volunteer in 2022. Manzanita House helped launch the program, with a grant from Innovia Foundation through LaunchNW's EngageIRL initiative.
It became an independent program in 2025.

Fiscal sponsor

Spokane Cricket Academy is a fiscally sponsored project of SIMBA, the Spokane Independent Metro Business Alliance, a 501(c)(3).
Donations are tax-deductible.

Expect to find...

Belonging over barriers

No cost, no experience required — every young person who wants to play is welcome.

Melmastia: hospitality without condition, a principle of Pashtunwali, the Pashtun code of honor.

Sportsmanship over rivalry

Players arrive carrying rivalries and mindsets — practice is where they set them down, and learn a collaboration that outlasts the team.

Poruthal — from the Thirukkural: the joy of vengeance lasts a day; the glory of forbearance lasts forever.

Built by community

Volunteer coaches, senior players who mentor, and partners who believe every kid has something to offer Spokane.

Yaadhum oore — every town is ours, every person our kin. A Tamil verse, two thousand years old.

A real pathway

From first practice to Northwest Cricket League competition — a next step for any player who wants one.

Mudita: the Buddhist practice of taking joy in someone else's growth.

"Back in Afghanistan we used to play, and nobody else offers this, so it's just a cool opportunity to be here."

- A player, Spokane Cricket Academy

"Now, as refugees in Spokane, they’re reconnecting with the sport they love."

- Spokane Public Schools

"Through Cricket Club, they’re learning teamwork, building confidence, strengthening relationships — and having a ‘wicket’ good time!"