Why is Team Spirit Important for Kids in Cricket?

Team spirit is essential in cricket and if it is developed early enough it will help kids when Stepping Up from Junior To Senior Cricket.

What are the Benefits of Good Team Spirit?……Read to find out.

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Stepping Up from Junior To Senior Cricket

What Can You Do to Make Sure Kids are Ready to Play Cricket at this Level? Cricket is becoming more and more popular with kids and it is being regularly played in schools across the UK and Internationally. Over the years there seems to have been an increasing number of kids who are selected to play… Continue reading »

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Coordination in Cricket is Essential, Give Your Kids an Advantage

During my school years I always wondered why it was that some kids were good at most sports whether it be cricket, football, tennis, hockey, badminton etc. I believe that this may have been due to them having further developed coordination [...]

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Helping Kids to Visualise Success: A Different Approach

Children don’t have the same ability as adults when it comes to planning for success. I wanted to emphasise the point that we must take a different approach when coaching kids cricket. Here are some tips that may help kids to realise their potential [...]

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Can Indoor Cricket Play a Part in the Future of the Game?

Here in the UK cricket can be a frustrating sport. It is dependant on weather conditions and a club season will last approximately 5 months, in kids cricket this can be as little as 3 months. I remember the agonising wait between seasons and constantly asking my dad “when does cricket start?”. I see that anticipation all of the time now with my younger brothers [...]

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Why is Team Spirit Important for Kids in Cricket? Stepping Up from Junior To Senior Cricket Coordination in Cricket is Essential, Give Your Kids an Advantage Helping Kids to Visualise Success: A Different Approach Can Indoor Cricket Play a Part in the Future of the Game?

Why is Team Spirit Important for Kids in Cricket?

by Daniel Maddocks

How Can it Improve their Cricket?

"Forget team spirit, I want to bowl"

Team spirit is essential in cricket and if it is developed early enough it will help kids when Stepping Up from Junior To Senior Cricket.

What are the Benefits of Good Team Spirit?

  • Players are more likely to enjoy the game.
  • Loyalty to the club is increased.
  • Players learn from each others experience.
  • Healthy competition is introduced.
  • Everyone has a common goal – To Win!
     

How Can This Improve Our Cricket?

  • Strong team spirit will intimidate the opposition.
  • Batsmen will communicate well between the wickets.
  • Hence good partnerships will be built.
  • Fielders will motivate the bowler to put the batsman under pressure.
  • Communication and backing-up in the field will become natural.

Team spirit can be the difference between winning and losing!

So How Do We Develop Team Spirit in Kids?

  • Make sure every youngster is given a role in the side.
  • Provide juniors with club kit or even a cap with the club badge. They will feel they belong to a team.
  • Introduce team building activities to kids coaching sessions. But make them fun!
  • Praise the team as a whole, not individually.
  • Allow youngsters to have a winning song or dance to celebrate their achievements.

As they Progress to Senior Cricket

  • Allow talented players to train with adult sides to help them build rapport, as long as their safety is not compromised.
  • Don’t make the mistake of picking kids for fielding purposes, they will lose interest.
  • Encourage them to support other team members on the field.
  • Praise youngsters when they do something well.
  • Don’t criticise when they make mistakes,

    they are going through a learning curve.

My original article on this topic can be found on the PitchVision website by clicking here.

Image Credit: Spatial Mongrel

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Stepping Up from Junior To Senior Cricket

by Daniel Maddocks

What Can You Do to Make Sure Kids are Ready to Play Cricket at this Level?

Like Father Like Son

Cricket is becoming more and more popular with kids and it is being regularly played in schools across the UK and Internationally. Over the years there seems to have been an increasing number of kids who are selected to play in senior cricket matches. No doubt this has resulted from the growing enthusiasm for the game and the passion of youngsters to one day be like there idols.

With this enthusiasm comes the willingness to learn, followed by the willingness to train. If kids are enjoying their cricket then they are more likely to practice and put in the effort to succeed. I have seen this hard work pay off when kids perform well in junior games and they are called up to a senior squad, this is a fantastic opportunity but there are certain things that the club should take into account.

Off the Field

  • Ensure that the player is ready to make the step up from Junior to Senior cricket.
  • Any player under the age of 12 cannot play in competitive senior cricket (ECB).
  • Under 13′s can play if a Level 2 coach considers it necessary for their development, parental consent must be given (ECB).
  • Over 13′s are able to play in competitive senior cricket.
  • It is important the club has suitable infrastructure such as the necessary welfare support.

On the Field

  • Words of encouragement and advice are important. A pat on the back from a senior player can help a junior overcome their nerves.
  • A youngster will react to body language, make sure that the team is acting positively.
  • Do not place a child in a fielding position that poses an unreasonable level of risk.
  • Ensure that kids wear all of their personal protective equipment (i.e. helmet, pads, gloves, box, thigh pad etc).

The important thing is that a child gains a positive experience from playing senior cricket. It is not fair to select a child to fulfill just a fielding role, they are not being allowed to enjoy the whole aspect of the game. The step up from junior to senior cricket is a significant event for any young player, be sure to offer support and make sure their welfare is not put at risk.

I recently wrote a short article on the subject for PitchVision. Be sure to check it out here.

Image Credit: Gone-Walkabout

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Coordination in Cricket is Essential, Give Your Kids an Advantage

by Daniel Maddocks

How to Develop Coordination in Kids

Eye on the Ball

During my school years I always wondered why it was that some kids were good at most sports whether it be cricket, football, tennis, hockey, badminton etc. I believe that this may have been due to them having further developed coordination.

The development of coordination plays a major part in Kids Cricket and the LTAD Fundamentals Stage. The younger the person is, the more able they are to develop such skills. However, the LTAD cricket model suggests that the best time to introduce cricket coordination is between the ages of 6-9 (boys) and (6-8) girls.

Coordination is concerned with the brain relaying information to different muscle groups, which work together to execute a specific action. Cricketers need coordination in order to catch, throw and strike a moving ball. This relies significantly on good hand to eye coordination, which is the ability to coordinate hand movements with what the eyes see.

Here are a few exercises to help improve hand to eye coordination in kids cricket:

Catch

This is probably the simplest way of improving hand to eye coordination in kids. Get players to throw cricket balls to each other, varying the distance between them in order to make it more challenging.

Catch and Clap

Whilst the player throws a ball in the air, the coach asks them to clap 1, 2 or 3 times before catching it. This teaches kids to watch the ball carefully as their hands are performing a seperate action.

Catch and Move

To further develop hand to eye coordination we should introduce catching practice whilst the player is moving.  This will teach kids to watch the ball carefully and get their bodies in the right position to catch.

Colour Coded Catching

The coach shouts a colour and then proceeds to throw different coloured bean bags into the air. When the player sees that colour bean bag they should catch it, again this gives kids something extra to think about.

General Practice

Practicing cricket scenarios will inevitably help to improve coordination.

Bowling, batting, fielding and wicket keeping all require the skill and specific drills will help to reinforce any coordination training. Generally, creating a sense of confusion in drills can help to improve coordination. For example, as with the catch and clap drill above, players can be made to think and execute more than one action at a time.

If you know of any more cricket coordination drills then please feel free to leave a comment.

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Helping Kids to Visualise Success: A Different Approach

by Daniel Maddocks

 

How Do We Promote Ambition Without Forcing It Upon Them?

Hi Guys! I recently wrote a cricket article for PitchVision ‘Can you visualise the future of your cricket to help build on the past?’ The article can be found here .

Children don’t have the same ability as adults when it comes to planning for success. I wanted to emphasise the point that we must take a different approach when coaching kids cricket. Here are some tips that may help kids to realise their potential.

Good use of questioning can promote self-learning, problem solving, motivation and communication. An example question might be, “what technique could have been used to stop the ball getting past you?” The answer may have been “the long barrier” but the point is that the player has not been given the answer. Instead the child has taken responsibility for his or her own actions, which is a great way of learning.

Use language to encourage the imagination. Question -”Today we are going to learn how to bowl spin, can you name me a spin bowler?”. Reply –  ”Shane Warne”. The kids are now thinking ‘wow I could be as good as him one day!’.

Make use of visual aids in the changing rooms. Place pictures and quotes from role models on the walls, again this stimulates the imagination.

As parents you should show an interest in what your child has learnt. Kids often get excited about playing cricket and it is important that parents share this enthusiasm and praise achievements where necessary.

Don’t put pressure on a child to succeed! Ambition should could from within the player, if it’s not there then it shouldn’t be forced upon them. If there’s a lack of confidence then work on it and in turn their ambitions may widen.

Kids need plenty of energy when taking part in sport, so be sure to promote a healthy diet.

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Can Indoor Cricket Play a Part in the Future of the Game?

by Daniel Maddocks

 

Yes and You’re About to Find Out Why

Whilst studying at university this winter I was given the opportunity to play in an indoor cricket league, hosted by Lancashire CC. I had only ever taken part in net and fielding drill sessions under a roof, and to be honest the thought of playing competitively indoors never appealed to me. So what use was it trying to play a cricket match inside a sports hall? Well, I found it of great use actually.

LCCC Indoor League Champions 2009 :D

Here in the UK cricket can be a frustrating sport.

It is dependant on weather conditions and a club season will last approximately 5 months, in kids cricket this can be as little as 3 months. I remember the agonising wait between seasons and constantly asking my dad “when does cricket start?”. I see that anticipation all of the time now with my younger brothers.

As I mentioned I played indoor cricket for the first time this winter. I enjoyed it so much that when my team of Under-11′s where given the opportunity to play in an indoor tournament I jumped at the chance. I phoned up parents and the kids were so excited to be playing cricket, 3 months before they expected to start outdoors.

So What Are The Benefits of Playing Indoor Cricket?

  • It is not weather dependant and can be played at any time during the day.
  • It’s a good way of keeping fit and staying on top of your game out of season.
  • Indoor cricket is fast paced and can help with agility, reactions and concentration.
  • It can teach batsmen to communicate under pressure. Due to the fast pace batsmen are tested when running between the wickets.

How is Indoor Cricket Played?

This will depend on the rules of that particular league or tournament. The rules that I am familiar with are as follows:

  • 6 players per team.
  • Each team bats for 12 overs or until every batsman is out.
  • Bowlers can bowl a maximum of 3 overs.
  • Batsmen must retire on 25 but can come back on when the team has 2 wickets remaining
  • Scores are as follows; 1 run for hitting the side wall, 1 run for hitting the wall behind the batsman, 4 or 6 runs for hitting the wall in front of the batsman, 2 runs for running once between the wickets, 2 runs for a wide or no ball. There can be a combination of these in one ball.

There are many variations to these rules, so before attempting to play an indoor match they should be clarified. I firmly believe that indoor cricket will play a major part in our sport in the future. Schools are actively promoting kids cricket and those with sport halls should be encouraged to host indoor tournaments. This is a great way of getting kids interested in cricket whilst helping to keep them healthy and fit.

Image courtesy of Salford University Cricket Club 

If you have an experience or thought on this topic then feel free to leave a comment below.

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