There are 96 active clubs at Niles West, and every year, students have the option to create new clubs that represent them and their interests. This year, a few new clubs have been added to the mix, including Pickleball and Cricket Club.
In order to create a club, students must find a teacher sponsor that is willing to support their club. Together, the student and teacher will begin a trial club to see if their idea is successful. Whomever the student chooses to be their club sponsor should be as passionate for the club as the student and willing to support the student in the long journey it takes to finalize a successful club.
Cricket originated in England and spread into British territories, popularizing primarily in India, the West Indies, Australia and Pakistan. It is played with a flat bat and a ball that bounces slightly when bowled. It requires the teammates to be united, causing the game to feel more complex.
Pickleball was created in the United States and is very similar to a mix of ping pong and tennis. It is a simple game and easy to pick up quickly.
Special education teachers Mathew Allen and Mohammad Vohra are the co-sponsors of the Cricket Club, and science teacher Chris Barnett is the main sponsor of the Pickleball Club. All three teachers accepted the invitation to sponsor their clubs and lead students to success in both Cricket and Pickleball.
“I didn’t know anything about cricket at that point, but I did learn and..I decided that we need to have this at West, so I said I would [sponsor the club]. There was a trial club last year and it went really well,” Allen said.
Vohra had a more personal connection when asked to sponsor the club, as growing up in India, he often played cricket in his hometown.
“I was unaware of the cricket club’s existence until last year when I was sharing some stories from my childhood…It’s something that I grew up with and something that I’m passionate about,” Vohra said.
Barnett was quite experienced in Pickleball when students came up and asked him to help start up the Pickleball Club once again.
“A couple years ago, some students knew that I played, so they were kind of the inspiration for it. They wanted to know if we could have a club and I was more than willing to do it” Barnett said.
Captains of any sport are dedicated to what they do and are student role models to the rest of the team. Co-officer of Pickleball Club and senior Katelyn Daly is in charge of gathering the students for homeroom meetings and managing the club’s social media.
“It’s fun to play with new people and it’s a fun game. We’re going to have a school tournament against another school so I think that would be fun, like doing actual competitions against [other schools],” Daly said.
The Assistant Captain of Cricket Club is senior Mujeeb Hashimi, who helps new players learn the game and feel more welcome in the club.
“We are trying to reach as best as we can in cricket…and I’m excited to get in a tournament…and get some new players,” Hashimi said.
Pickleball Club meets on weekends, so check out their Instagram @nileswestpickleball for updates on their next practice! Cricket club meets every Friday after school by the cafeteria, so stop by and join them for a match!
