There was a big announcement today in the world of cricket in the United States. Jamie Harrison, the President of the United States Youth Cricket Association, was named Chief Executive Officer of the American Cricket Federation.
This is a big announcement because the ACF has come together to try and move US cricket ahead, apart from the bungling national governing body which is officially recognized by the ICC. Harrison could really lead this group, and American cricket, somewhere good. He has a track record of success with the USYCA, and, although I do not know him personally, from my observations he is passionate about cricket and is well organized.
Below is the press release announcing the move.
Good luck, Jamie!
American Cricket Federation Media Release
The Steering Committee of the American Cricket Federation (ACF) is delighted to announce today the selection of Jamie L. Harrison as its first Chief Executive Officer.
“This is a momentous step in ACF’s short history,” commented Professor Gangaram Singh on behalf of the ACF Steering Committee, “not only as it fulfills a pressing need, but it does so with a candidate of exemplary qualification for the future of American cricket.”
Singh said, “The ACF have laid a solid foundation of vision and principle, enshrined in its Constitution, by the enormously hard work of the many volunteers dedicated to the belief that American cricket deserves an altruistic national management that represents all U.S. cricket stakeholders. Such is the steadily growing support for these ideals in the nation, the need to focus operations has become rapidly paramount.”
“Given Jamie’s selfless track record as a home-grown American dedicated to the development of U.S. cricket, we have every confidence that he will bring an exciting new dimension to ACF’s future progress,” said Singh.
Harrison's innumerable achievements with United States Youth Cricket Association (USYCA) and the Maryland Youth Cricket Association, which he also founded, have brought him well-deserved recognition from the American cricket community.
In December of 2011, Harrison became the first recipient of the Shekhar Aravind Award for Spirit of Cricket, announced by DreamCricket.com. In March of 2012 he was honored by the C.C. Morris Cricket Library Association with the prestigious Comfort Award, given to individuals whose activities, both on and off the field of play, represent the highest levels of sportsmanship and personal character long associated with the sport of cricket. Later that year, Harrison was inducted into the Cricket Hall of Fame in Hartford, Connecticut. In 2011, the International Cricket Council's Americas Region named USYCA as the "Best Junior Participation Initiative" for 2010.
Harrison will continue to serve as the president of the USYCA, an organization he helped to found in 2010. USYCA has donated over 1,500 cricket sets to American schools and, in cooperation with local youth programs, has now begun funding the construction of dedicated youth pitches.
Harrison said, “I cannot express how honored and humbled I am to have been entrusted with this important position by the leadership of the American Cricket Federation, especially at this critical moment for American cricket’s public opinion.”
“I have long been impressed with the spirit of altruism and transparency with which the ACF has conducted itself, and am equally impressed with the collection of gifted administrators who have come together under its banner. Such a gathering of talent gives me great confidence, as I know that my colleagues at ACF are more than prepared for the challenges ahead of us, and I eagerly look forward to working with them to meet those challenges,” said Harrison.
