Lords Indoor Sports

Lords Indoor Sports // photo Jennifer Shertzer

First U.S. Indoor Cricket Facility a Big Hit in Plano

In mid-August, Plano earned a notable distinction: We became home to the first indoor cricket facility in the U.S. with the opening of Lords Indoor Sports at 2621 Summit Avenue, Suite 200.

“This is the very first facility in the United States where you can play in an indoor cricket league and an indoor cricket match,” said facility co-owner Chong Kim, who goes by CK. “It’s very well-known overseas. Our goals are to make this a sport in the U.S. so that we can create our own players that can one day compete in a World Cup.”

CK felt that Plano’s central Metroplex location and its large Asian population made it the ideal spot for this facility. So far, feedback from the community has been positive.

“We’ve had an overwhelming response. They absolutely love the sport,” he said. “People who come in here and try it for the first time, they’re totally amazed by what we can do inside this facility on this indoor field and play a full cricket match in here.”

Indoor cricket // courtesy Lords Indoor Sports
Indoor cricket // courtesy Lords Indoor Sports

Plano resident Chirag Chhita, who played indoor cricket extensively in his native New Zealand, is among those highly impressed.

“The facility is top-notch,” Chirag said. “That’s the kind of facility I used to play at in New Zealand. In fact, because it’s brand new, it’s actually better.

“They actually got the people from Australia that make the equipment for all the arenas around Australia, New Zealand and South Africa, and have brought those guys in to get the proper nets, turf and the rest of that stuff. It’s really exciting what they’ve done.”

Lords Indoor Sports features indoor cricket leagues which play on full-size indoor fields.

But cricket isn’t the only activity offered. Soccer is also a big attraction, with leagues for all ages and levels of play, including a new format of indoor soccer.

Indoor soccer fields // courtesy Lords Indoor Sports
Indoor soccer fields // courtesy Lords Indoor Sports

“We have this high-tension netting so that we can actually play the soccer ball off the net,” CK said. “It has a little cushion to it, so you don’t actually get hurt when you run into it.”Along with principal partner Unni Krishnan, founder Sibu Mathew and Stan Thomas, CK is part of a four-person local ownership group.

And after having members of the Plano Chamber of Commerce out for an after-hours event last fall, they had a good feeling Lords Indoor Sports was going to be a community hit.

“We got to introduce the sport to a lot of the Chamber members who have never even experienced any kind of cricket,” CK said. “They came out here and thoroughly enjoyed their time.”

Lords Indoor Sports >

 

Lords Indoor Sports
2621 Summit Ave #200
Plano, TX 75074

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