Cricket team at Colorado's Thornton High School energizes students from Afghanistan
Moving to a new country and learning a new language can go so much more smoothly when you get to do something you love with people you're comfortable with.
For some teens new to Colorado from Afghanistan, the game of cricket is the secret to happiness.
Thornton High School's Trojans now have a cricket team that proudly wears the blue and white.
There are bats and innings, and you aim to score the most runs, but the pitch is rectangular and there is a wicket. A wicket is a set of three stumps with two small pieces of wood, called bails, on top. The wicket is defended by a batter.
"On Monday and Wednesday I feel really happy because when I come to school, then my friends say 'We have a cricket today!'" said sophomore Mansor Sherzad.
"I'm very excited to have my team," said Mohammad Ali Dost, also a sophomore.
Three years after Thornton High School began enrolling scores of Afghan refugees, a school-sponsored cricket team is giving young athletes and the people who cheer them on a reason to dream big."
Thornton High School's Kelsey Barnes, who serves as the team's faculty advisor said, "It's phenomenal. It's both improved their academics in school that they have something that they're passionate about. Also it's been amazing to watch their growth on the field. So it's fun to come out and just, it's sheer joy."
The team was born out of curiosity when Barnes approached senior Wali Jan Dost - who's now captain.
"She told us, 'Why you guys play so much on the phone?' And we told to her 'We're watching the cricket game it's our national cricket team,'" said Dost.
For their countrymen still in Afghanistan, and fellow refugees scattered across the world, minorities in places like Adams County, cricket is a critical source of happiness.
"When our national team win the games, they get emotionally, everyone crying, they cry for our national team to win the games," added Dost the team's captain.
Other coaches with Denver Youth Cricket comment on the amazing talent of these players.
"Most guys have dreams to play the under 19 United States cricket team," said Dost.
While educators are happy to see the change in the students' outlook, and the impact of being seen, these cricketers want to spread the joy at Thornton High.
"We want to make the other students from the high school, we want to teach to them how to play the cricket because it would be so cool for us too, to have the other countries players in our team," Dost said.
Four of Thornton High's cricketers have been selected to compete nationally. And the sport is now played at two middle schools in the Adams 12 school district.