The ECB has a vision to become and remain the most respected cricket nation in the world. So how can this be achieved? I believe that providing a sustainable stream of enthusiastic and well-nurtured youngsters is the key to achieving this national goal. The ECB provide coaches with a Long Term Athlete Development (LTAD) Model, which identifies different stages in a player's development. It highlights what key elements should be introduced to the player's game at different points in their career, starting with the basics at the fundamentals stage. I would encourage any coach to use this model to shape his or her own methods of coaching.

The main difference between countries such as India and England is the fact that cricket is the main sport in India, with a large following. Dare I say that this is not the case in England where Football dominates the headlines and usually the attention of youngsters. So how do we go about gaining youth interest? There is often a conception that cricket is a boring game, not an opinion of mine, but I've heard it time and time again. The sport is totally different from football, which is fast paced. Cricket is about patience, concentration and competitiveness but we should not forget the fun aspect. The introduction of T20 cricket seems to have generated interest and I think this can only be good for the game. It is a more fast paced form of the game which may be the reason for the large following. The important thing here is to promote cricket as a fun game and this will gain the attention of youths. Make training session's fun, play lots of games with young cricketers and don't make it to serious. If players enjoy the sessions they are more likely to continue their participation in the game.

A well-managed cricket club with good facilities is more likely to keep hold of young players and will get the best out of them. In an ideal situation a cricket club will have a team of coaches, offering their services to different age groups. A support structure should also be in place such as welfare officers, first aiders, media liaison and community engagement officers. There will also be adequate netting facilities and training equipment available.

Our Online Partners