Learning…for Coach Development?

Interesting to see that ECB Coach Development has launched a new podcast series under the icoachcricket name.

As a coaching colleague commented, however, it is not immediately apparent that the first podcasts in the series will occasion much learning for coaches, at least, and I do agree with him.

There might be some relevant learning for ECB Coach Development, however, if they care to listen to their own podcasts. Perhaps especially pertinent given that the ECB finally have their newly appointed Head of Coach Development (reportedly, though not (yet) announced officially) and are currently advertising for three new Coach Development roles — Learning Development Manager, Learning Content Manager & Targeted Programmes Manager.

If I am to be honest, the idea of a podcast series has a very 2020, lockdown, vibe, for me. Even TheTeesra.com had a short-lived podcast, billed as an “audio diary” starting back in 2018…now long discontinued.

ECB CA Podcasts

Ajmal Shazad, Assistant Coach (Bowling Lead), Derbyshire CCC

Ajmal Shahzad is very honest about his own development as a coach, from heading up the final cohort of MCC Young Cricketers (I coached in the next lane to the YCs at the Lord’s Indoor Cricket Centre!) via coaching in schools to his role today at Derbyshire CCC.

And he speaks eloquently in favour of a broad coaching education beyond the “badges” and the various coaching “levels”, emphasising the importance of working with a wide variety of players (including children) and environments, before moving on to “High Performance” roles.

I do agree with Aj on this — broad, relevant coaching experience trumps playing years. You surely do not learn how to coach by being coached?

Nor by playing the game, even at a professional level.

“I never realised that in order to become a jockey you have to have been a horse first.”

This quote, attributed to Arrigo Sacchi, was a response to criticism he faced when he became manager of AC Milan despite lacking a professional playing career.

Former players can become great coaches, but there is no direct connection between playing experience and coaching ability.

10 years as a horse doesn’t qualify you to be a jockey, nor a trainer.

Learning for Coach Development?

One of the responsibilities of the newly advertised post of ECB Coach Development Targeted Programmes Manager will be ensuring that RPL/QBE i.e. Recognition of Prior Learning & Qualification By Experience is incorporated into the (accelerated) development pathway for targeted groups e.g. female coaches in the professional game, player-to-coach cohorts, and leadership programmes.

Nothing wrong with the ambition, certainly.

But QBE maybe needs to become QBrE, by adding the qualifier relevant before “experience”?

Esther de Lange, Development Officer for ICC Europe

Esther de Lange and the podcast host, Tim Dellor, discussed the challenges of coaching & coach development in “foreign” cultures, and agreed that the ECB’s Level 2 & Level 3 do not prepare coaches to work in international environments.

Esther also commented on how working in different cultures (and languages) helps to refine coaching styles & philosophy.

Learning for Coach Development?

Frankly, the ECB Core Coach curriculum (as specified when I qualified as a Coach Developer in 2019 — it might have improved, since) barely prepares coaches to work in varied (diverse) cultures & environments in England.

The emphasis is on learning & reproduction of movement skills by players, and on delivery of prescribed practices by coaches, with only cursory reference to how individuals might learn (or not learn).

“Athlete-centred coaching” for the Foundation & Core levels (and now National Programmes — All Stars & Dynamos Cricket) has been defined by a focus on what the player can’t do…which sounds like deficit remediation, not “coaching”, IMO.

Ironically, the original Activator training for All Stars Cricket possibly had more relevant content, with its (admittedly simplistic) framework of childhood development, derived from the “multi-ability” child development model, from Create Development.

At the very least, the framework alerted Activators to the fact that children (and adults) have different personalities, and that the Activator’s role extended to accommodating and working with those differing character traits.

Now, sadly, abandoned.

Podcasts for learning?

Hearing someone talk on their specialist subject should be informative. It can take very skilful interviewing (& editing) skills to distill the wisdom, but too often the listener is left to do the hard work of extracting meaning & relevance from the stream of consciousness.

Not convinced the ECB Coach Development podcast series quite achieves this, yet.