For those of you who attended the Coach Forum in December you will recall that we introduced you to the 'Support Network' that has been established to support coaches and athletes in the County. I am pleased to announce that this group has now joined forces and are able to provide a programme of support that is available to coaches, clubs, schools and colleges to educate and develop professional knowledge of young aspiring athletes in relation to their individual performances. The programme is known as FAST - Fundamental Athlete Support Training. I have attached a copy of the programme, costings and booking information and ask if you have any questions to contact David Cosford on 01603 593482. There is a "Word" document that you can download from here.
One of the key areas highlighted that came out of the Coach Forum relating to this group was affordability. The working party that was formed after this meeting to look at this in more detail has been looking at how we might source funding to directly support our 'potential' future national and international athletes. Although there is nothing we can specifically
report back on at this stage I can confirm that the group has had meetings with key funding partners in the County to raise this issue and to try and find a potential solution. Watch this space!
I can however confirm that a number of the modules mentioned in the FAST programme will be included in the new Active Norfolk Club and Coach Education Programme which
means that coaches will be able to access these modules at a highly subsidised rate. Details of the full programme will be sent to you when available.
1. Time To Listen (TtL)
During March 2008 Norfolk Cricket Board are running 'Time To Listen' courses. Time to Listen is one of two mandatory courses which all Club Welfare Officers are required to attend. The TtL Course is being run at Norwich and King's Lynn, details as follows:-
This course provides the opportunity for new Club Welfare Officers to complete their training before the season starts as well as for existing Club Welfare Officers whose training is about to expire. The course is free of charge. To book your place on either course, please Email or call Richard Honnor before 29th February 2008 at Norfolk Cricket Board : Email: Richard.Honnor@ecb.co.uk or Phone: 01508 522915
2. Safeguarding and Protecting Children (S&PC)
Club Welfare Officers are also required to attend a "Safeguarding and Protecting Children" Course. This course is run at regular intervals by ActiveNorfolk. Details can be found at http://www.activenorfolk.org or by contacting Sue Alden on 01603 727885.
NB. BOTH "TTL" and "S&PC" MUST BE RENEWED EVERY 3 YEARS!
Some of you may find these local courses useful. The organisers, N.G.Training, can also provide training at any suitable venue for up to 12 people with course content and timing adjusted to meet an organisation's needs.
4 hour Emergency Aid courses are held in Beccles from 9.00am to 1.00pm every first Tuesday of the month, as well as in Great Yarmouth and Lowestoft on alternative days.
Cost is £35 per person including booklet, certificate and resuscitation face shield. For further details, contact Nigel Gilham on 01502 574563 or send an e-mail enquiry.
It has been a successful year in the squads and already we must start thinking about the winter. Trials begin in a couple of weeks. Managers for 2009 have been confirmed at the NYC meeting on Monday.
All sessions are at Taverham Hall, except trials at KES where stated. Specialist sessions will be added at a later date. I would ask that all managers make contact with last years manager, where appropriate, to discuss areas that require work and then relay this to your squad coach. Note that if you click here, you can view (and save as well, which is recommended) a complete calendar and list of all Winter coaching sessions in spreadsheet form.
From this point the coaches should plan the sessions to be held with a view to covering the main areas and preparing the squads for final selection and the 2009 season. Coaches should keep in touch with the manager/s so that all plans are known prior to arrival at the coaching venue, and that all other coaches involved in that session can be prepared for their role on the night/morning. This communnication is vital to the success of the winter program.
It is requested that coaches spend 10 minutes after the session to discuss with the managers the evening and any points that are relevant and also to assist in selections where required. This aspect of the coach's role is a requirement. Many of the managers will be making notes on the players for future reference and these will need the coaches input.
Could all managers please collect up some of the balls used for matches so that we have some at the centres. Taverham has a number of nets and balls for the winter. We need about six from each year group so that there will be enough. If these could be brought along to the trials we will have enough for the winter. We especially require 4 and 3/4 oz balls as we have none at present.
Please note the important points below with regard the sessions that you run:
If coaches have any ideas then let's share them. An example of this might be the under 10's training day in the summer. During mini matches, players were instructed that they could not play an attacking shot for the first 8 balls in a 12 over game. They had to look for runs and rotate the scoreboard and the strike. This appears to have set the team up for the rest of the season. Doing this in a net can be difficult but is possible, and may be something we can use for the winter to get boys building innings. In longer games the '8 ball rule' was extended. Just an idea!!
Areas that were highlighted for needing work were:
Play against spin, finding fast bowlers, captain awareness, player awareness and fielding positions.
Some of these will be covered in Specialist sessions.
These are being run in two venues for the coming year: Taverham Hall, near Norwich; and King Edward School, Kings Lynn. The UKCC1 Coaching Assistant courses (minimum age:16) run at Taverham Hall from 8 November 2008, and UKCC2 Coach Award (minimum age:18) courses from 10 January 2009. To download an application form and information for the Taverham Hall courses, click here.
The UKCC1 Coaching Assistant courses (minimum age:16) run at King Edward School from 7 March 2009, and UKCC2 Coach Award (minimum age:18) courses from 7 February 2009. To download an application form and information for the KES courses, click here.