The Teesra

Category: practice

design of practice sessions

  • Jail-break cricket – another variant for CGBL

    Here is a game variant that can be used to encourage players to apply a specified batting technique in a practice session.

    We call it “jail-break cricket” – players are challenged to hit a ball to a specified target area to release team mates who have been “sent to jail”.

    The game encourages the batter to play a particular stroke, so could work well as the final, modified game in a whole-part-whole session.

    It also teaches team spirit (it is amazing how quickly the “jailed” players come to actively encourage their batting team mates) and introduces the concepts of responsibility and consequence – if you are the last “free” batter, you really do need to try to hit the target to free your team mates; if you are dismissed, you go to jail, and if the last batter does not release his team mates the innings closes.

    N.B. I did not invent this format, but have only adopted (and adapted) it from others.  But it works so well I wanted to share it. (more…)

  • 2014 – nearly over (2): CPD – coaching “children” and “young people & adults”

    Over the last few months, I have been working my way through the new ECB CPD courses for level 2 coaches.

    The new courses are presented in two distinct streams – Coaching children and Coaching Young People & Adults (YPA).

    Interesting, though, in the light of my experiences this year coaching players aged 3 and 63, that the “Coaching children” workshops all look to be just as important for the YPA environment (13 and older) as for children.

    (more…)

  • Net practice for young players – yes and no

    A thought-provoking post this week from David Hinchliffe at PitchVision Academy (@PitchVisionAcad), on the loss of young players from the game, and ways to keep them engaged and coming back for more.

    Over-reliance on net practice, especially for younger players, has been highlighted by some of David’s readers as a contributing factor.  As I explain to the players I coach – in a typical net evening, you might spend 10 minutes batting (if you are lucky), 10 minutes actually bowling, and the rest of the time watching the others bat and bowl.  Not much fun, really!  And no wonder concentration levels flag towards the end of the evening.

    There has to be a better way.  And there is.

    (more…)