As I continue to tackle the root of the problem with cricket in Bermuda, this week I want to focus on the coaching aspect of the game, or lack thereof. Coaching is an art. It is a skill, whereby the aim is to improve the individual player or team through teaching certain skills.

Coaching plays a very big part in the overall quality of cricket that we see week in and week out. Many clubs have a coach, but the question is to what extent does that coach actually coach? Clubs also have coaches at the youth level, but what is being taught? Do clubs actually have a constructive guideline or model for their coaches to follow?

Having coached at the national youth level with the under-13s, I know that the Bermuda Cricket Board has a model for each age group that coaches can follow. Basically, it informs the coach or coaches on what should be taught and learnt at each age level. Obviously, as the age bracket goes up, the more advanced the coaching gets. This is a model that each club should have for all their coaches to follow. By clubs having this, it will also help to bridge the gap between club and country, especially at the lower age group.

Part of the problem in Bermuda is that too many of our coaches just oversee training sessions; they do not really coach. Yes, they may stand there and give advice to a bowler or to a batsman, but is that enough? Our coaches need to get a lot more hands-on, as it has become evident through the quality of cricket we witness weekly that the standard is plummeting. More technical work has to be done individually to improve players’ fundamental skills.

It will be very interesting to see what work Allan Douglas does with the coaches this year because he has been given the task by the BCB to work with the coaches to improve the standard of coaching at clubs. Obviously, the Board agrees that this is an area that needs addressing and, hopefully, with Douglas in place, club coaching will improve drastically.

One thing I would like to see more of, though, is club cricketers taking coaching courses and coaching junior cricket at their clubs. If we can get more cricketers taking coaching courses with a focus on improving grassroots cricket, that will go a long way towards the development of the game. Part of the problem is that we do not have proper coaching in place at clubs for youth cricket; therefore, young players do not learn the fundamentals of the game and play off natural talent. This is why we see so many of our players with flaws either in their batting or their bowling in their later years.

Coaches need to always look to increase their knowledge and should be constantly taking various courses to stay up with modern times. Technology has become a big thing in cricket worldwide, with video analysis coming to the forefront and playing a big part in coaching. In Bermuda, Lorenzo Tucker is the national team’s video analysis guru. I would strongly advise any club or player that is serious about their cricket to hire him to record a game and then do a session with their players so that they can see first-hand a breakdown of any and everything.

For example, when I was coaching the St George’s Cup Match team, Lorenzo came in the night before Cup Match and showed us footage on all the Somerset bowlers. He was also able to show us footage of all their batsmen, thus showing us where they score their runs and the different ways they got out. This gave us a massive advantage in our preparation for the game.

The first thing all clubs must do is find a coach who is knowledgeable, keen and willing. Unfortunately, some clubs last year opted not to have a coach, which does not bode well for Bermuda cricket. Yes, some coaches out there are asking for unrealistic money to coach and I don’t blame clubs for not hiring those who feel the need for greed, but a coach is an essential ingredient to a successful team and programme.

At the end of the day, the quality of cricket is a direct reflection of the level of coaching the players receive. Improve coaching at club level and you will improve the players, hence the level of cricket will improve.

Quote of the week: You have goals every time you play a game. Why not set goals before each practice. Make practice your own game, against yourself, and win it! — TJay Taylor