Planning to join cricket coaching? These are some of the things to look out for
Cricket is a sport that is loved by millions around the world and to play professional cricket a good coaching environment is necessary. While choosing a good cricket coaching academy look our for the following:
- Location
- Infrastructure
- Coach and support staff
- Fee
- Good coach network
- Access to talent scouts
You can use this as a framework to choose between the options availabel to you. Let us look at each one of them in detail
Location of the cricket academy
Consistency is key when it comes to training, having the cricket academy closer to your place reduces friction and helps you train regularly. Reducing your daily commute saves time, money and effort. There are instances where cricketers like MS Dhoni and Virender Sehwag travelled long distances to attend the academy, but there is a lot of effort and sacrifice put in. If all other factors mentioned above are checked and only location is not convenient then make an informed decision and choose. But if you have a choice then location of the cricket academy should be a priority.
Infrastructure and cricket equipment
Basic facilites like cricket nets with either artificial turf, cement or mat is required to practice. Look our for an area for routines like running and targeted workouts to improve your fitness. A good mix of cricket balls from new to old so that you can practice for different situations. Some of the acadameis have a bowling machine which is a good option when you want to practice for varying speeds, line and length. It also helps your coach to simulate match environment and give feedback. I prefere a throwdown specialist over a bowling machine as it gives more options and situations to practice for.
Coach and support staff
Cricket coaching is not an individual effrot, it requires a complete system of skill coaches, fitness and nutritional experts, mindset trainers and analysts. These facilities are generally available for the international cricket teams however academies like the Sachin Tendulkar Middlesex Academy, MS Dhoni Cricket Academy and Virender Sehwag Cricket Academy to name a few have coach and support staff to help you achieve allround development and make you match ready. While conducting your research do look out for the coach's experience, the support staff and the medium of training. Fee Every cricket coaching centre has a different pricing based on the location, the coach's experience, the infrastructure and equipment. The fee goes up as the attention you are given (read 1-1 coaching) and the experience of the coach is high. Also check out new technologies like FullTrack AI, Ludimos and HomeGround that make quality cricket coaching affordable and accessible. These tools help you improve, train regularly and get personalised feedback on your skill.
Good coach network
A good coach network is required when you need a mentoring from a specialist like a wicketkeeping coach or a fielding coach. This will help you while preparing for a big match or a tournmanet and also get some valuable insights. Some of the academies invite expert cricket coaches to mentor and talk to the students. Do talk to the coach and understand about this befor you take a decision as this is important to improve.
Access to talent scouts
Talent scouts look out for emerging talent and provide opportunities that sometime are life changing. Do check with your cricket centre if they have collaborate with talent scouts. If you are a budding cricketer and want to play at the highest level, train hard, make good connections, choose your mentors wisely and never give up The framework is my personal opinion and it might work for you. Have your priorities right and take a decision based on them.
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