ECB Coaches Association links Coaching Insight 2019 | Page 15

The Graduates
“But since having started here six years
ago, having come here from an 18
month stint running cricket on the Isle
of Wight, I’ve had this clear, dual role.
One is the development of First Class
cricketers. The other though, is
to make sure every player, every
family involved in this pathway, has a
great experience, whatever that may
look like.
“We keep at the forefront of our minds
that this isn’t just about producing
first-class cricketers, it’s about
producing a programme which people
walk away from saying positive things
about their time here.
“I spend as much time managing the
guys who aren’t going to progress
straight away as I do with the ones
who are. They’ll be looking at gap
years, universities, jobs – real life
becomes very real all of a sudden.
When that happens, you need to be
there to help with the transition and
see what you can do to support them,”
Elliot explains.
Elliot Wilson
“It’s so easy to get drawn into the
ones that are performing well, but
actually there are a lot that have gone
on to be professionals but didn’t
stand out that much as teenagers.
Given the opportunities though, and
the right support, they turned into
top-class players.
“That’s an important lesson for
coaches of all levels I suppose: to treat
everyone in their club environment
equally, not to favour certain
individuals, not to give the same
couple of players all the overs or all
the time in the middle. Give everyone
an opportunity, let everyone have the
chance to rise to the top – those that
have the talent will do so, and those
that are just there to enjoy it will have
a fantastic experience.”
Is there a similar universality to
coaching varying age groups, where
the kind of challenges you face – going
from under 8s one day to under 19s
the next – will be mirrored at local club
level?
Pat Brown
“Well, the principles are always the
same: we want to get the player to the
highest point they can reach.
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