Print

[Buzz]

in wonderful news for me my older son loves cricket.

Inevitably he won't listen to what I teach him as I know nothing (he is 5 and knows it all).
As a father I have to accept this and hope at some point he may change his view. Even if that is after he has retired from playing and I am in a home.

He has done several "little big hitter" courses at the oval, which I can't recommend highly enough.

As you can all imagine, therefore, I have enrolled my son in the local club's after school cricket coaching.

Normally I can't go to watch as I will be at work.

This evening I did go and found they were coaching a little thing that really upsets me, which is move your foot to the pitch of the ball. Depressingly my son was copying them in a way I can only dream of my kids doing!

My belief is that you move your head in line with the ball and as you move to play your shot your feet will follow.

I.e. move your head first. Not your foot.

Idiotically after the session I asked the coaches about it.

Why did I do that?

I was told I was wrong etc etc. Waffle waffle "we teach competive cricket here waffle waffle".

Suitably chastened I walked away. Pretty peed of.

Lesson learned.
1. My son is 5 he loves cricket be happy with that.
2. Don't ever interfere.
3. Even when you know your are right. Still don't interfere.
4. I doesn't matter that I coached the current England captain as a school boy. I don't know anything. (i didn't mention that by the way)

What was I thinking!!

My son had a great time at the coaching. When he is there he hits the ball perfectly along the floor.

When he is playing in the garden with me his only aim is to smash the ball into the top of the trees.

Best of both worlds!

[Northern monkey]

'Son had a great time'

That's all that matters

[Vitas Cricket]

Much of the ECB coaching course nowadays is health and safety focused and also driven by inclusion and teamwork, which is good, but even very basic technical things are not discussed as much as they should be, even as you go up the coaching badges

There are schools of thought on head first or foot first of course but ultimately at that age it should just be about enjoying it and hitting as many balls as possible

My experience from watching dads coach in our net is that kids refuse to listen to their parents, even if said parent is an exceptional coach. A couple of quick comments from me and they listen like a hawk, but are back to not co-operating if I step into the background and leave the dad to it. It was the same when I did a lot of football coaching a few years back

[dougydee]

Buzz I have a son that is the same age as yours and loves cricket more than anything. He goes to coaching as well as all he wants to do is play cricket. He is being taught along the same lines as your belief, his coach tells him to have his nose go towards the bowler and the ball. Footwork has not been mentioned or coached at all when playing front foot shots. The main points the coach tries to get across each session is head position and hitting the ball hard.

I agree with Vitas that at that age enjoyment and hitting many balls are the main thing but seeing techniques being coached differently to your beliefs doesn't make it easy though.

Hope your son keeps smashing you around the park, I know mine does the same.

[simonmay5]

My son is the same age as yours buzz I find it really hard to get him to listen at his age he just wants to hit the ball and enjoy himself I tried to teach him the way I was though and the way I teach the the older colts to play but as long as their is the enjoyment their he will learn fast I understand whear your coming from as a coach but I belive as a coach we are always learning and advise from others is a good thing if getting his foot to the pitch off the ball just add bit in like get try to get your head in line as well and all the time he hitting the ball and enjoying that's the main thing especially for me nothing better to see my boy with a smile on his face playing cricket

[Number4]

As long as the ecb are coaching up and coming kids incorrectly then I am happy and looking forward to future ashes series

[Julesoak]

My son is 7 and like the lads above loves cricket - he'd play all day every day given the chance. He is now in his 3 rd season of coaching. He moved up from the softball stuff last year (at 6) and is now enjoying getting stuck in with older lads, having started to play U11 games (and even turned out for my Sunday team a couple of times).

My view is that at this age the coaches need to concentrate on the development of technique. He's got a great eye for a ball, and needed to move up as the could get away with murder playing softball, and went back to play a tournament the other week and could pretty much hit the bowling anywhere - which led to a lot of leg side hoicks etc.

The coaching he is getting is incremental and seems to be working well - he's got a good eye for a ball, and the benefit of hardball is that he needs to concentrate more. The coaches he has seem to realise that there is more than one way to get results, and are refining what he's got rather than trying to "impose" a correct technique. I'm a great believer that even kids at that age need to find their own solutions in a way. His technique is getting better, and becoming solid as he is getting challenged playing kids 3/4 years older - he's a sponge at the moment and I think the worst way forward is trying to impose too much. Look at the top 10 batsmen at the moment and you'll see several different methods - and don't forget Bradman basically taught himself!

I coach rugby and have been going through the badges, and think that the philosophy of letting the kids lead their development is a good one - obviously it works differently for each individual.

As it's been said, the key is that they love it and want to come back - progress will happen at different rates....

[Gurujames]

I avoid coaching my own kids like the plague for the same reasons. therefore I take the under 7's. I coach them to grip the bat correctly with a loose bottom hand and how to stand correctly with their head upright. I try to get them to move their feet by putting the batting tee a step in front of them and then by getting their partners to drop balls in front of them to drive. The more 'natural' players move their feet naturally but some need some intensive 'positioning'.
I also encourage them to play with a straight bat but many of them struggle with this control.
they all come back every week and enjoy it. So although I sometimes think that progress is a little slow we are hopefully encouraging future players for the club. the parents are happy too.

[Buzz]

Buzz I have a son that is the same age as yours and loves cricket more than anything. He goes to coaching as well as all he wants to do is play cricket. He is being taught along the same lines as your belief, his coach tells him to have his nose go towards the bowler and the ball. Footwork has not been mentioned or coached at all when playing front foot shots. The main points the coach tries to get across each session is head position and hitting the ball hard.



Hope your son keeps smashing you around the park, I know mine does the same.

I bet you aren't in England!

[AdClem]

Inevitably he won't listen to what I teach him as I know nothing (he is 5 and knows it all).

As a father I have to accept this and hope at some point he may change his view.

Believe me, I feel your pain; keep hoping.

[Seniorplayer]

Forget coaching at a young age just let them hit the ball.

[Cover_Drive]

Glad to hear about your son Buzz, glad to hear he is enjoying it.

I think, it is general phenomena that kids tend to heed to non-family members more than family members. They pick up things faster and quicker outside home.