Essay: San Ramon 7th Grader On Winning National Cricket Championship

SAN RAMON, CA — Arth Arun, a 7th grader at Windermere Ranch Middle School, and his U13 cricket team, won the National Championships in Texas. At the championship games, Arth was named the second best bowler in the country. He submitted an essay to Patch on the experience and what it taught him.

"Playing in 2022 u13 National cricket circuit was a truly enriching and incredibly rewarding experience for me. Not only have I had the opportunity to compete against some of the best young cricketers in the country, but I have also been able to develop and enhance a wide range of life skills. Teamwork, hard work, persistence, leadership skills, and self-belief are some of the key life skills that I have been able to develop and enhance over the course of last year's national cricket circuit.

One of the major skills that I developed over the course of the year was teamwork. In cricket, it is essential to work as a team to succeed. Whether it is batting, bowling, or fielding, each player must play their part. Over the course of the year, I learned to work with my teammates to achieve our common goals. For example, in the Atlanta circuit, I took 6 wickets and was awarded the player of the match in a game. However, my success was not solely due to my individual performance. It was also a result of the collective effort of my teammates who provided support throughout the game.

Another important life skill that I have developed was hard work. Playing in the national circuit is not easy and requires a lot of dedication and hard work. I learned to put in long hours of practice to improve my skills. This helped me become a better cricketer and taught me the importance of hard work in achieving success. For instance, in the St. Louis circuit, I was awarded the best bowler of the tournament and was selected in the Dream-11 of Pacific conference. This was the result of my hard work and dedication, which helped me take 11 wickets in 5 games.

In addition to teamwork and hard work, I realized the importance of persistence and self-belief. I learned to believe in myself and my abilities, even in the face of adversity. In cricket just as in life, there will be times when things do not go as planned. It is essential to remain persistent and keep trying to achieve success. I learnt to never give up, believe in myself and always keep trying, no matter how difficult the situation may be. For instance, in the Atlanta tournament against TCL Morrisville team, I went into bat in a near-impossible situation, with the team having lost a lot of early wickets and still needing a lot of runs to win. Despite the odds being stacked against me, I managed to score a blitzkrieg 52 runs, single-handedly bringing the team to within striking distance of victory. This was a true test of my persistence, and it was a testament to my ability to never give up, no matter how difficult the situation may seem.

Throughout the year I also was able to apply my leadership skills in various situations. I was the vice-captain of the Tri Valley team that went on to win the Pleasanton, San Ramon, and Dublin tournament during Thanksgiving. As a leader, I learnt to lead by example and inspire my teammates to perform at their best. I have learned to make important decisions under pressure and guide my teammates to victory. This would not have been possible without the trust that my teammates had in me.

Finally, all the hard work that I had put in over the course of the year was recognized when I was nominated into the Chairman's honors list in this year's Major League cricket's U13 bowler’s category. I was the 2nd best bowler nationwide, and this was a proud moment for me and my team.

Participating and representing in the u13 national cricket circuit has been a truly enriching experience for me. Not only have I been able to hone my cricketing skills, but it has also helped me in developing and enhancing a plethora of life skills that will be instrumental in my personal and professional growth. These skills have not only helped me in my cricketing endeavors, but they have also been instrumental in my overall development as a person."

Do you have a personal essay you'd like to share with Patch? Email Michael.wittner@patch.com.