Kwik Cricket
Quote from Liz Ward elsewhere that could end up being lost
This is why I am such a fan of kwik cricket, especially for the real little people. If they play with soft bats and balls from a young age, they learn how to catch without fear. They also learn how to send the ball with a bat before they start picking up pieces of wood far too heavy for them, inhibiting free flow.
Kwik [or inter] cricket should be played until [say] 11 years old to gain the fundamentals. So many clubs are starting the youngsters out with hard ball as if it is something to boast about. I have to be honest... it doesn't impress me much.
But then, I am one of those who believes we should be teaching movement before we even give them any equipment. We would have far fewer injuries and down time later on.
Would certainly agree with the sentiment that fundamentals are sometimes easier to teach within the Kwik cricket framework, but there are a couple of provisos:
1. Counties need to recognise the value of this form of the game rather than playing lip service to it. Why the hell are counties playing under 10 hard ball fixtures whilst at the same time promoting schools under 11s Kwik cricket tournaments?
2. Feeding on from this is a realisation within the coaching fraternity of the value of Kwik cricket and actively promoting it rather than using it as something to 'fill in' with until kids are old enough (dont think you will ever get club players to accept it but if club coaches do that would be a start)
3. Kwik cricket needs to be careful it doesnt go too far down the T20 route by attempting to appeal to the wham/bam brigade at the loss of some of the skills that are involved in proper cricket (this tends to come from playing in too small an area so scoring shots are either boundaries or nothing!)
As for coaching 'movement' Liz, its a great idea but very difficult to introduce at any level and almost any age particularly with kids doing so little cricket outside of the club environment there will always be pressure to do as much 'skills' work with them as possible at the expense of anything else
Quote from Liz Ward elsewhere that could end up being lost
This is why I am such a fan of kwik cricket, especially for the real little people. If they play with soft bats and balls from a young age, they learn how to catch without fear. They also learn how to send the ball with a bat before they start picking up pieces of wood far too heavy for them, inhibiting free flow.
Kwik [or inter] cricket should be played until [say] 11 years old to gain the fundamentals. So many clubs are starting the youngsters out with hard ball as if it is something to boast about. I have to be honest... it doesn't impress me much.
But then, I am one of those who believes we should be teaching movement before we even give them any equipment. We would have far fewer injuries and down time later on.
Would certainly agree with the sentiment that fundamentals are sometimes easier to teach within the Kwik cricket framework, but there are a couple of provisos:
1. Counties need to recognise the value of this form of the game rather than playing lip service to it. Why the hell are counties playing under 10 hard ball fixtures whilst at the same time promoting schools under 11s Kwik cricket tournaments?
2. Feeding on from this is a realisation within the coaching fraternity of the value of Kwik cricket and actively promoting it rather than using it as something to 'fill in' with until kids are old enough (dont think you will ever get club players to accept it but if club coaches do that would be a start)
3. Kwik cricket needs to be careful it doesnt go too far down the T20 route by attempting to appeal to the wham/bam brigade at the loss of some of the skills that are involved in proper cricket (this tends to come from playing in too small an area so scoring shots are either boundaries or nothing!)
As for coaching 'movement' Liz, its a great idea but very difficult to introduce at any level and almost any age particularly with kids doing so little cricket outside of the club environment there will always be pressure to do as much 'skills' work with them as possible at the expense of anything else