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!
(more…)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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I was very fortunate to snag a place on a workshop with Paul Shaw, Tim Boon, Matt Maynard & Mark Garaway, looking at batting fundamentals from the viewpoint of highly experienced coaches who have worked extensively with the national teams.
Fascinating to hear how they simplified the art of batting — from complex technical & biomechanical analyses in the coach’s brain to the simplest possible concepts, drills & activities for the player.
And an insight into how they approach Observation (one of the old “coaching bugs” from my level 1 coaching badge).
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The Teesra 