Kwik Cricket

[TonyM]

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

 

[Liz Ward]

Re: Kwik Cricket

...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

I believe we should be teaching movement long before we even get to here Tony. I am talking multiskill, not just cricket.

I volunteered to take Infant School age children during curriculum time; from Reception through to Year 2. It started off well; working through the ABCs of movement and progressing to more complex moving... like running

[Have you noticed how few children can actually run? I mean, they can move forward in a reasonable, horizontal direction but have you ever looked at their mechanics? How can we expect these children to move on to any sport, let alone cricket, if they cannot, effectively run? Forget sport, how can we expect these children to live full lives if they cannot move efficiently?

Throwing... this is a really complex movement that can involve all ABCs. Why do we wait until the children take up a sport, like cricket, before we teach the movement?]

Unfortunately, one, or two, could not manage some of the ABCs straight away and despite my biomechanic and kinetic background, the fact that I am a Level 3 Fitness Instructor and an Advanced Gym Instructor and as a psychologist, I now spend a lot of time with child psychology, the teacher believed she knew best and this sort of thing was not for children, especially so young!

I wonder... is the fact that a couple of little people had their feelings bruised, because others managed better, more important?

We all know that children develop at different stages [especially at this age] and development is influenced by home life but if parents have neither the skills, time nor inclination to introduce movement at a young age and prefer their little bundles to sit infront of the TV/Gamestation/Computer when at home, who else is going to help them?

 

[Liz Ward]

Re: Kwik Cricket

Going back to Kwik Cricket, I think it is great on so many different levels and for all ages.

A couple of years ago, we were running an ECB Young Leaders Award and at the end of the day, set up a diamond cricket match to include all 18 participants. These ranged from ages 15 to 17. I have to tell you, it was the most fun I have ever had with the sport... I was clutching my stomach, I couldn't breathe through laughter. The overseas player and another 1st XI came past and it was all we could do to stop them from joining in.

In my day [here we go again!], we did not have the luxury of Kwik Cricket, but then, we didn't start playing until much older... and yes, we learned how to run - with agility (British Bulldog), climb (trees/walls), walk on the top of walls/fences for balance and co-ordination was constantly in use with playground games mainly banned these days... O, I feel old .

 

[Liz Ward]

Re: Kwik Cricket

I thought I would bring this over here too....

I've played cricket with my two lads over the winter in an old double tennis court Wrist Spin Bowling: Paddock news and more 15038 using Kwik cricket bats and Readers wind balls and they have come on massively with some of their basic skills such as catching, both of them have taken exceptionally good Paul Collingwood-esque catches at indoor games using similar balls. They've also got a lot better and a lot more confident with batting too, their club coach mentioned this at the last indoor training session. Do you reckon this is due to the lack of fear with the lighter/safer balls and easier to use bats?

I actually do Dave.

As mas [more or less] said, catching is not rocket science. The fear is in the hard ball, take it out of the equation and learn the techique without fear. Once you can catch safely, introducing the hardball comes easily; you have already learned how to keep your fingers safe and how to 'give'... and, hopefully, how NOT to catch with your face... or any soft parts .

Learning the technique is the key to success, not the use of wood and this works with batting too. It is much easier to learn all the complex movements involved with all the shots/strokes if the bat is not bigger/heavier than you are. There is also a great relationship between the kwik cricket bat and balls... it's a synergie that maximises progression. You cannot over rate confidence.

 

[TonyM]

Re: Kwik Cricket

Liz, thanks for bringing Dave's reply across, I would agree that the improvement in skills and confidence would in part be down to using more 'friendly' equipment.

Sorry Liz, didnt mean this to turn into a grumpy old woman rant thread

The problem is that the range within children is getting that much greater than when we were kids (now you've started me off) and so its harder to plan exercises that wont 'show up' those less able because they are so far away from what we would expect, at least that was my experience when I first went in to do an after school cricket club.

I would love to get kids coming to either the after school club or club sessions who had a better grasp of the ABCs, and totally agree it should have been addressed well before they start coming to cricket, but as a coach what would you suggest I do? I try my best to always include an element of ABCs within the sessions but its very much scratching the surface and even giving the lads 'homework' over easter which has been based on the ABCs and core stability rather than anything technical has a feeling of too little too late

 

[Liz Ward]

Re: Kwik Cricket

I think this is a really difficult subject for coaches and I really do not think the present culture helps.

Children need to learn, and an important lesson is that we are not all the same. Some people are better than us at some things and we are better at others.

I am not a follower of the belief that 'differentiation' means working to the lowest common denominator. The more able need to be encouraged and the less able need to be nurtured. For example, just because one participant has little, or no, balance does not mean that the others should not improve their good balance. However, it seems that if somebody cannot do something, then nobody does it .

4 and 5 year olds should be tumbling, those who do [generally because they have a lot of parental input into their development] get a huge head start in the sporting stakes.

Of course, another problem is that if you go into an after school cricket club, the children AND parents expect you to deliver cricket and not ABCs. I believe the first session [at least] should be pure ABCs as a foundation but you would probably be strung up if you did not provide all the equipment straight away. They do not understand, and most do not care, that you cannot build anything strong and substantial on sand.

I think I am going to stop now before this old woman goes into a real grumpy rant .

I shall come back and answer your question when I have counted to ten... days .

 

[mas cambios]

Re: Kwik Cricket

The key to it all is communication - talk to the teachers explain what you're doing and why. Most haven't a clue about cricket and as such you can get a lot of leeway in what you can 'coach'. As long as you end it with something vaguely cricket themed, most are happy.

Of course, the above is a simplistic approach to the problem but one I've found to work in most cases. Yes, there can be problems when you have some children who are below the skill level of others but you just have to preserve. I try to get the teachers involved at this point - let them devote some time to those kids and bring them up to speed whilst I work with the rest of the group. Doesn't always work but again it is one strategy to use. Aim to get all participants to experience a small 'victory' in every session, even if you have to doctor the odds in their favour.

Overall, it very much comes down to the school and the head teacher. I have a feeling I'm lucky in that where I live sport is a reasonably big thing and most schools around me actively partake in it. There are a few exceptions but we try to build links with them and at least work with the kids at the club.

 

[someblokecalleddave]

Re: Kwik Cricket

Whoa! - This is a good thread, differentiation, kids being pointed out the obvious - e.g. some are better than others and therefore need to accept that in some way, I'm going to have to come back later in the meantime I'm off to practice some photography teaching, using some differentiation and probably trying to appeal to the lowest common demoninator!

 

[TonyM]

Re: Kwik Cricket

Of course, another problem is that if you go into an after school cricket club, the children AND parents expect you to deliver cricket and not ABCs. I believe the first session [at least] should be pure ABCs as a foundation but you would probably be strung up if you did not provide all the equipment straight away. They do not understand, and most do not care, that you cannot build anything strong and substantial on sand.

Couldnt agree more and as a coach its one of the most beneficial types of sessions you can run because it will then inform the way the rest of the sessions need to go. I have tried in the past to do an ABCs / cricket circuit which can work but boy do you need a good teacher working with you and it needs a heck of a lot of planning to ensure the intro/demo doesnt take longer than the circuit itself but thats about the closest I have managed

 

[TonyM]

Re: Kwik Cricket

I think this is a really difficult subject for coaches and I really do not think the present culture helps.

Children need to learn, and an important lesson is that we are not all the same. Some people are better than us at some things and we are better at others.

I am not a follower of the belief that 'differentiation' means working to the lowest common denominator. The more able need to be encouraged and the less able need to be nurtured. For example, just because one participant has little, or no, balance does not mean that the others should not improve their good balance. However, it seems that if somebody cannot do something, then nobody does it .

Differentiation should not be 'dumbing down' and in fact cricket can be a useful tool to explain (not the right word) the pros of differentiation. OK there will always be the Billly Wizz who can bat, bowl, catch and throw but often there will be kids who can actually rise above 'their place' within the group to shine at one of the elements and when this happens its down to the coach to first see it and second develop it - this is when the coach can really earn their corn by nuturing that child to go on and do far more than they thought they were capable of - thats differentiation and if you can point it out to all and sundry in the group whilst doing it all the better

I had one lad last season who was quite shy and hated any sort of contact sport and is not what you would call 'athletic', but once he accepted he wouldnt get hurt using the Kwik cricket equipment he developed into a more than capable batsman. I am not taking any of the credit for this as it took me way too long to recognise it myself but it has taught me to concentrate that bit harder in finding the successes and building upon them

 

[someblokecalleddave]

Re: Kwik Cricket

Liz, Mas & TonyM sorry for my ignorance but what are the 'ABC's' and Liz what happened with the ABC's that the teacher didn't like?

 

[mas cambios]

Re: Kwik Cricket

If they are talking about what I think they are then ABC's are Agility, Balance, Coordination and Speed. You also get RJT - running, jumping, throwing and if I recall correctly there is another one which is something like CK - catching and kicking.

 

[Liz Ward]

Re: Kwik Cricket

About six years ago, I was responsible for introducing LTAD (the Long Term Athlete Development Programme) in this area. This was on a multiskills level (not cricket specific).

This is a great, well thought out programme that takes us [almost] from the cradle to the grave... from the start of movement to beyond retirement.

The first stage is always the best place to start, and with LTAD, this is FUNdamentals of Movement. As I was multiskills, this also accommodated early specialisation sports, so I devised a programme that could be followed from the age of 2; earlier if wished, although I was working with 5+ years. It was designed to take young people 'from the playground to the podium' and focussed on FUN, with a strong emphasis on progression.

The three core principles are Agility, Balance and Co-ordination but we often include Speed. It follows the idea that if anybody wishes to participate in any kind of sport and/or physical activity, they need to learn these principles at an early age. Basically, they are the building blocks to any movement; a foundation on which to build sport specific technique. All these movements are easily transferred so if the foundations are built correctly, you should be able to build any structure(s) on to them. One athlete can then become skilled in as many sports/activities that they wish, extremely easily. They are also trained to be not only unilateral but also bilateral and multilateral.

With LTAD, we work with biological age, not chronological age, so we take all factors into account, including intrinsic and extrinsic. As you can imagine, at the age I was targetting, more than any other, there is a huge range of ability. The only way you can assess this ability is to test it, so the first session is always general to ascertain any deficit. This can be psychological and physiological as well as physical. It also factors in any possible undiagnosed syndrome and can often identify issues very early on.

Once we know what we are working with, we can progress. Nobody is excluded but any work needs to be specifically targetted to maximise potential.

Most 5 year olds are really keen to get out of their classrooms and have the opportunity to run around, jump, play musical statues (using balance) etc so, as always happens, some become really competitive. This is a good thing... a really good thing, but unfortunately, many schools these days mis-spell 'competition' and it becomes a four letter word.

I wonder when all this silliness will stop. It leads to an incident such as I encountered whilst playing Pairs at one school. After being declared 'Out!' two boys, on separate occasions, threw their bats at other players and themselves onto the ground and began to scream, kicking their feet and thumping the ground. Apparently, nobody was alowed to be out... it wasn't fair!!!

 

[someblokecalleddave]

Re: Kwik Cricket

About six years ago, I was responsible for introducing LTAD (the Long Term Athlete Development Programme) in this area. This was on a multiskills level (not cricket specific).

This is a great, well thought out programme that takes us [almost] from the cradle to the grave... from the start of movement to beyond retirement.

The first stage is always the best place to start, and with LTAD, this is FUNdamentals of Movement. As I was multiskills, this also accommodated early specialisation sports, so I devised a programme that could be followed from the age of 2; earlier if wished, although I was working with 5+ years. It was designed to take young people 'from the playground to the podium' and focussed on FUN, with a strong emphasis on progression.

The three core principles are Agility, Balance and Co-ordination but we often include Speed. It follows the idea that if anybody wishes to participate in any kind of sport and/or physical activity, they need to learn these principles at an early age. Basically, they are the building blocks to any movement; a foundation on which to build sport specific technique. All these movements are easily transferred so if the foundations are built correctly, you should be able to build any structure(s) on to them. One athlete can then become skilled in as many sports/activities that they wish, extremely easily. They are also trained to be not only unilateral but also bilateral and multilateral.

With LTAD, we work with biological age, not chronological age, so we take all factors into account, including intrinsic and extrinsic. As you can imagine, at the age I was targetting, more than any other, there is a huge range of ability. The only way you can assess this ability is to test it, so the first session is always general to ascertain any deficit. This can be psychological and physiological as well as physical. It also factors in any possible undiagnosed syndrome and can often identify issues very early on.

Once we know what we are working with, we can progress. Nobody is excluded but any work needs to be specifically targetted to maximise potential.

Most 5 year olds are really keen to get out of their classrooms and have the opportunity to run around, jump, play musical statues (using balance) etc so, as always happens, some become really competitive. This is a good thing... a really good thing, but unfortunately, many schools these days mis-spell 'competition' and it becomes a four letter word.

I wonder when all this silliness will stop. It leads to an incident such as I encountered whilst playing Pairs at one school. After being declared 'Out!' two boys, on separate occasions, threw their bats at other players and themselves onto the ground and began to scream, kicking their feet and thumping the ground. Apparently, nobody was alowed to be out... it wasn't fair!!!

That happen's round here at some schools, it doesn't seem to be directed by Essex County Council otherwise they'd all be doing it, but the school my Father in Law works at as a care-taker takes that approach & he's of the opinion that (as am I) it's little short of lunacy. Thankfully my own kids school only a mile or so away is up for competition and rewarding success.

 

[someblokecalleddave]

Re: Kwik Cricket

Going back to Kwik Cricket, I think it is great on so many different levels and for all ages.

A couple of years ago, we were running an ECB Young Leaders Award and at the end of the day, set up a diamond cricket match to include all 18 participants. These ranged from ages 15 to 17. I have to tell you, it was the most fun I have ever had with the sport... I was clutching my stomach, I couldn't breathe through laughter. The overseas player and another 1st XI came past and it was all we could do to stop them from joining in.

In my day [here we go again!], we did not have the luxury of Kwik Cricket, but then, we didn't start playing until much older... and yes, we learned how to run - with agility (British Bulldog), climb (trees/walls), walk on the top of walls/fences for balance and co-ordination was constantly in use with playground games mainly banned these days... O, I feel old .

This is beginning to sound like one of those emails that gets sent around to old duffers like me, that ends up with the words 'But it didn't do us any harm and we're all still here'! 'We' and the 'We' aspect is important (my wife and me) have to tell my kids to get off of the computer/DS/Television/PS2 or whatever and go and do something. The situation is made worse by the fact that as you've pointed out the majority of parents use these electronic nannies as a means of occupying thier kids in order that they can sit around watching what Katie Price is doing next or texting/phoning their mates discussing some other celebrity or dumb ass TV program, meaning that the majority of the other kids that my kids interface with are of this ilk too. So my kids have to attempt to play with kids that virtually can't play (Any games) or are always looking for the 1st opportunity to get back indoors and back on to some kind of game, making my kids feel like Freaks/odd one out because they're not allowed to spend 90% of their waking lives playing these games.

Meaning I can fully appreciate how rudimentary some of these kids basic skills, co-ordination, strength and agility are. Football seems to be the only saving grace but steeped in class and political issues where I live.

So, back to Kwik cricket.... yeah the more this is played at clubs and schools especially the more it'll feed kids into the real thing later in life? I've been ranting here so much - I've lost the point of what I was trying to say - I think I just wanted to rant to be honest about computers and electronic devices and the ill effect that they're having on kids.

T 20 it's inevitable, there's no hope is there, it's all a lost cause, even Shane Warnes been advocating the end of the 1 day format.......

 

[Liz Ward]

Re: Kwik Cricket

We all need to rant sometimes... it's what keeps us sane. Although, sometimes when I re-read some of my rants, I wonder who that old nag could possibly be .

Luckily, most of the boys' friends were either from the rugby and/or cricket teams so, particularly with rugby, (which is good as it is the longest season) they were all extremely keen on keeping fit and as they got older pumping iron and eating well.

Even now, at 17 and 19, they still chat on Facebook etc, which is good for keeping in touch with each other at Uni, but it takes second place to going to the gym and passing the ball on the common.

I think being enveloped by this culture for 12 odd years and the fact that I am surrounded by really fit, young men every day, makes my heart bleed all the more for the others.

BTW, I don't hear the death knell for the one day format. I really do think there is room for all forms of the sport. There will always be guys preferring to play test, those preferring one day and those preferring T20. As mas says, as long as they stay, essentially, true to the sport, it has to be good; each bringing its own supporters.