ECB Coach Education Tutor Weekend

 ECB Coach Education Tutor Weekend 

Tacklesport recently attended Lords as guests and partners of the ECB Coach Education Department. Regional ECB Coaches Association representatives and Lead Field Based Trainers had been invited by the Coach Education Department and the ECB Coaches Association to join them in a series of workshops and presentations. The weekend also included the Sky Sports Coach of the Year Awards held in the Long Room at Lords.

For the past two years ECB Coach Education, in conjunction with other ECB departments and Sports Coach UK (scUK) have been examining cricket’s playing population in order to determine how cricket, through coaching can best meet the needs of their participants.

Following this work, a clearly mapped Player Development Model (PDM) has been created. The PDM captures each stage of player development, displays each of the performance domains and links them to other aspects of cricket performance. The PDM is underpinned by a comprehensive technical syllabus which clearly identifies the nature of the player’s needs in each domain including Technical, Tactical, Mental, Physical and Lifestyle facets, how these can be supported through coaching, what form and type of cricket is played in each domain and how these elements link to other areas of playing such as facilities, competition and talent development.

The new structure will equip coaches with the skills which directly align with the stage of development within which they work and will contextualise a coaches learning with their coaching environment. To support this, Tacklesport is working closely with the ECB to redesign and re-launch the interactive Coach Development package ‘Howzat!’, and the week-end at Lords provided opportunities to demonstrate the latest Alpha version of the new resource, due to be released in January 2011. Originally designed and developed by Tacklesport for the ECB in 2000 when it was launched by the then Minister of Sport Kate Hoey, Howzat! has undergone several developments. The latest was in 2008 when it was re-launched by then Minister of Education, Ed Balls. The completely new Howzat! will enable coaches to learn in new and innovative ways, on and away from formal courses.

The 2 day event enabled tutors to get 'hands on' with the resource, with encouragement given to provide feedback to help shape the format and delivery of the ECB award scheme. With on-hand support from Tacklesport staff and Howzat! designers and builders Steve O'Rourke and Mike Crisp, the first day was spent using the software, exploring its functions, creating sample sessions and reviewing the coaching content. Day 2 saw the tutors using the resource in a practical environment both within a coaching environment and from the perspective of a tutor explaining to others how the resource works and how to use it to get the most out of the extensive amount of content available.

The resounding outcome was that the new HOWZAT! software is something to embrace and all present were in agreement that it would help transform the way cricket was organised and delivered.

The Sky Sports Awards provided Tacklesport with an invaluable opportunity to network directly with those coaches who will use the resource, putting a face to the name at the other end of an email or support call. A number of terrific ideas were suggested and where possible many of these have already begun to be incorporated into the software.

Mike Crisp