Five of Yorkshire’s Academy and Rookie players enrolled on an ECB certificate in coaching young people and adults’ cricket course.
The course, which took place in the Headingley East Stand nets in October, is designed to help develop confidence and equip coaches with the knowledge, understanding and applied skills to lead coaching sessions. The participants will be assessed in February, with their ability to create a safe, enjoyable and player-centred coaching environment a key factor.
James Wharton, who has just signed a Rookie contract with the White Rose, is one of the players signed up. He is joined by Josh Sullivan, George Hill, Dominic Leach and Harrison Quarmby who make up the quintet.
Academy Head Coach Richard Damms said: “I just see it as part and parcel of their development as young men and cricketers. To stand up and speak in front of their peers and get a bit more confident with that is very valuable.
“It’s a transferable skill that they may have to use as professional player, where they might be asked to do some coaching or a masterclass. It’s an investment in their future, and a qualification that nobody can take away from them. That’s the theory behind doing it.
“We’ve run it bi-annually now for the last six years and a lot of the current playing staff have done it.
“Matthew Fisher, Jordan Thompson, James Logan, Jack Shutt have all done it, and some of them are working on Pathways now. Fish (Fisher) did some fast bowling stuff with Rich Pyrah at Pathways last week and Thommo (Thompson) helped me out with a batting session as well. It’s really useful for them.”
Alongside the obvious benefits of gaining a professional qualification, the coaching course is also likely to help the players when it comes to improving their own game.
“One of the things we say to the players quite a lot is ‘think as a coach’ when they’re trying to improve their game, and this qualification certainly helps that,” Damms continued. “They always say to explain something properly, you need to be able to understand it fully which is crucial for them learning and improving their own game.”
To find out more about how you can gain a qualification in cricket coaching, click here.
