City of Toronto launches 2013 CIMA Mayor's School Cricket Tournament as players recognized at City Hall

TORONTO, April 11, 2013 /CNW/ - Mayor Rob Ford and Amal Ratnayake, Chair of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA), today officially launched the third annual CIMA Mayor's School Cricket Tournament.

Also taking part were Raza Hasan, Senior Vice-President, CIBC; Doug Hannum, Cricket Canada; Ben Kavenagh, International Cricket Council (ICC); Chris Bolton, Chair, Toronto District School Board (TDSB) and Ann Andrachuk, Chair, Toronto Catholic District School Board (TCDSB). Dwight Drummond, CBC Toronto News host, was the event's MC.

"The launch of the third annual tournament gives Toronto's young cricketers an opportunity to participate in a tournament of their own," said Mayor Ford. "Cricket helps young people develop sport and leadership skills, and encourages them to stay involved in healthy activities."

The 2013 tournament will be held on May 13 to 17 at the Eglinton Flats Park, G. Ross Lord Park, Centennial Park and Sunnybrook Park. The final games of the tournament will be held on June 1 at Sunnybrook Park. Tournament registration: http://www.cimacanada.org.

The CIMA Mayor's School Cricket Tournament is a way for the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants to extend its support, engage youth and contribute to the community and the sport of cricket.

The Mayor's School Cricket Tournament was the recipient of the International Cricket Council's (ICC) Best Junior Participation Award for the Americas Region. The award was presented by Kavenagh and Hannum.

"CIMA is not just about helping business succeed, it is about helping people succeed," said Ratnayake. "One of the ways we can do this is to instil in young people key business skills such as team work, leadership and perseverance, as well as an understanding of other cultures. That is exactly what the CIMA Mayor's School Cricket Tournament provides. I look forward to an even more successful tournament in 2013."

Cricket is one of the fastest growing sports in Toronto. Played in more than 100 countries across the world, it is part of the cultural heritage of thousands of Torontonians and is increasingly popular with school-age children and youth across the city. Cricket is played at several local schools and more than 50 school teams take part annually in Toronto tournaments. Cricket rivals basketball in popularity at some schools.

"We know that having a healthy active lifestyle is an important part of a student's school experience," said Bolton. "That is why are pleased to partner with the City of Toronto, the TCDSB and CIMA in promoting the CIMA's Mayor's School Cricket Tournament."

"We are delighted to be part of this growing sport in Toronto that celebrates our diversity and encourages physical activity," said Andrachuk. "It is important that our students are exposed to a variety of athletic activities to encourage an interest in healthy, active living, which in turn will enhance and improve student achievement."

The main objective of the CIMA Mayor's School Cricket Tournament is to provide Toronto's young cricketers with an opportunity to experience tournament play and to learn team-building, cross-cultural communication and leadership.

At today's event, Daniel Singh from Father Henry Carr Catholic Secondary School was given special recognition for being named best bowler of last year's tournament. Talha Shaikh from George Harvey Collegiate Institute was named best batsman and Sarvagya Kanha Dixit from Lester B. Pearson Collegiate Institute was named MVP for the 2012 CIMA Mayor's School Cricket Tournament.

Last year's tournament winners and runners-up were presented with the new CIBC Trophy.

2012 High School Boys
Champions: Lester B. Pearson Collegiate Institute
Runner-up: George Harvey Collegiate Institute

2012 High School Girls
Champions: York Memorial Collegiate Institute
Runner-up: George Harvey Collegiate Institute

2012 Middle School:
Champions: Valley Park Middle School
Runner-up: Lambton-Kingsway Junior Middle School

"CIBC is proud to support an inclusive event that is engaging children in our community in a healthy activity and fostering the growth of cricket in one of the world's most multicultural cities," said Hasan. "We look forward to awarding the CIBC Trophy to the tournament champions."

CIBC is a leading North American financial institution, with nearly 11 million personal banking and business clients. CIBC is committed to supporting causes that matter to our clients, our employees and our communities. We aim to make a difference in communities through corporate donations, sponsorships and the volunteer spirit of employees. In 2012, CIBC contributed more than $38 million to charitable and non-profit initiatives in Canada to support national, regional and local organizations. You can find other news releases and information about CIBC in our Press Centre on our corporate website at www.cibc.com.

The Chartered Institute of Management Accountants, founded in 1919, is the world's leading and largest professional body of Management Accountants, with over 203,000 members and students operating in 173 countries, working at the heart of business. CIMA members and students work in industry, commerce, the public sector and not-for-profit organizations. CIMA has formed a joint venture with the American Institute of CPAs (AICPA) to establish the Chartered Global Management Accountant (CGMA) designation. CGMA is the global quality standard that further elevates the profession of management accounting. For more information about CIMA, please visit www.cimaglobal.com. Follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/CIMA_News.

Toronto is Canada's largest city and sixth largest government, and home to a diverse population of about 2.8 million people. Toronto's government is dedicated to delivering customer service excellence, creating a transparent and accountable government, reducing the size and cost of government and building a transportation city. For information on non-emergency City services and programs, Toronto residents, businesses and visitors can dial 311, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

SOURCE: Chartered Institute of Management Accountants

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