Sport Hub coach named captain of Canada’s national cricket team: bringing international experience to Calgary kids and teens
Every young person’s journey in sport starts with an opportunity to play. A great coach can turn a rocky first try into a positive experience, helping a young person build the confidence, skills and love for sport that keeps them coming back.
This is the kind of experience that The City of Calgary’s Sport Hub program aims to create by connecting kids and teens in Calgary with qualified coaches from local sport organizations.
One of those coaches is Hamza Tariq, who this fall reached a major milestone in his own sport journey when he was named captain of the Canadian national cricket team.
Hamza also coaches with Sport Hub through Future Cricket Stars Academy, helping introduce the next generation to cricket. For kids and teens trying the sport, it’s an opportunity to learn from someone who understands the game from grassroots participation to international competition.
Making the first try count
Through Sport Hub, Calgary kids and teens can experience different sports and other recreation activities led by qualified coaches from sport organizations. By bringing the program into schools and communities, providing equipment and offering free or low-cost community lessons, Sport Hub helps reduce barriers to participation and makes it easier for more young people to get involved.
But getting the opportunity to try is only the first step. What happens once a young person gets there matters too.
“A child’s first experience with a sport can shape whether they want to keep playing,” said Brett Whittingham, Recreation Programs Leader. “That’s why the coaches delivering Sport Hub programs matter. We want kids learning from people who know the sport and can make that first experience a positive one.”
“The impact of quality coaching is immense and I think it’s a non-negotiable,” Hamza said.
A knowledgeable coach can meet young people where they’re at, helping them learn new skills, build confidence and feel comfortable trying, even when they don’t get it right the first time.
Hamza has seen that change firsthand. Participants who are hesitant to join in on the first day can become more engaged as the program progresses. “We can visibly see the difference in a kid from day one to day five,” he said.
For him, a positive experience doesn’t depend on how skilled a participant becomes. He remembers Sport Hub participants who struggled with some of the skills but finished the program telling coaches, “This was the best week of my life.”
From a first try to what comes next
Years ago, while coaching cricket as part of the Sport Hub pilot at Crossing Park School in Martindale, Hamza saw how invested students became in the sport. One young participant approached him after the program with a question: “What do we do afterwards? How do I continue playing?”
That question stayed with Hamza.
By working with local sport organizations, Sport Hub helps introduce kids and teens to different sports while connecting them with organizations that can help them continue to play.
The goal isn’t to turn every Sport Hub participant into an elite athlete. It’s to develop skills and physical literacy, have fun and enjoy an experience, rather than a competition. With knowledgeable coaches leading the way, young people can have a positive first experience that gives them a reason to keep playing.
For some, that might mean finding a new hobby, building confidence or making new friends. For others, it could be the beginning of a lifelong connection to sport, whether as an athlete, coach or community leader.
For Hamza, that’s what makes returning to Sport Hub feel “full circle.” The teenager who once discovered a love for cricket is now using his experience to help young people find their own reasons to keep playing.
Every kid and teen deserves a chance to play. Learn more about Sport Hub and how to get involved at calgary.ca/SportHub.
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