The Cricket Board of Wales is preparing a master plan to upgrade and sharpen the coaching skills of active coaches in Wales. Some might ask why given the fact that last summer the 6 Welsh youth squads won 75% of all matches against English County Boards, there are 6 young cricketers in England squads U15-U19 and 20 in coaching squads at the ECB West Region level!

Director of Cricket Mark Frost stated that:

"Good cricketers are being produced but other County Boards are taking this seriously and whilst standards of our Welsh squads are high, we do not want to sit on our laurels."

With certain issues such as upgrading the knowledge of coaches who obtained their qualifications many years ago and child protection good practice, it is necessary to concentrate more in the future on the development of coaches currently active within Coaching Associations in Wales and those who run representative cricket at National and Regional level. This will ensure that young cricketers in Wales are technically and educationally competent.

Mark Frost added……

"A large programme of courses will still run for new candidates at Level 1, however the pre-Christmas period will involve a range of workshops spread across Wales to assist and sharpen up current coaches. Not everyone wants to progress to the next coaching certificate so the option of an evening workshop on a specialist skill for example wicketkeeping, will be attractive. Eventually renewal of coaches licences will require evidence of a coach keeping themselves up to date and a commitment to improve by attending such courses. The Autumn programme will commence with the National Coaching Seminar run by Glamorgan Head Coach Jeff Hammond on September 23rd in Llandrindod Wells on match preparation".

All the Coaching associations in Wales are asking their members what their preferences / needs are which will build up the programme.

© ECB