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.

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.

Image Credit: lrargerich

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.

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

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.

Let’s Start with Some Basic Cricket Terms

Hi Guys! In future posts I’ll be explaining the different fielding positions in cricket. We will start with just a few basic cricket terms for kids, before moving on to specific cricket fielding positions.   

Stumps – These are the 3 wooden sticks that are placed at each end of the pitch. Bails are placed on top and together they can be known as wickets. The batsman’s aim is to protect his wickets/stumps.  

Pitch – This is the playing area between the stumps, identified as the lightly coloured strip. It is 22 yards in length, except in kids cricket when it can be reduced to 20 yards depending on age.  

Off Side and Leg Side - This is best illustrated by the pictures. Basically, to a right handed batsman the off side is the half of the field to their right.  Any area of ground to their left is known as the leg side (or on side).  For left handed batsman it is the opposite way around.

Behind Square - This is any area of the field behind the line of the batsman, see pictures below.   

Covers - In fielding terms this is an area of the field on the off side, as highlighted below. It relates to some fielding positions which will be covered in a later post.   

For a closer look at the pictures click on them and they will open up in my Flickr page.

Look out for my posts on cricket fielding positions.

Well, Do You Have the Potential to Coach Cricket to Kids?

Hi guys! I recently found this great little site that lets me write articles for them and in return I can earn money for charity. My first article has discussed the benefits of being involved in kids cricket and the skills that are required of a coach. I hope to add to this collection in the future in order to earn some money for my nominated charity, Save the Children.

To see the article click here.

Thanks, Daniel Maddocks

Balance in Cricket – Why and How?

Balance is a key skill that coaches should aim to improve in their players. It is one of  the essentials that were discussed in the post named Kids Cricket and the LTAD Fundamentals Stage. The LTAD cricket model suggests that the best time to develop balance is between the ages of 6-9 (boys) or 6-8 (girls).

What is Balance and Why is it Important in Cricket?

Balance is the ability to adjust the body in order to maintain a state of equilibrium. In simple terms we use balance to stop us from falling over. It is required in sports for both stationary and moving body positions. These are known as static balance and dynamic balance respectively.

A lack of balance in cricket can prevent a player from correctly executing a technique. Take the bowler for example, good balance is required from the start of their run up to the full follow through.  Imagine the bowler running in to bowl, they set themselves and leap into the air. At this point dynamic balance is required and the bowler must remain upright. A lack of balance would see the player sway to one side and it is likely that accuracy would be lost.

That was just one of many examples of why balance is important in cricket. It is equally important when batting, fielding or wicket-keeping.

What Balance Training Should Be Introduced to Kids?

Well, we should not get away from the fact that kids will want to play cricket and they themselves will not be concerned with improving skills such as balance. Therefore it is important to improve balance by integrating it with other training, but make it fun for kids! Here is one idea…

Balancing on one leg – This can be done standing still or by hopping around. To make it more fun kids can throw soft balls to each other. Sure it’s not the correct way to catch but it’s ideal for a warm-up. Just use your imagination and find exercises that are fun.

For those that have heard of the Wii Fit, it is a good way to help kids to improve their balance. It comes with lots of fun games, yoga exercises and it is possible to find a persons centre of gravity and monitor their progress. We should not forget that cricket specific balance exercises are the best for kids, but there is no harm in using resources such as the Wii Fit in addition. This is just a personal opinion of mine and young kids should be supervised when using such consoles.

How to Create a Thriving Junior Section

I was recently asked to write a guest article by the Director of Coaching at miSport. After only learning how to set up a website six weeks ago it was nice to have some recognition. The article gives some very useful tips so be sure to check it out. Here is a brief summary of the article….

To become a top cricketing nation we must rely on a steady stream of enthusiastic and well-nurtured young players. But how can this be achieved? How can we encourage kids to play cricket? How can we keep them interested and how can we get the best from them?

Check out the article here and don’t forget to sign up to my newsletter at the top right hand side of this page.

Cheers

Daniel Maddocks

So you want to coach cricket?

If you are considering the option of whether to coach cricket then this post is a staring point.

What are the benefits?

A person can be inspired to coach cricket for many reasons such as:

• passing on knowledge to others
• offering their club some help in developing kids cricket
• earning extra income
• working in a sporting environment
• enhancing their CV
• gaining new skills

But generally speaking a coach will have a passion for the game.

What Skills are Required?

As long as a person has a genuine interest in cricket then there is nothing stopping them from becoming a coach. You don’t have to have been the world’s greatest player in order to make a difference, I have worked with a Level 1 coach who had never played competitive cricket in his life. The important thing was that he wanted to help coach cricket and he took the time to go on a course.

In a previous post I talked about the different roles that a fully qualified coach would be expected to play. These inlcuded being an organisor, risk assessor, communicator, counsellor, first aider, motivator and role model. Click here to read that particular article.

How to Enrol on a Cricket Coaching Course

Many cricket clubs are increasing the number of coaches they employ. If you are a member of a club with a youth setup then it is likely that they will be able to point you in the right direction. Failing that, contact a cricketing authority such as your local county or the ECB and they will advise you on up and coming coaching courses in your area.

Child Safety and Welfare in Cricket

It s worth mentioning that the safeguarding of children in cricket is paramount and this will form part of any coaching course. In order to coach cricket to kids a valid CRB check is required, here in England a coaching certificate will not be issued until such a check has been carried and I’m certain this will be the same internationally.

Look out for future posts on the safeguarding of children.

How to Introduce Agility Training to Your Kids

As previously discussed agility training is an essential part of the LTAD Fundamentals Stage and it  plays an important role in preparing kids for a successful career in cricket. Correct technique is essential in this sport, add this to the ammunition of a well developed athlete and you’ve potentially got a star on your hands.

What is Agility and Why is it Important In Cricket?

It is the ability to change direction and body position in a fast and efficient manner, whilst maintaining good balance and control. A cricketer with greater agility will have better reflexes and will respond to situations in a faster time, giving them the edge in a game situation.

If we take batsmen for example, they need to be able to respond to the ball that is being delivered to them. Each ball can be differing in speed, line, length and it could be swinging in all different directions. Batsmen need to adjust their bodies and use good footwork to give them the best chance of playing the correct shot. Another good example is wicketkeeping where the person behind the stumps has to react quickly to stumpings, catches, run outs etc. Again, good reflexes and footwork are required by wicketkeepers and that goes for fielders and bowlers too.

What Agility Training is Good for Kids to Help Them Improve Their Cricket?

It's Amazing What You Can Do With a Few of These

Introducing agility ladders, jumping over small obstacles and having kids weave between cones can be a good way of improving agility. However it depends on the group of children, some may not enjoy such activities and remember that having fun is key to success at the early stages. There are a number of games that can be played, such as dodgeball, which require fast movements and changes in directions. A coach can be imaginative in creating such training, as long as these movements are introduced and the session is carried out safely

I usually have a box of different coloured cones and ask the player to stand in the centre of them. When I shout a colour the player then steps and touches the corresponding cone, I can make it as intense or as easy as I feel appropriate. This particular drill is useful for wicketkeepers.

Image Credit: morberk