In our KEMBALI Scholarship Program, many students are passionate about sports. One of them is Candra from Gianyar, who plays cricket. Recently, he and his team won third place in the cricket competition during the Porseni (Sports and Arts Week) of Gianyar Regency.

The Beginning

At first, Candra never imagined that he would play cricket. “I never knew there was a sport called cricket. I only knew other popular sports like basketball and football. The name of the sport sparked my curiosity, so I decided to find out more about it.” Candra shared when recalling his first encounter with the game.

Candra then joined his school’s cricket club as part of the extracurricular program. There, he learned the basics of the game, including running, bowling, fielding, and catching. To improve his performance, he also joined regular physical training sessions held every Sunday in a field near his school.

From the very first training session, Candra fell in love with the sport and trained diligently. His performance improved steadily, and his coach recognised his potential. Eventually, Candra was selected to join the team representing his school in the Gianyar Regency competition.

Joined the Porseni

In March 2025, the Porseni in Gianyar Regency was officially opened by the Regent of Gianyar at that time. Candra and his team competed against other junior high school teams across the regency.

“I was very nervous because it was my first time joining a sports competition. I also saw many great athletes from other schools competing in that event. I did my best even though I wasn’t very confident.”

Candra and his team’s hard work paid off after the semifinal round. They won third place in the junior high school category. He was thrilled that the team had secured a victory in the competition.

Beyond bringing home the bronze medal, Candra also gained valuable experience. “I met so many people during the competition and learned a lot from them. I saw many athletes who performed very well, and I learned that they practiced a lot and were disciplined. I also learned to be more confident so that I too can do better in future competitions.”

Candra continues to train with his school team on Sundays and hopes to compete again next year.

Thank you for supporting the YKIP KEMBALI Scholarship program and for enabling students like Candra to continue their education while exploring their passion for sports. If you’d like to sponsor a child through this program, please click here.