The Teesra

Category: cricket

  • ECB CA Conference Review #ECBCAConference

    I am slowly recovering from a hectic couple of days at the ECB Coaches Association Conference at the weekend.

    Leaving the house at 6 am, and listening to Ashley Giles talk about his career, and his journey from player to coach, at midnight…a long and fascinating first day, followed by six straight hours of workshop and presentation on Sunday.

    Taken singly, every presentation contained nuggets of interest.  Taken together, and with the added bonus of a group of like-minded cricket coaches to share ideas with, there was almost too much to absorb in one weekend, and I am sure to be coming up with new ideas for months to come.

    However, the key themes of the weekend were encapsulated for me in the title of the opening keynote from Frank Dick: Winning Matters – and, by extension, so does the role of the coach in developing the pathway towards victory.

    The word “difference” came up a lot, too – we were exhorted to be “the difference that makes a difference”; “thinking differently [and] performing better”.

    Frank challenged us all to come up with a way to become that “winning difference” – I am still working on mine.

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  • 2014 – nearly over (3): Sports psychology – making it work in 2015

    One of the challenges on the CPD courses was to design sessions and interventions to support and development mental strengths.  We covered the “4 Cs” (Concentration, Control, Commitment and Confidence) on the level 2 course, but at a very superficial level, without really thinking about how to coach them.

    And this might prove to be the key to this difficult topic – rather than trying to “teach” Concentration, or Commitment, the development of mental skills needs to be consciously included into a holistic training programme.

    Easy to write, less easy to put into action.  So my challenge for 2015 is to integrate mental skills alongside technical, tactical and physical, for players of all ages and abilities.

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  • 2014 – nearly over (1): Coaching 3 year olds, and a 63 year old.

    2014 has been a year of cricketing extremes, with coaching sessions with both the youngest and oldest players I have ever worked with.

    At one end of the age range, I have enjoyed coaching several “Little Legends” groups this year – 3-4 year olds.  I have also delivered 1-2-1 sessions for club and social players, the oldest of whom is over 60 and still playing on most weekends in the summer.

    Very different players, but all with one thing in common – they wanted to enjoy themselves, playing cricket.

    Very different challenges for the coach…and surprising similarities.

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