ECB Coaches Association links Hitting the Seam 39 | Page 3

Making a difference
Launched on 10 May, the South Asian Strategy
comprised of an 11 point action plan, which itself
was focused around five key areas, of which
coaching and workforce are a significant part.
As Mohammed Arif, the ECB’s National Growth
Manager for Diverse Communities, explains, the
action plan is the beginning of a longer process,
the end goal of which is cricket as a stronger,
more sustainable sport in England and Wales.
“For the first two years it will be piloted in 10 core
cities, which represent 61% of the country’s South
Asian population. That gives us the opportunity to
test, before we expand it into a wider programme,
which will look beyond South Asian communities.
“The 11 point plan is a very focused approach,
allowing us to pilot what the strategy can look
like and what it can build on. For example, our
target of 200 female coaches complements the
successful Women’s Soft Ball tournaments that
are currently in place. With the core cities, we
can use the coaching elements of this plan to
support existing projects like Chance to Shine and
Wicketz, while talent ID will see existing coaches
playing key mentoring roles.
“That can help to create more of the sort of
coaching role models for the South Asian
communities that this edition of the magazine
is highlighting – the likes of Naseer Ahmed and
Khushali Patel.”
The FIVE KEY AREAS
of the action plan
RECREATIONAL
CRICKET
ELITE CRICKET
& PROFESSIONAL
COACHING
Each area includes:
• What was heard: the main barriers and
challenges to engagement
• What will be done: split into long-term
ambitions (2020–24) and short-term
deliverables (2018 & 2019)
• How we will know it is working: the
short-term measures of success
• The support we will need: the partners that
we will collaborate with.
Targets related to coaching include:
ATTENDANCE
MEDIA,
MARKETING &
COMMUNICATIONS
ADMINISTRATION &
CULTURE
• 200 new female coaches by 2019
• At least 10 female-only coaching courses
across the Core Cities in 2018 and 2019
• Provide education and support to players,
their parents, county coaches and academy
directors
• Support the development of elite South
Asian coaches through a revamped
coaching pathway, mentoring scheme and
work placements
• The introduction of three Community Talent
Champions which will link together scouts,
coaches and teams.
Hitting the Seam Issue 39
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