As my playing days are slowly winding down I am starting to focus more on the coaching aspects of the game.

I am currently coaching at Cleveland and have just recently been given the head coaching job for the Bermuda Under 13 national team, along with Damon Edwards.

This age group is probably one of the most important age groups.

During this stage the kids are expected to learn the basics of batting, bowling and fielding. The kids are to be taught a lot of the fundamentals of the game.

What we as coaches are finding today is that some players who are16, 17 years of age and older do not have the basic fundamentals down, therefore they are either late bloomers or they never bloom at all.

That means due to lack of quality coaching at an early age a kid who could have been good at the age of eighteen really comes of age much later then he should.

So far I have had four sessions with the players and I have to say Bermuda has a bright future.

There is a lot of talent here on this island and I know there are still more quality players out there.

The one thing I do not want to see happen is our quality young players missing out on some good coaching and exposure.

I am glad to see the junior cricket leagues are up and running and from what I see mostly all the under 14 games are being played.

Damon and I over the next month will be scouting Bermuda trying to recruit the best young players on the island as we will be preparing the boys for a tournament in August.

Personally, I would have loved to have seen the junior leagues run a little longer which would have gaven the players more practice and preparation time.

On a slightly different note, the senior season started with a bang.

Three of the four games could have swayed either way which tells me there are some good competitive teams out there. Mind you I still think it is going to take something special to prevent St.David's from winning the title.

St. David's have suffered in the past especially last year simply because they have so many players involved in the national squad set up.

That was the major factor as to why Social Club won the league last year.

This year will be a challenge for St.David's again as the Bermuda national team is due to leave the island at least twice during the season.

Sunday coming St.David's will receive a very stiff test from a rejuvenated Cleveland team.

Cleveland having picked up Dwayne Leverock and Curtis Jackson in the off season, along with Tamauri Tucker returning from Under 19 duties last year, will be a force to reckon with.

Could this weekend be the weekend that I make my first appearance of the season for Cleveland?

On the flip side of things the two teams I said will struggle this year both lost, Social Club and St.George's.

Last year St.George's managed to finish in a credible third place with a depleted team under the captaincy of Ryan Steede.

However, things are looking bleak for Ryan and St.George's as Social Club will be looking to bounce back and then next week they face St.David's.

As for the rest of the league teams it is really too soon to tell how things are going to pan out. Police and Rangers both got good wins under their belts.

Devonshire Rec lost to St.David's, but they showed that they will not be any pushover and by the look of things could be the surprise team.

Well I am changing from my usual motto to a "what if" question this week in an effort to enhance players knowledge of the game.

What if you are coming in to bat and the game is on the line. The player that is in has 75 runs and there are still 20 runs to get with 3 over's to go and 3 wickets in hand, how do you handle the situation?

E-mail me your response at claysmith60@hotmail.com and I shall share them with the public next week, plus giving you my opinion.