Cricket Coaching Tips

Expectations

• Coaching kids' cricket is as rewarding as the effort you put in. For beginners, start with a mix of one-on-one and group coaching. Focus the energy kids naturally bring to practice and don't let it dissipate. So be patient and a flexible. Use the better players to demonstrate skills.

  Everyone wants to play, so each session should give all turns at batting, bowling and fielding. But kids must learn correct technique before they can develop. Keep instruction sessions short and follow them up with practice, in pairs or small groups.

  Says Julian Knight in Cricket for Dummies, "the best coaches are those who look to spend time with every player." Unless you have a hand-picked representative side, your team will have mixed ability. Remember every player deserves a good grounding in the game and the chance to love it and play his best. The players deserve good preparation and interesting drills to keep their session involved. For a group of, say, 12 players, an hour-long session should give 10 minutes batting each, in two nets, with five bowling.

Drills

• Batting: With beginners, don't spend too long, for example, on how to grip the bat, the stance and back-lift. Kids will be eager to just hit the ball. But first teach defensive strokes without the ball, ensuring correct technique. Demonstrate, let them replicate and demonstrate again. Place a ball at their feet and practice swinging through it, hitting smoothly but not hard. Hold the follow-through for 5 seconds. It develops muscle memory. As players progress, correct their back-lift and footwork as required in the nets. Teach trying to get to the pitch of good-length balls with throw-downs from 12 to 15 feet away. Practice that in pairs.

  Bowling: Begin with basic one-stride delivery, side-on to the batsman. Teach bringing the arm over high and stiff, above the head. Never allow bowlers to throw the ball, which is illegal. Practice in pairs, bowling gently from stump to stump 22 yards apart. Once the rudiments are mastered, add a few run-up steps.

  Catching: Begin simply tossing the ball, as players learn to catch with soft, giving hands. Experienced players will enjoy catching off the bat. Form a semicircle with a designated top and bottom. Hit the ball as hard as skills allow. Players will prize the top spot, because dropped catches mean starting again at the bottom. Later, spread the circle for outfield catching practice and have them practice throwing back over a stump.

  Fielding: Bat ground balls to each player. Let them practice getting the body behind the ball, preferably down on one knee and throwing the ball in over the stump, as quickly as possible. Have them gather a rolling ball and throw in, in one motion. Practice sidearm and overarm throwing styles.