COACHING AT EBCC - 2018 SEASON This article has been put together by our Head Coach, Brian Swindley, to give you a flavour of how the coaching is being run at Emmbrook and Bearwood CC this season. You will find a short biography of each of our coaches at the end of the article. If you are interested in helping out with any of the age groups on Friday evenings during the summer, please speak to Brian (contact details below). A message from our Head Coach Brian Swindley In 2017 I decided that I would like to undertake a cricket coaching qualification so that I could help develop the club s junior players and would instil a lifelong love of the game in a fun and secure environment. In addition, I wanted to accelerate the learning of new skills so that our players including my daughter could choose to play at whatever level they liked, safe in the knowledge that they would know exactly what they were doing. The timing was no accident I was starting to slow down as a player despite playing the majority of my 2017 season for the first team, and my daughter was doing well in the county development squad as a batsman and wicketkeeper. Coaching Philosophy I attended the ECB s coaching course in 2017 and found it to be excellent. It really concentrated on the player and their needs, and placed them firmly at the centre of the coaching universe. I learnt that cricket technique can be varied and that this is fine the critical point is that each discipline is underpinned by a set of Core Principles which, when used, will maximise player s talents e.g. using assertive foot movement when batting, and using the full face of the bat when hitting the ball. Using this knowledge, I have developed an over-arching strategy for the coaching of each age group that develops all of the skills necessary in an evolving way. It helps newer players to improve, and stretches better players to fulfil their potential. For example, here is how the winter nets were structured: Batting basics including straight hitting Bowling basics including line and length Basics of fielding and wicket-keeping Batting full range of shots and interpreting the field and bowler Bowling all styles and deliveries, and understanding the batsmen and the field Matchplay
Session Principles The summer practice sessions will be structured in a similar way and will be linked to events that happen in matches both at the team and the player level. They will build on the winter sessions and will continue to use the following principles: Principles built into each session Fun so that players want to come back Player-centric Based on the Core Principles of cricket Players to be doing as much as possible rather than watching Fitness built into non-fitness sessions Encourage feedback from the players on how to improve sessions Link session themes to what is happening in matches at team and player level Coach at a level that is appropriate to the team and the player Use the 'question, instruct, demonstrate and praise' model Provide a safe environment Using fixed and variable coaching techniques Using 'progression' to enhance player abilities during sessions and from session to session Organise the sessions effectively Cover 'technical, tactical, mental and physical' skills Engage parents and guardians in the overall aim of the coaching, the sessions and solicit help as needed What this means Conduct sessions in a fun, friendly and playercentric manner to encourage a life-long love of the game Coaching targeted to each player Coaches must know these off-by-heart. Structure sessions so that players spend more time hitting, bowling, throwing and catching Structure sessions so that players are working on fitness without knowing it Ask for feedback at strategic points in a session, and at the ned of each session Work with Managers and players to understand what happened in matches prior to planning sessions Understand age appropriate and competenceappropriate coaching Use the model at the start of each subsession includes physical environment, equipment, spectators and other groups close by, and DRB and first aid certifications Use single goal and multi-goal training, and interventions at player and team-levels Plan how players will progress, and how sessions will help teams progress Planning the session in advance, confirmed with the Head Coach, and collaborated with the Welfare Officer Assess sessions in advance to include each element Speak with parents and guardians at the start and end of winter and summer nets, and each evening. Tell them how they can help the team and the individual players
Below is an example of a session plan so you can see the thought that is put into each session: Example Session Plan Theme: Core principles and basis of bowling 19:00 Warm up - coach led each player has a tennis ball and they follow the coach s actions. The Coach stands still and throws the ball from one hand to the other and gradually makes it more difficult e.g. higher, faster, loopier. This is then repeated by the Coach moving side-to-side just 1 pace at a time. This is then repeated whilst walking, and then with jogging. Ask the players why we did this (warm the whole body up ready for bowling, improve hand-eye co-ordination etc) 19:05 Run through the core principles of bowling seam bowling first, then spin. Show the players each principle and ask them questions, then get them to copy. 19:15 Put players in groups of 3. Put stumps the correct distance apart. 2 players at one end, one runs in and bowls and follows the ball through to the other end. The single player catches the ball and then they run in and bowl. After 5 minutes let them have a chat about what is working well and what could be better. Then repeat for spin. 19:25 Add cones for the ball to land in, and make the rectangle smaller as the players improve. Repeat the above. 19:35 Competition most accurate seam bowler and most accurate spin bowler. Two bowlers at a time. 3 deliveries each. 19:40 Match. 2 batsmen in receive 2 overs. 2 bowlers alternating to make things faster. Everyone gets to bat and bowl. 19:57 Re-cap. What did you learn? What did you enjoy? What could have been better and what could have been more fun?
Coach Biographies Here is a short biography from each member of our coaching team. You will find them out on the cricket field on Friday evenings and at matches despite all having busy day jobs! Brian Swindley Head of Coaching and U11 and U15 Coach Brian trialled for Berkshire U19s before playing senior cricket in 1988. He has opened the bowling for teams including North Maidenhead, Boyne Hill, Chorlton-cum-Hardy and Emmbrook and Bearwood, and is now established as an all-rounder, playing the majority of his cricket in the Emmbrook 1 st team last year. Whilst playing for Chorlton, Brian was 1 match away from bowling to Richie Richardson who was playing for Blackpool at the time. Brian is in the final stage of qualifying as a level 2 coach, has assisted with junior football coaching for four years, and co-led the 1 st Emmbrook cub pack for 6 years. Brian s cricketing passion is fast bowling. Dilip Tahiliani U9 Coach Dilip is an ECB level 2 trained coach who has been coaching the U9s at EBCC for the last 2 years. His best achievement as a coach has been training the U9s team with appropriate skills and strategies to come close to winning the league last year, whilst making the whole experience enjoyable for the kids. Dilip learnt the tricks of the trade starting from primary school age playing in India and since then has played for various teams at different levels. His best batting effort playing for his University was 108 not out in a crucial must win game and best bowling figures of 4/31. He is a skilled all-rounder and has played the game as a batsman, wicket keeper and bowler. He can swing the ball both ways and can bowl leg spin and off spin. Dilip is an Enterprise IT Architect by profession and works in the Financial Services industry. He is involved in architecting payment systems that are part of UK national infrastructure and fundamental to UK economy. Paul Hunsdon U9 Coach Paul played Hampshire League Cricket for Silchester for 25 seasons, taking over 400 wickets for the club including a career best 8-31 against Ashford Hill in 1996.
Paul is a resident of Emmbrook and has been assisting Dilip Tahiliani with the coaching of the U9s. He is looking to help out with any tips and advice for the younger members especially with their bowling during the season. Paul is the Managing Director of a specialist IT Resourcing company, as well as a governor at Emmbrook Infant School. He has also been a longstanding Reading FC fan since childhood and has worked for the club on matchdays for more than 20 seasons. Jack Narraway U11/U15 Coach Jack began playing senior cricket in 2008 and has kept wicket for our Club for the last decade. Jack is an established first team player who has captained many of our junior sides in addition to the second XI. Jack won Berkshire Young Player of the Year and Wicket Keeper of the Year in 2016 and is currently working towards completing his ECB level 2 qualification. He also holds a Level 1 football coaching qualification. Jack s specialist coaching talents are batting, wicket-keeping and spin bowling off-spin and leg-spin. Tom Alborough U11 Assistant Coach Tom started playing cricket with EBCC three seasons ago. He is a student at St Crispins School, Wokingham. He is helping the U11s coaches as part of his Duke of Edinburgh Bronze Award. Sai Rajagopalan - U13 Coach Sai began following his passion for cricket in India where he played for his District and University teams. In England, Sai started playing cricket for Emmbrook & Bearwood seniors team in 2000 where he opened the bowling and sometimes the batting, including a career best 147 against Welford Park and 6-22 against Checkendon. Sai took a break from playing cricket after the birth of his son 12 years ago and started helping out with coaching U9s, U10s and U11s. He returned to playing senior cricket in 2017, including the first team. Sai is now the coach of the U13s team where he enjoys providing tips and advice on the technical aspects of bowling seam and spin.
David Sweetnam U13 Coach David played cricket for Cardiff U16s many years ago and has maintained a passion for the game ever since. David has been heavily involved in the coaching and team management of the U9s, U11s and U13s at our club over the last 4 years. Alastair Fairhead U15 Coach Alastair is a first team player who firmly established himself in the critical no.3 batsman role in 2017. Alastair is a specialist batsman who also functions as a support bowler, and is looking forward to showing the U15s how to bowl a leg-break off a full run-up and seamer s action! Andy Robertson U15 Coach Andy has played senior cricket at our club for a number of seasons with a great deal of experience as a first team player. Among Andy s cricketing strengths are batting, seam bowling, and also bowling leg spin. In 2018 along with his brother Matt Robertson, Andy is captaining the 2 nd XI which is perfect for developing the U15s and giving them a direct gateway into the senior teams. U7s We will shortly be bringing in an external coaching company to design and deliver fun sessions to the Under 7s details will be announced via the website as soon as this has been finalised..and finally. We look forward to seeing you all on Friday evenings at the Club. If you have any questions about the coaching at EBCC, please contact me via the website or at theswindleys@yahoo.co.uk Brian Head Coach, EBCC