,

4 Pivotal Skills for a Volunteer Cricket Coach

After running coach and club inductions for the past 6 months - it got me thinking about how a volunteer coach can really make a difference with their team and what key habits lead to success. 

Below are 4 skills that have helped me transition from a junior cricket volunteer into a professional junior coach over the past 8 years. Even if it’s something you’ve heard before - putting these into action will ensure you’re creating the best environment possible for the team's success and your own as a coach and leader. 

 

1. PLANNING

{The ability to work through a plan with others}

The first step is making sure you have a thorough session plan to run with at training. Outline your drills, timings, and coaching points clearly and cohesively with you and your team prior to kicking off. It will make life a lot less stressful when you arrive and also give you the clarity to focus when it comes to delivering a quality session. 

 

Mapping out an outline for the season and overall goals (team and player), outcomes and individual targets you and your team are looking to achieve is vital to take care of the long-term direction. Lay the ground rules to begin with and make sure everyone is on the same page about basic expectations as well as what you’re willing to do to help them. 

 

Planning needs to be consistent in your approach e.g. for each week, each session, each program. The best way to make sure it doesn’t become a burden is to keep it simple wherever possible. Even if it’s just 5-10 minutes the morning of / night before a session it will make a world of difference for everyone’s clarity as well as your own.

2. COMMUNICATE

{Communicating in a variety of situations and settings}

Above all - you need to be sure you’re communicating with your players directly. I like to put myself in their shoes wherever possible so I can speak with them as honestly as possible - as well as giving my view on things. Try and avoid being instructive - the old-school authoritarian method. Sure, you’ll need it some days if things aren’t right or if players are struggling. However, to encourage proper development and learning, it’s always best to help others find the answer themselves or for them to put it in their own words. 

 

The use of question-based discussion, diaries, handouts, video feedback, and group discussions are some ways you can keep communicating messages across with different tips - for them to digest and put into action. 

 

Secondly, it’s how you coordinate with other coaches, volunteers & parents involved. A team brief prior to training or once a month can help you discuss plans and incorporate new ideas too. 

 

During drills and training - your voice and feedback are where you can start to make further inroads with your side. It’s important to avoid standing at the back of the net and overseeing things. Get involved as much as possible, having one on one chats to the side, taking a small group for a quick demonstration, and talking to them about what you’re seeing. These are the conversations and coaching points that will stick with a player most of all. From experience, you will always get better engagement with someone when speaking to them rather than at a whole group/collective unit. 

 

3. PROGRESSION

{Progressing and challenging your players/coaches to their respective levels}

Avoid doing the same thing each week. Monotonous net sessions and one fielding drill for the year won’t lead to progress. Instead, look to spice things up where you can and make sure you’re training a variety of skills and keeping plans fresh to keep the team on their toes each time they rock up for training. 

 

Increase the difficulty as you go and initiate group challenges and team-based activities. This will help create a pressure environment and make sure anything the players are doing is always match-specific in their preparation. 

 

Create the most fun and engaging environment possible. At the end of the day, everyone is there to enjoy themselves and have as much fun as possible. You play your best cricket when you’re enjoying yourself, not worrying about performance or results, and freezing up. When players are eager for each session, it also helps them drive training standards. Developing genuine rapport and relationships with those around you will make sure the squad is tight-knit and ready for any challenge thrown their way. 

4. FEEDBACK

{Utilising feedback and advice to the best of your advantage}

Specificity is the key here - when giving and passing on feedback. We want to make sure there are always actionable points or things to work on and tangible ways you can take that conversation and make a difference next time. 

 

For each individual - try and give them some points they can keep working away at outside of training. An hour and a half each week isn’t a lot, if you can begin to pass that learning and progression into their hands they’ll be able to stay on task even outside of your sessions. 

 

For yourself, don’t underestimate what reaching out to others can bring to you. Whether it’s insights on something you’re unsure about or helping you reaffirm something you’re working towards. Always seek advice and feedback from others on your performance and use it to gauge where a player is at and how they’re developing. 

 

Constantly review and ask questions to make sure you're going in the right direction and tailoring your approach wherever possible. 

What is working well for us? 

What do we need to keep improving on? 

How can we start to make that happen next week / what can I do to make sure players can improve in this area? 

 

These are just a couple of quick questions I'll think about to myself in the car ride on the way home and something you should definitely add to your process. It’s a great way to keep moving forward!

Thanks for reading! 

Seb Contos

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Article Author: Seb Contos

National Programs Manager

Australian Cricket Institute

/1 Comment/by
,

What Makes An Effective Leader?

One of my favourite parts of working with coaches and players right around the country is discussing and discovering different ideas, viewpoints and mentalities towards success through leadership. Here are some of the most valuable and attainable lessons I’ve learnt through the game and the amazing people I’ve encountered along the way. 

 

Impacting others around you in a positive way only brings benefits

  • Leaders help shape the direction or path that others can follow through
  • Be selfless, show initiative and put your hand up to do things that others might be hesitant to do
  • Engage, encourage and affirm your peers, it goes a long way to gaining respect 
  • Learn to listen and understand - show empathy to someone else's situation. This will grow your emotional intelligence through all sorts of situations and challenges

 

Decision making is the key to tapping into your potential

  • Making critical decisions under pressure is a major skill you can develop on and off the field, whether it be about bowling changes, team selection or thinking about how to train and prepare
  • If you’re in a tough spot - put yourself through the ‘TV Test’. Does your decision hold up if you had to explain it to a national audience live? 
  • Being ethical and having reasoning behind everything you do will grow your confidence when at a crossroads
  • Take on feedback - it’s not a knock on you personally. Take your time to have your decisions assessed by others, reach out when you are unsure. Using those around you is a sure way to get the most out of a group, as well as expand your influence and skills. There are always people willing to help, you just have to ask for it!

 

Developing tactics, strategy & plans will help you become as prepared as possible and keep you calm in the heat of the moment

  • Knowing your teammates, coaches and plans inside out is essential to developing rapport and relationships
  • Adapting when things aren’t going your way is all part of it, don’t be afraid to look at plan B or C - have that ready to go before you take the field 
  • Be a student of the game, good leaders are able to read momentum, anticipate what’s ahead and pivot to give your side the best chance of winning the next contest/phase
  • Setting team values and expectations early engages all to be team first. Set the standard

Body language & demeanour portrays how much you care

  • Show you are a leader with how you hold yourself - you are who people look to!
  • Ensure you are doing the 1%ers e.g. chasing the ball hard, wearing the correct clothing, positive chat… it all counts!
  • Have a growth mindset, personal development is the key to continuously meeting your goals and staying motivated

 

Understanding your role will help you stay focused when it's your turn to stand up

  • At the end of the day, coming back to your own strengths and weaknesses is key
  • When the time comes for you to perform and take ownership of the contest, leaders don't make excuses. Get in there are give your best for the team in the position that you know you can do well
  • Avoiding distractions and keeping your mind clear and focusing on the task at hand is imperative to make sure you’re contributing with bat/ball/gloves first and foremost

 

Here’s what the ACI team came up with as our definition of leadership, what’s your mantra?

  • Josh – “A person who is respected and heard by their peers” 
  • Joel – “A leader is someone you look to in situations you aren’t confident in yourself”
  • Seb - “A leader always helps others and shows the ability to help engage and get the best out of the environment they’re in without making excuses”
  • Ray – “A Leader has an innate ability to step up when others don’t or won’t” 
  • Nick “A leader paves the way, they set the example in familiar territory and they’re the first to take a step into the unknown while others watch on to see what happens”

Just a hint… you don’t need to be captain to be a leader! Have a go, give your best and your side will be better for it!

 

Seb Contos

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Article Author: Seb Contos

National Programs Manager

Australian Cricket Institute

/1 Comment/by
, , , , ,

3 Reasons To Seek Professional Coaching For Your Child

Below, guest blogger and ACI Coach, Josh Nevett gives us his 3 main reasons to seek professional coaching for your child.

Every parent wants the best for their child, and this is no different when it comes to helping them pursue their cricketing dreams! Whilst local club and school cricket can expose young players to highly experienced and skilled coaches, it is very difficult for these coaches to fully invest themselves in individual players in this setting. 

So, where do we turn for that personal touch? The professionals of course! Here are some of the reasons that professional coaching makes for a great addition to the holistic development of a junior cricketer. 

1. SMALLER GROUPS ALLOW FOR PERSONAL, OBJECTIVE FEEDBACK

Every player is unique, and it is pivotal that they are treated as such through targeted analysis and coaching. 

Professional coaches bring a weight of experience and knowledge that allows them to recognise certain characteristics within players that may not be noticed in a local cricket club setting. For example, elements of technique and personality traits can be acknowledged and, therefore, the coach is able to help a player within their own personal nature. As the Australian run-machine, Steve Smith has shown, being unconventional is not something to discourage! 

Rather than pressuring young players into conforming with the batting ‘textbook’, top-level coaches look to harness difference when it can contribute to overall development, shaping juniors into players who are confident in their personal set of skills. After all, new competitions and formats such as the IPL and ‘The Hundred’ have created an environment where the innovators of world cricket are able to thrive and are often the most successful!

Further, feedback from leading coaches always revolves around the goal of developing the best cricketer possible. There is no danger of coaches playing favourites in this setting; each individual is provided with information that has the players best interests at heart.

This is evident in the ACI’s implementation of video analysis into its programs, the camera never lies! How can you best demonstrate to a player the areas of strength or weakness in their game? By allowing them to see it with their own eyes. It is this level of attention to detail that serves as a contributor to efficient coaching sessions and in turn, (the outcome we’re always after) better matchday performance.

2. THERE IS MORE TO CRICKET THAN SKILLS

Whilst cricket can essentially be reduced down to taking wickets and scoring runs, it is an understanding of the complexities of the game that can boost a developing players achievement and enjoyment within the sport to the next level. 

In the setting of club cricket, there is only a relatively small window of time available for teams to train and therefore key aspects of cricket such as tactical awareness, mental preparation and physical conditioning are neglected in favour of net-based skills training. This net training is useful for maximising the volume of practice in a large group, however, it doesn’t prepare players for match scenarios. 

Tactical awareness is about establishing specific plans which can produce desired results on a regular basis. Tactics are needed to provide clear purpose and direction on the field; clarity of the mind is crucial to the execution of fundamental skills such as bowling the desired areas and selecting the appropriate shots to play as a batsman.

Professional coaches are able to prepare players mentally by determining their personal areas of fear, anxiety or stress surrounding the game and providing strategies to combat these inhibiting states. Creating an optimal headspace also involves boosting positive thoughts and emotions, so aspects of mindset such as confidence, achievement and calmness are also explored.

Thirdly, physical conditioning is essential to any successful cricket training regime as the modern player needs to be able to perform at high intensities, recover quickly and prevent injury. Specialised coaches are aware of this and make sure growing athletes are well equipped with fitness programs that are not just effective, but also fun!

From this it is clear that the environment created within a professional coaching setting allows for these not so well covered elements of cricket to be explored and, therefore, young players are able to get the maximum value out of the skills they already have.

3. DEVELOPMENT IS A 24/7 PROCESS

Professional coaches understand this and, therefore, are creative in forming training programs that players can undertake anywhere and at any time. The learning never stops.

This is contrary to the common status quo in local cricket, which is to train for a couple of hours, one night per week leading into matches. Whether its batting drills for the backyard or learning resources that teach key elements of technique and mindset, professional coaches are able to meet the demand of hungry young players who simply can’t get enough of this great game! 

This also ensures that the hard work undertaken during in-person coaching is not lost or forgotten between sessions, fostering a process of continuous growth. A consistent approach allows each session to become a progression on the last which is the ideal environment for improvement to take place and learning to be maximised. 

The ACI also incorporates a strong emphasis on reflection into its programs, encouraging players to look back on their time spent engaged in cricket in all settings to better understand how to get the most out of themselves.  

The culmination of this is young cricketers who are driven, consistent and self-aware, a combination of traits which can be seen in the greats of the modern game.

Registration for the ACI's 2020/21 - Foundation (8 to 10 year-olds), Junior (11 to 14 year-olds), and Youth (15 to 17 year-olds) Academy Programs are now open. For more information please register your interest here

/0 Comments/by
, , , ,

Alex Carey: Advice For Young Cricketers

Alex Carey joined us recently as apart of our Junior Cricket Wellbeing and Activity Program and was so forthcoming with information and advice that we thought we'd put it all into a blog for all you budding cricketers out there, both young and old!

AFL VS CRICKET 

Alex is well-positioned as a multi-sport disciplined athlete to talk on the vigours of professional setups and the pressure that comes along with that.  We asked Alex his thoughts on this;

"When playing multiple sports and the commitments that come along with that, communication is key. Know who you trust and utilise that support network. Don’t be pigeonholed, do as much as you can. Don’t put pressure on yourself either. Just enjoy the different aspects of the games and challenge yourself with the differing skills. Sport is awesome and gives you a lot of life values, I still hold my junior days close to my heart and have a lot of fond memories."

Below we go into more detail about his mentality on the different disciplines within cricket.

‘When juggling a lot of commitments, be honest and talk to your coaches and staff members, speak about your situation and know what you're trying to achieve and people will support you wherever you go, always willing to assist.'

 

WICKET-KEEPING MENTALITY

"When keeping you have to be super focused and concentrated.  You also need to have good balance and be relaxed. When missing opportunities, you’ve got to be prepared to put them aside, assess them and move onto the next ball. Hard work and training is key! Glutes need to be super strong, high intensity because you’re squatting so much."

"White ball cricket is a little different compared to red ball.  You don't take as many balls, but when you do it’s usually a chance - so be alert and upbeat and bring the energy to every contest. Work is done in training to sort out performance!"

Alex answers a question to do specifically with keeping to spinners;

"It differs between hard wicket and playing on turf. Be wary of the bounce you’ll need to deal with on synthetic pitches. Stay nice and low, in a strong position and ready for the ball to get up around your ears sometimes. Watch that ball and more often than not you'll be able to take that chance whether it’s a stumping or catch. Turf will spin more, be more variable and stay a bit lower. The main point is being in a great position and set up when the ball is released. You also need to be able to trust your instincts and have your head in line with the ball when it bounces."

'We are human and you are going to feel those emotions of disappointment. Worry about the next opportunity instead. Good players are judged on their learnings from their setbacks. It’s a normal feeling, but try and make sure you don’t make those same mistakes twice. Keep a smile on your face and go around again!'

 

BATTING MENTALITY

Alex discusses his own batting technique:

"I’m still chasing perfection and always developing my batting technique. Don’t change things just to please people and coaches, setbacks will make you a better player and you’ll start to understand who you trust and what works for your game. You always need to be searching to be a better player. Whether it’s mentally or technically you need to be in whatever position is comfortable that helps you get the best out of yourself. Try different things but don’t just do something because someone tells you to or reckons you should. It may be something as simple as changing your stance on the crease, it may be the really little things that help you the most! There’ll always be an element of failure in your batting, even the pros are tinkering with their techniques, so keep working at it!"

Some key points around his mindest when chasing a score whilst batting:

"Don’t be too worried about the outcome. Have the target or chase in mind, but you can only react to what the bowler bowls. Don’t just try and score one side of the field, if you’re in a good frame of mind you’ll be able to utilise your technique to access different parts of the ground. Remember to stay calm throughout. When you’re in a run chase you can get ahead of yourself, you can be rushed and worry about things that are out of your control. Take a deep breath and understand what the bowler is trying to bowl with the field they set.  That should keep you away from those frantic thoughts. It’s a big part of my game to calm my thoughts, not everything will come off, so be it! Calm yourself and trust that you and your batting mate out in the middle will get the job done."

'If it’s technical or something that needs attention, get to training and try and work on it as much as you can.'

 

KEY ADVICE

Alex regularly captains his state and is the vice-captain of Australia's shorter form teams. His take on being a leader on-field;

"Captain while the ball is not being bowled. Meaning - make your decisions, have your fielders in the right place and then switch back onto catching that ball. Simplify it as much as possible and make sure you’ve got a good helper out there, whether it’s a mate or a vice-captain to bounce off of. You need to be able to communicate with a teammate. But when it comes to it, watch the ball and not the field."

Alex continues when asked about on-field banter;

"I don’t bother with chirping too much, I like to focus on taking the ball and doing my job and the rest should sort itself out. The better players normally welcome the challenge so you have to be wary of what you’re saying."

And finally his advice on training;

"You certainly have to train across all three facets of the game. Not just batting and bowling, but fielding is essential too. This will help make you a vital team member and a really valuable asset, to be able to take the ball when needed or step up with the bat when required. I think on a personal note, I give everything I have and never have any regrets. When you leave your day at training just know you’ve done everything you can to achieve what you needed to."

For the full interview head to our Facebook page by clicking here

/2 Comments/by
, , , ,

ACI - Q&A Interview with Alex Carey

Alex Carey, the current Australian One-day and T20 vice-captain & wicket-keeper recently joined us for an interview as apart of the ACI's free 4-week Junior Wellbeing & Activity Program.  Below is an overview of the interview along with some questions & answers that some of our lucky members of the program got to ask.

Alex's had an interesting journey thus far, playing both footy and cricket growing up and right through his schooling days until year 12. Once things got serious, he elected to go down an AFL pathway into the national draft. He had to choose one, he definitely loved cricket but couldn't pass up the opportunity to play AFL. This meant no cricket for 2 full seasons, no practice, no skills. After his decision to return to cricket, this meant finding his way back into the South Australian system by making his way through grade cricket at Glenelg. He credits his brother and dad a lot - always being there for him in terms of coaching, participation & moral support. That's where we'll pick up the interview;

‘To be elite at whatever you choose to do in life, you’ve got to work really hard and be passionate. The best normally do the most.’

ACI: Who were your biggest role models growing up?

AC: My father and older brother are certainly my two biggest supporters. Lots of young cricketers have their parents around to be their role models in life and it’s such massive support. In a professional sense, I loved watching Adam Gilchrist play - obviously being a left-hand wicket keeping batter like myself. The way he handled himself on the field, he always had a big smile on his face. Now to have a relationship with him and call him a mate is pretty special. Not only playing-wise but morally to have him as a role model was fantastic to aspire towards. At the end of the day though, family is key!

ACI: Do you think AFL is a good crossover sport for cricket?

AC: Certainly, football and cricket are two awesome sports. Footy keeps you fit, you're outdoors and you have a heap of mates on that team. Basically any sport that involves a ball, hand-eye, and lots of activity are great options to do while you’re not playing cricket.

ACI: Do you have a wicket keeping routine?

AC: Yes and you definitely should have one in between balls, especially if you don’t need to run up to the stumps or be involved in the contest. You should try and switch off as much as you can but my routine is;

  1. Look around the field and the positions.
  2. Mark my spot and scratch where I need to stand.
  3. Crouch into the hands and knees…
  4. Into stance and switch back on.

ACI: How much time do you dedicate to your batting vs your keeping when training?

AC: Personally, keeping is my number one skill so I do some really solid sessions around that. Some days it’s one or the other - I have to be able to trust my preparation for that. The off-season can be a lot about recovery and making sure you’re mentally prepared to go around again. In this time there are probably more opportunities to do longer sessions, get more time into the legs and do some higher volume with my batting prep.

He continues...

‘You need to take ownership of your own game and make sure you have that feeling of achievement when you finish the training session. It can be a juggling act chasing the perfect preparation leading into a game, you need to be fresh but you also need to keep those skills relevant.’

ACI: During the World Cup semi-final, how did you respond to being hit by Jofra Archer?

AC: We were under a fair bit of pressure at the time already, not the ideal situation you want to be in when needing to post a big score. Jofra is an elite bowler and he’s so skilled, I don't know how he does it. I copped that bouncer on the chin and got a few stitches in but was lucky to be batting with Steve Smith at the other end. It was probably more uncomfortable if anything plus I had to hold up the game. As it started going numb and a bit sore, for me personally it was about us posting a score which we could defend. I was so focused on us getting the job done and playing a good innings, I would worry about the repercussions of injury later.

ACI: Who’s the best bowler that you’ve faced?

AC: Rashid Khan is the best I’ve kept to, he’s quite special. He’s also bowled to me and is really tough to pick.

ACI: Your favourite format?

AC: They’re all exciting for different reasons! T20 is certainly a rush, one-dayers are a real test of your skills over time and 4-day cricket is all about patience. I love them all for different reasons!

ACI: Favourite venue to play at?

AC: Adelaide Oval - it’s pretty cool. Otherwise, Lords. Lords is Lords, the history that’s there with the old stands. We won two world cup games there so it’s quite a special place to play! It’s a strange slope, but you’re overawed by the history there.

ACI: Who do you follow in the AFL?

AC: I follow the Adelaide Crows, as well as Dylan Shiel at Essendon and have a soft spot for the giants.

ACI: Do you prefer batting or keeping more?

Depends if I make runs (laughs) however, keeping gives you another chance to be a part of the game!

ACI: What have you been doing cricket wise during isolation? Are you training and still catching balls?

AC: Yep certainly doing lots of running, I really enjoy that. I’ve got some weights out in the backyard to get something through the legs. I’ve got my golf balls for catching as well. I’m also having a hit tomorrow going indoors to keep my skills up. I can’t sit still so I really enjoy trying to stay fit and strong as well as hitting balls - it’s what I love doing. Right now I’m really appreciative of the time I can have with my family.

ACI: Thanks so much for coming on Alex! We really appreciate it and we’ll be supporting you in the Aussie colours when you’re back! 

AC: My absolute pleasure and it’s so great to see these questions coming through and it’s great to have that support!

For the full interview head to our Facebook page by clicking here

IF YOU WOULD LIKE MORE INFO ABOUT THE 4-WEEK JUNIOR CRICKET WELLBEING & ACTIVITY PROGRAM - CLICK HERE

/0 Comments/by