ECB Level 2 cricket coaching course.

From the 26th January until the 23rd February I have been doing my ECB Level 2 coaching course for cricket. 

Doing this course is not just for my benefit as it is another qualification to add to my coaching CV but it is so I can actually go out and a coach a sport I enjoy and help young children learn a sport. As the captain of the 2nd team is my responsibility to bring new, young players through so that the 1st team always have good players to replace there older one's with. With me being the captain of the 2nd team and the Juniors coach this is a lot more in my control and with I thought this qualification would only help me produce better sessions for the kids to learn from.

The ECB course consisted of 8 modules and a Child Safeguarding and First Aid module which were done first. Every Saturday for 5 weeks I did 9am - 3.30pm at Wilmslow High School to learn everything I would need to know for my final assessment in April where I will do a 30 minute session for 10-15 kids based around one batting shot, one bowling action and one aspect of fielding.

I have found doing the course a great experience not only for extra insight on ways to coach and how to plan a session, but I have actually felt my own ability as a player has improved as for the first time I am seeing techniques broken down and am being shown how each shot should be played opposed to self-teaching myself and guessing like I have had to do since I started playing 7-8 years ago.

In terms of my coaching, this course has been a massive aid. I now know how to structure a cricket session a little bit more and that I need to always remember to show demonstrations and talk through the coaching points of the action I am teaching. This way the children will not only see how the technique is done but they will understand how it is done with the use of of the coaching points.

For example, the coaching points for the long barrier in cricket are;

1. Get your head in line with the ball.
2. Go down on your knee with a 90 degree angle, keeping your knee and heel together. (Use the knee opposite to the arm you throw with i.e. right handers go down on left knee)
3. Hands pointing down in front of knee/heel and collect the ball.
4. Pull throwing arm back and release ball towards wicket keeper.

Using these coaching points, the children will understand the stages to the skill and will hopefully be able to pick it up easier.

The other useful tool I picked up from the coaching course was something the ECB use called Coaching Bugs.

 

Generate and Provide Feedback bug

Shows the four key points on how to generate and provide feedback during a session. I.e. limit information to 1-2 key points and keep it simple and specific.

Organise it bug 

Again, four key points on how to organise the session you are running. I.e. keep safety in mind when managing people, space and equipment and how to group the participants in a fair manner.

There are 9 coaching bugs in all and I plan on using all of them every single time I plan a junior coaching session this summer in order to maximise the effectiveness of the session for me and for he junior players I am coaching.