Many experienced coaches will look back at their younger selves and wonder: what was I thinking?! This doesn’t mean you were a bad coach before. Just that there are some tough lessons you might have to learn the hard way. I believe it is important for younger coaches to know, that we all go through this journey is reflection and improvement. There will be some embarrassing, and traumatic memories! But they are an opportunity to move forward. I’ll share some of mine. “Your face just says “win the game, win the game!”” This was probably the most impactful feedback I’ve ever received. 12 years on ..read more

Before, I have written about how 2 sessions can be perfectly thought through, but contradict each other. The more I have coached, the more techniques I have developed to weave themes together. Planning a session is easy. Planning a coherent program for a month, term or year is not. I haven’t perfected it. but I now have a strategy for planning. Below are some of the points I consider when constructing a 12-month program. There is no right or wrong, but the more a coach can think things through in the long term the better. You can’t do it all I deliver Academy programs in Surrey. We are lucky t ..read more

A challenge for you: Try to list all of the aspects of running and calling. Technique Running with the bat (two hands) Turning with the bat (down low, one hand, slide in) Backing up (edging forwards, body position) Awareness Watch then call Calling “yes” and “no” Saying “wait” when not sure Making sure the best person calls (who can see best) Tactics Level of risk (which changes throughout the game) Watching the field changes Who is the best/worst fielder in opposition We often try to condense this into a single session! Why?! Break the skill down We wouldn’t coach all of the shots at o ..read more

One of the most important lessons I’ve learnt is: consistency matters. I spend a lot of time checking my programs, to make sure they are as “joined up” as they can be. Do the activities reinforce the message? Does each piece of feedback compliment the previous? Does this week’s session build on the gains made last week? There are so many ways that a coach can send mixed messages. Below are some examples, and ways I try to mitigate against it. Most of these lessons I have learned the hard way!! Between balls In 1-2-1’s, the temptation to add “just another thing”, is overwhelming. Break your ..read more

Cricket is a hard sport. And it is made even harder by the pressure we put ourselves under! Part of a coach’s role (and it is a really, really difficult one!!), is educating them about the game works… …and that is annoying sometimes. So get used to it!! UNDERSTANDING THE GAME Players tend to pile unnecessary pressure onto themselves. Setbacks are exaggerated in their minds. Small hiccups are seen as failures. Brilliance from the opposition is misinterpreted as their own error. Getting them to understand the rhythms of the game – with peaks and troughs, shifts in momentum – is absolutely vital ..read more

The Halo Certain batters get stuck in the mud. I use this “halo”, to encourage players to not just move their feet, but the rest of them as well!There is a different between stepping to the ball, and moving to the ball. Try to coach your players how to do the latter. Halo 2 This activity reinforces the fact that moving your body matters more than moving your feet. I use this to encourage batters to lean instead of lunge to a ball. A successful should should see the batter looking directly down at the line, after a shot (not peering at it from behind). “No Man’s Land” Getting “stuck on the c ..read more

I have coached for 13 years by the motto: “you are only as good as your last session”. In my mind, this attitude helped me to avoid being complacent, and keep working hard. I pride myself on being relentless. It took a training course last year, and a comment from the assessor, to make me realise what should have been obvious (and what several people have told me a thousand times). “You put a lot of pressure on yourself, don’t you”. I started to consider the consequences: What does my “motto” really say? Never slip up. Never pat yourself on the back. You CANNOT have a bad session…. I have te ..read more

We all like to be right. But do we try a little too hard to prove it sometimes? Recently, I have become more aware of confirmation bias – and it’s power to influence coaches’ judgements. None of us our immune to it. If you think you are, think again! And since it’s inevitable…how do we negotiate it – we still have to make judgment calls after all! Below, I explore some key areas that confirmation bias can arise. Coaching technique A typical net… Coach: “Just try and move your feet a bit more”. Player: After a few more misses, smashes the next ball out the middle of the bat. Coach: “Shot! See ..read more

What’s in a word? Sometimes quite a lot! Finding the right coaching phrases is a very delicate skill. In fact, sometimes a single word can be the difference between a positive and a negative outcome. As coaches, we sometimes assume some messages are, “implied”. But young players often take an instruction literally. This can lead to confusion when they have followed the advice, but it doesn’t appear to work. I have selected 5 common phrases that are misunderstood…and offered some alternatives! BATTING: “GET YOUR HEAD DOWN “This should really be, “look down”. In reality, during a front foot sho ..read more

Tactics (hit to different places) U19 Senior 2. More control Back leg straighter Cut shot (still body) RED = BAD, GREEN = GOOD RED = BAD, GREEN = GOOD 3. Choose the right shot Watch the ball, 2. Move Missing balls outside off-stump Stepping forwards (not to ball) Solution – move HEAD FIRST Stay still V Spinners Keep still Stay low (head) Drills Watch the line – see if the batters WATCH THE BALL Bat V Spin Shout “yes” if you want to hit the ball Shout “no” if you want to block the ball ..read more