COACHING : Coaching Philosophy

Through my experience in the Australian cricketing system, I have developed my own personal philosophy to cricket coaching.

I like to approach cricket coaching with a simple and logical development. I follow a simple equation.

Planning + Process + Execution = Outcomes

Firstly I instruct the players what to do and how do it (Planning). Then I make sure that their mental approach is positive and that they can `stay in the moment’ during every delivery (Process). After these I try to improve the skills and techniques of every player (Execution). I believe that if I concentrate on this approach then the results (Outcomes) will take care of themselves.

`Success is a science. In order to succeed you need to create the right environment.’

For every action there is a reaction. Keeping this in mind I try to create a positive and competitive training environment. I try to conduct training to closely reflect a game situation.

As a coach I try to monitor my players level of intensity and team spirit. These two are often very hard to gage, let alone manipulate for maximum results. In general you try to build trust amongst team members, encourage a positive environment that is concentrated on the process rather than result.

`A man can make a mistake, but he isn’t a failure until he starts making excuses.’

In order to help with the managing of players and team spirit I believe in quotes. A good quote can really get the message across. Here are some of my favourites;

Coaching Quotes – various authors

• `If you do what you always did, you’ll get what you’ve always got.’

• `The highest reward for a person’s toil is not what they get for it but what they become by it.’

• Discipline =

1. Do what has to be done;

2. When it has to be done;

3. As well as it can be done; and

4. Do it that way all the time.

• `Planning and preparation, sacrifice and self-denial, effort and hard work, persistence and perseverance = Attitude.’

• `There is always room for improvement; it is the biggest room in the house.’

• `Win without boasting; lose without excuse.’

• `Do not brag, for it is not the whistle that moves the train.’

• `The bigger a mans head gets, the easier it is to fill his shoes’

• `A competitor will find a way to win. Competitors take bad breaks and use them to drive themselves much harder. Quitters take bad breaks and use them as a reason to give up.’

• `Thinking with practice transforms to instinct.’

• `Teams need common goals, week to week objectives and the realization that when the team has success they all get rewarded.’

• `Courage is the resistance of fear, the mastery of fear, not the absence of it.’

• `The two characteristics great leaders have, is respect and presence.’

• When you make a mistake there are only three things to do, first admit it, second learn from it and third don’t repeat it.’

• Tell me, I hear. Show me, I see. Though Involve me, I understand

• There are no great men, only men whom by circumstance and forced to be great.

 

Efficient versus Attractive Players

A player does not have to posses a beautiful, picture perfect technique to be effective. A perfect technique does not guarantee success; test cricket is full of cricketers who do not posses perfect technique. The important thing is that the player is effective by taking wickets or scoring runs. Often a player who is pleasing to the eye may posses a basic technique flaw, as long as a specific style is not limiting the players performance it is wise not too change it. People are all different, different techniques and approaches work for individual people. The best players are the ones who work the hardest and play with pride in their performance.

`A war is made of many battles. It is on the outcome of the majority of these battles that the war is won.’ – Winston Churchill

In a way a cricket match is made up of many small battles, every ball is a battle between the bowling team (including fieldsman) and the batsman. If a team can win the majority of the balls then it will win the game. This approach can help players to stay `in the moment’ completely concentrating on every ball.

Current popular thinking in the psychology of cricket says that, to win you must attack. You must pressure your opponents. A positive frame of mind is necessary to performing near or at potential. Pressure cricket is successful cricket. Whether you are batting or bowling, the side under pressure is on the defensive. If a player is on the defensive his energies are consumed by surviving. If you can keep your opponent on the defensive, he forgets about attacking and you cannot lose unless your opponent attacks. A player under pressure is more likely to make poor decisions thus increasing the opposition teams’ chances of success. However pressure can be transferred rapidly through counter attack. This quick change of fortune helps to make cricket the fascinating game that it is.

To create pressure when batting, a batsman should always be looking to hit the ball for four runs. `If he cannot, three then, maybe two, OK a single.’ The way to put pressure on the bowlers is by hitting the lose deliveries for four, but also trying then to limit the number of dot balls faced. This is where running between the wickets becomes most important. If a player can drop the ball at his feet and the non-striker is alert, the pair may take numerous quick singles. This helps the batting team by not letting the bowler get into rhythm against one batsman rotating the strike also helps to draw the field closer thus making it easier to hit boundaries.

`You have to occupy the crease to build a big innings but it is no use just standing there! You have to play straight, run hard between the wickets and want to win!’ – Bob Simpson Former Australian Captain and Coach

Pressure in the field is a two-fold process, involving the bowler as well as 10 fieldsmen (including the W/K). It is important to know that the bowler is the first link in the chain of pressure. If he cannot consistently bowl to a plan, with a field set to that plan, he will never create pressure. Once the bowler has let go of the delivery it is then up to the fieldsman. Fieldsman in the circle should walk-in enthusiastically. All fieldsmen should wish for the ball to come to them. Unless they want to be involved, a day in the field can be long and tiring.

Loud encouragement of the bowler, clapping hands and looking positive all has to do with putting pressure on the batsman. To help create team spirit, success should be celebrated (within reason) and defeat met with no excuses from players or coaches. An objective analysis of the game to identify weaknesses. Do not dwell on failures or negative emotions such as blame. Stay positive and constructive with your criticism this will create a positive learning environment.