Lucy in her Girls Performance Cricket role
“ I ’ ve learnt so many new things on the course . My coaching style before starting the course was quite direct . There was a lot of me telling the girls to do such and such . It ’ s made me appreciate the importance of questioning , and exactly how and when to ask questions ; allowing the girls the exposure to try things out and encouraging them to take control of the conversation .”
Lucy has utilised this method of encouraging ownership to create independent thinkers in other ways , notably to help develop a team culture within her county squad .
Being on the ECB Advanced Coach programme has given her the confidence to adapt and evolve her methods for developing collective responsibility . She says she now recognises the importance of integrating the players ’ parents as “ part of the team ”.
“ My communication with my girls is always very honest . At the beginning of the season I will always set out my expectations . And this is another thing I learnt on the course : that , when you coach young players , you should do this with the parents as well , as you need their buy-in too . If you set your expectations and your standards at the beginning , then there should never really be any problems .
“ During lockdown , when we had to meet with our players a lot online , we created our team culture . Me and my other coaches didn ’ t have a say in it ; the girls came up with six or seven points about what their culture was going to be . For example , one of them was positivity , another was fun and enjoyment , and we then shared that culture with the parents and said ‘ this is what your daughters have agreed , this is their culture . We are going to work alongside that . If any of you have anything to say , then please let us know .'
“ It was important the girls did that themselves . Before I learnt about ownership on the course , I probably would have posed some ideas myself .”
Thriving in a man ’ s world
While Lucy does not lack confidence , she is aware that this is a barrier preventing more women from entering the male-dominated environment of coaching .
“ I have coached a lot of boys and men in the past , and I used to get nervous sometimes , because you think they are not going to respect you because you ’ re a girl . I ’ ve been in that situation where , from a confidence point of view , it can be quite daunting to go into a male environment as a female .
“ On the programme there was around 20 guys and just three girls , and at the start it was quite overpowering . ‘ Should I say something , or should I stay quiet ?’. By the second or third classroom my attitude was , ‘ we ’ re all here to learn and get the most out of the course , so I ’ m going to give my opinion .’
“ So while I would say that confidence and self-esteem is a challenge , I would also say that by attending this programme , I now feel , not like a different coach , but that I have much more confidence in myself with what I ’ m delivering , and do not worry about what others are going to say .
“ It ’ s opened up my eyes that actually there is a career out there for female cricket coaches – where in the past I don ’ t think that was necessarily the case .
“ I ’ m now passionate after attending the course to hopefully get a career in coaching . By talking to people and recognising the level I ’ m at with my coaching now , it ’ s given me the confidence to go for it .”
Advancing with Lucy Arman 3