Today’s Solutions: July 13, 2025

Ted Hayes wondered what would keep young people in one of America’s most violent ghettos away from drugs and crime? Cricket of course!


Jay Walljasper | June 2004 issue
WHO? Ted Hayes WHAT? Compton Cricket Club, for young people from the ghetto WHERE? Compton, California, United States WHEN? 1996 WHY? In deprived black neighbourhoods, a civilising, edifying alternative was desperately needed
There’s nothing special about Ted Hayes, a 53-year-old social activist from Los Angeles. He has dreadlocks, is an outspoken advocate of the homeless and was once shot by the police. Yet he regularly attends meetings of the Republican Party and leaves messages on conservative websites. Most surprisingly of all, he set up a cricket team in Compton California, one of the most dangerous, violent cities in America.
Cricket is a sport for the elite, where players are dressed in white flannel suits and take breaks for cucumber sandwiches. At first glance, it’s the last sport that would attract young men in this predominately African-American community where gangsta rap was born. But Hayes, who has voluntarily spent the better part of the past 20 years living on the street, has the feeling that kids really need the sport’s intricate rules and genteel tradition to separate themselves from the violence of the street gangs and drugs.
In 1996, when he founded the Compton Cricket Club, he put his theory in practice. The results were remarkable. These disadvantaged kids, several of whom had been gang members, became enthusiastic about the game and were so good at it they toured England. The tour included a visit to Buckingham Palace and tea with Prince Edward.
Even more impressive was what happened to the players themselves. Eric McKee, a school principal in Compton remarked: “I see their personalities change. They seem more lively, there’s a lot of joy, they’re making more of an effort in school. Their marks have improved.” Hayes isn’t surprised. “Cricket is a civilising – even edifying – force in the local community.”
Hollywood producers are currently preparing to make a film about the Compton Cricket Club.
 

Print this article
More of Today's Solutions

A new study could change Alzheimer’s treatment by unlocking the brain’s...

BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM A quiet but powerful ally in the brain may be reshaping how we understand and treat neurodegenerative disease. ...

Read More

Before you hit the road: 5 things to unplug before vacation

BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM Most people remember to lock the doors and turn off the lights before heading out for summer vacation. ...

Read More

How low can you go? The benefits of squatting like a toddler

Squats are a staple of most workout routines (especially on leg days), but what about a deep resting squat? That isn't always a go-to, ...

Read More

Hospitality workers’ wages get unprecedented boost with 30% wage increases

In an unexpected turn of events, the hospitality industry, long associated with some of the lowest-paid occupations, is undergoing a wage revolution. Over the last ...

Read More