Explore the game

Something I am always asking players I coach is to keep looking. Explore your options. There is no timescale to work to. Just try things.

It is one of the reasons I apply coloured ball training / gap finding sessions. It simply encourages batters to explore options. They discover things they might not have otherwise found. And when they do, they tell me. I prefer it as a learning process than me prescribing what we are going to do and what I want them to do. Explicit learning has its place but the power in helping players feel like they have found something themselves is very special.

I remember talking to a young cricketer during a game once. He kept changing his crease position. I asked why, he said, “to try and disrupt the bowler”. It was interesting. I replied, “be careful as you may disrupt yourself too”. Whatever we do, we need our core position to be stable and trusted.

I liked his thinking. I didn’t like the idea of trialling it in games though. To me that’s gambling. I run a lot of training sessions where I encourage players to alter their crease position in terms of where they line up. I prefer not to instruct them where to go though. It doesn’t have to be much and it alters the field positions. It opens up angles without changing the stroke or increasing too much risk. It’s low risk innovation with potential high value outcomes. Skill acquisition…

My simple interpretation of skill acquisition would be:

Skill = learn skill specifics in controlled environments / muscle memory / strength focus
Acquisition = applying skills to game context / train thinking / explore / score runs

We have to make sure Runmaka supports both of these areas. This is true training. Learning skills is one thing, how to effectively apply them is another matter altogether.

At the age of sixty-one I am involved in a new business driving a new form of training in cricket for batters. I feel that I am exploring a new avenue in life (business), yet it’s an area of my life I have been involved since the age of thirteen in many capacities (cricket).

I guess, I’ve always been keen to take a chance or two though. I gave up a job at nineteen to try and pursue professional cricket as a career. Much to the concern of my parents and many friends. It’s ended up being the rest of my life. I gave up a solid coaching position at Somerset CCC when I was thirty-eight. I needed a change. Again, many were surprised. I travelled and whilst remaining in cricket, found experiences I wouldn’t have otherwise had. I met my wife and became a step-father and then a father. I set up my own one to one coaching at the age of fifty-two. And now, at sixty-one I’m involved in a start-up that I believe will bring incredible value to so many people in a sport I love.

If I didn’t ask people to explore, I would be betraying my own beliefs and life values. And if you aren’t true to your own values, how can you expect anyone else to follow your advice?

Don't be frightened to look...