COACH’S
REWARDS
With invite in hand they walked the famous walk:
Kennington Park Road – Harleyford Street –
Kennington Oval. There, Jack Hobbs, or at least
the gates to which he lends his name, awaited
them, as did the welcome from their hosts.
The reward and recognition event is an all-day
affair – the least it could be, with coaches like
Trevor Davies and David Bradley honoured for
decades of volunteering in the game. Four hours
after arriving, out on the lush green of the Oval
outfield, which was two days into hosting its 100th
Test, England bowling coach Ottis Gibson would
present the coaches their certificates during the
lunch interval.
There thanks to the recommendation of their
peers, and years of hard work and self-sacrifice,
the not-so-dirty dozen would be facing the sort of
audience CA members are deserving of: a full
house at a venue of world repute, midway through
the biggest Test series of the summer.
As the teams trooped off the field, warmed up and
full of plans for the morning sessions, the real stars
of the day took their seats in anticipation for what
the day's play would have in store. Little did they
know what would unfold.
Trevor and Dave were the senior members of the
gallant group, from Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire
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Hitting the Seam Issue 38
respectfully, both there for outstanding
contribution awards. As with all winners of that
award, their involvement extends beyond coaching
sessions: Trevor’s a blur of action at Stevenage CC,
working on the pitch, nets, offering one-to-one
advice, sharing best practice with other coaches.
Dave, Head Coach of Ampthill Town CC’s youth
section, p