About YCAPS
Youth Cricket in American Parks and Schools — Free. Inclusive. Volunteer-Powered.
Our Mission
To make cricket a beloved family sport and a staple in households across America — through free, inclusive programs open to all.
Our Vision
To make cricket a premier youth sport in the U.S., celebrating diversity and instilling sportsmanship in every school and park.
Our Model
Run and managed by students, for students. High schoolers earn service hours for graduation and college applications while growing the game.
How YCAPS Was Born
The Call to Action — Seattle Orcas & SOFAN
YCAPS was sparked by the Seattle Orcas, the Pacific Northwest's Major League Cricket franchise. Through their fan community group SOFAN (Seattle Orcas Fan Network), the Orcas reached out to Krishnan Iyer to help drive grassroots development of cricket in schools and parks across the region.
That conversation ignited a shared vision: if cricket was going to grow sustainably in the U.S., it had to start young — in schools, in parks, and in communities. YCAPS was created to make that happen.
Krishnan Iyer — Founder
Krishnan Iyer brings over 30 years of cricket leadership in the Pacific Northwest. In 1994, he co-founded the Microsoft Cricket Club alongside Jay Pathy, Winslow Fernando, and Pete Lambert — one of the earliest organized cricket clubs to emerge from the tech community in the Seattle area.
By 1995 — just one year in — the club was already competing in the Northwest Cricket League (NWCL) and making headlines inside Microsoft. The internal employee newsletter MicroNews (June 16, 1995, Vol. 14, Issue 23) ran a feature story: "Microsoft Does Too Play Cricket! — Game Brings Commonwealth Flavor to Microsoft Fields."
The article captured the team practicing Tuesday and Thursday evenings on the field across from Building 24, and celebrated their first-ever match win in club history — beating the Brockton Point Cricket Club in Vancouver (162 runs in 37.2 overs vs. 159 in 40). It was a sign of what was to come.
On September 8, 1997, Krishnan led a coalition of four organizations — the Microsoft Cricket Club, Seattle Cricket Club, Indo-Pak Cricket Club, and the North West Cricket League (NWCL) — to formally petition King County for a dedicated cricket ground.
The letter, addressed to Mr. Craig Larson, Director of King County Parks, made the case plainly: with only one field at Fort Dent Park and 57 home games needed per season across 7 teams, the region's cricket community had outgrown its infrastructure. The NWCL was just three years old and had already grown from 3 to 7 teams.
The petition succeeded. Marymoor Park in Redmond was designated for cricket — becoming the Microsoft Cricket Club's official Home Ground and one of the finest cricket venues in the Pacific Northwest. Krishnan signed alongside Charles Benjamin (Seattle Cricket Club), Raja Julius (Indo-Pak Club), and John Wainright (NWCL).
That same community-first, persistence-driven ethos is the foundation of YCAPS. Krishnan brings his decades of experience building cricket infrastructure, developing player pathways, and uniting clubs to now focus on the next generation.
What We Do
YCAPS partners with school districts, cricket leagues, and academies across the Pacific Northwest to bring cricket directly to students — at no cost. We are an IRS-approved 501(c)(3) nonprofit, powered entirely by volunteers.
- School Districts: Active in 7 districts across the PNW — Lake Washington, Bellevue, Issaquah, Snoqualmie Valley, Northshore, Everett, and Monroe.
- Student Leadership: High school students serve as District Representatives, earning service hours for graduation and college applications.
- Volunteer Programs: Coaching, event management, girls cricket, umpiring, school curriculum development, and marketing.
- Academy Partnerships: Working with MLC Academy Seattle, STBA, MSK Academy, Pacific Batting Lanes, and more to connect youth to structured pathways.
- League Partnerships: SYCL, ARCL, NWCL, Seattle Orcas, and Seattle Thunderbolts support our mission and amplify reach across the region.
Our Partners & Supporters
Organizations supporting YCAPS youth cricket across the Pacific Northwest
