The Teesra

Category: coaching

  • Non-negotiables for coaches — from the players

    Non-negotiables for coaches — from the players

    I have written previously about the under-13 squads I am working with this year.

    As part of their introduction to the squad, we have them discuss and agree on “non-negotiables” — agreed actions, behaviours, attitudes within the squad that simply will not be debated — for themselves, for their interactions with team mates.

    And also for what they expect from their coaches.

    We (the coaches) didn’t get a say (these are the players expectations of us), but we will have to own them, as far as we can.

    If we are to aspire to being more than Shane Warne’s bus!

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  • Good player. Would you pick him?

    We finished the annual round of selections for our U13 squads just before Christmas. A new intake of 28 players to join 20 returning for a second winter training programme and summer season with us.

    Selection took a couple of hours — some were obvious picks, but filling the final few slots took a lot of discussion.

    I do think we have picked the right players, in the end. But, if it wasn’t already obvious, the inexactitude of the selection process was very apparent!

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  • “…and 10 of your own”

    For reasons too mundane to detail, I have paid several visits to the Nursery Pavilion at Lord’s over the last fortnight.

    The Nursery “Pavilion“ isn’t really a pavilion, in the cricket sense, but actually a corporate hospitality venue, tastefully decorated with a selection of cricketing quotes, insightful, funny, and satirical.

    One, attributed to G H Hardy, caught my attention.

    Cricket is the only game where you are playing against eleven of the other side and 10 of your own.

    And I felt obliged to defend the honour of the game I have played for more than 50 years, and coached now for 15.

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