Coach

These notes are intended as an aid to new coaches and managers and as a reminder to others. As a coach it is your primary objective to maximise the enjoyment that all children under your control derive from playing cricket.

In order to achieve this please keep in mind the following:

• Ensure that all children participate fully
• Try to develop the abilities of all players, particularly those not as talented as others
• Try and develop a sense of team responsibility

Club Policy on Equal Opportunity

The saying, “if you can’t play sport, be a sport” underpins our primary policy on playing. Win or lose – be a sport! The club expects parents to support this policy. The coach represents the club management and will exercise the policy that all team members get even handed treatment. No player is expected to stand down more than once in any season regardless of ability. However, attitude and behaviour at training are criteria a coach is entitled to use in determining team composition.

Upon a team qualifying to play in a final, the club policy is specific. The strongest available team must be nominated.

Practice Sessions

All training days and venues are nominated by the coach and any change must be advised to the Club Secretary. The Club Secretary holds a training schedule for all teams.

• Arrange a session at the same time each week and ensure that you are always there on time
• Ensure that the training area to be used is fit and safe
• Plan the activities of your sessions in advance
• Try to vary the activities as much as possible. Use fielding drills, games to develop various batting and bowling techniques etc. – not just net practice
• For younger players incorporate running between the wickets practice. Beginners may find it difficult to judge a run. Develop the yes/no technique of calling
• Ensure that no child leaves the training venue during practice without prior approval of the coach
• Ensure that all children have been picked up at the conclusion of training. Under no circumstances leave a child unattended.
• In the interests of child safety it is essential that a responsible person be in attendance at all times

Training Ovals

• Anzac Oval, Engadine
• Heathcote Oval, Heathcote Note: shared with Bosco
• Kingswood Oval, Engadine
• Preston Park, Engadine

Common Fielding Positions

The fielding tactics adopted by the captain will vary depending on whether the fielding captain has chosen to adopt either defensive or attacking tactics. The tactics are decided after taking into account a number of variables. These will include whether or not the fielding team has already batted and if so, whether the total runs they made during their batting innings are decisive enough for the captain to decide the fielding team is in a winning position.

An attacking field would be set so as to force the batting side into making errors by adopting aggressive bowling tactics and placing fieldsmen in close to the batsman.

A defensive field setting would be set, in the event the fielding captain believes his team’s previous batting total can be easily eclipsed. The fieldsmen would be placed in such a way, they would be able to save the majority of batting strokes from reaching the boundary for four or more runs.

If the fielding captain is able to force the batsmen into taking single runs, the likelihood of a forced error or dismissal is more than possible.

Print these common fielding positions (pdf) and distribute to your team.

Pre-Season Check List

• Diarise to attend the SSJCA compulsory coaches and manager’s meeting for your type of cricket – Club Secretary will advise of dates
• Appoint scorer(s). Live scorers will need to request access from the Club to the live scoring portal
• Delegate parents to help set up for the match day. Stumps, boundary markers and shade tent.
• Ensure that the club kit is in order, particularly as regards boundary markers & stumps, bails. Full kits any generally issued to U10 and U12 teams with all equipment available except for personal protector and helmets. These items are the parents responsibility to organise. Additional equipment is available on request. An itemised list is issued for each kit and please ensure that it is correct

Take to the Game Check List

• Cricket kit
• New match balls
• Chalk
• Broom (a spade/shovel can also be a useful item to have)
• Umpire’s counter
• Tape measure
• First aid equipment
• Time piece
• Score book, pencils and rubber. A fully charged iPad or mobile phone for live scoring.
• SSJCA Playing Rules and Regulations (available on our website)
• Copy of the Draw (available on our website)

Match Check List

• Arrive at least 30 minutes before the starting time
• Check conditions of the pitch to ensure that the entire playing area is fit and safe, mark creases if necessary, sweep pitch if necessary.
• Place markers on boundaries in conjunction with the other coach/manager
• Place stumps in position
• Exchange team lists and toss no later than 15 minutes before the schedules start of play
• Agree on which umpire’s watch is to be used as the official time piece
• Ensure drink breaks are kept to time
• At the end of play ensure both score books are correct and both sides to sign appropriate pages

Completion of Match

• Complete scorebook and have opposition sign it as correct
• Record results on PlayHQ by the requested cut off time.
• If required write match report and send it to matchreports@engadinedragonscc.org.au by the Sunday night (only if requested by the Club)
• Send any photos and details of good performances to our Facebook coordinator.

Manager

The manager is the administrator of the team, with the following typical activities:

• Ensure that all players and parents are aware of the draw and understand where and when they are playing
• Ensure that all players and parents are aware of when and where training is to be held
• Organize a “Team App” to simplify contacting team members in case of cancellation of a match or training sessions.
• Organize roisters for match day setup and scoring.
• Handle the finances of the team – eg: club functions, raffle money, photo money etc (when relevant)
• Look after the kit and ensure all gear, including balls are accounted for each week.
• Keep an eye on the team and ensure the team members don’t stray from the immediate area. Don’t let them fool around and look after their safety eg climbing trees, buildings etc. Maintain discipline and harmony within the team. Be aware of any medical/physical limitations affecting any team member.
• Attend club meetings (with the coach) when scheduled

Web Site

Regularly review the club’s Facebook or website at www.engadinedragonscc.org.au for the most up to date information on activities across the club.