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Compton is a suburb of LA infamous for
gangs and drive-by shootings. Ted Hayes, an activist who has spent
many years campaigning for homeless people, formed the Compton Homies
and the Popz cricket team in an attempt to keep Afro-American and
Hispanic youths out of gang culture. He was drawn towards cricket
because it is a non-contact team sport. The Homies are not only
coached in the technical aspects of the game but also encouraged
to show respect for the opposition and the rules of the game. A
fundamental aspect of the Homies is that people of all ages play
together in the same team so that the adults are not just there
to boss the teenagers about.
Ted Hayes is a fervent patriot and has
brought a lot of America sports culture to the cricket team. He
gives pep talks based around Alexander the Great and Darios and
shouts, "yo, lets play ball", before each over. Technical
coaching, from Leo a retired West Indian cricketer, has adapted
the Homies baseball skills to good effect. Bowling Compton style
requires a two or three pace run-up before releasing the ball from
an almost horizontal sling. The Homies seemed to regard the more
conventional run ups of the Cowboy's medium pacers as a waist of
energy.
The Easton Cowboys visit to Compton culminated
with a two-day match against the Homies. It ended rather unspectacularly
in a draw.
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