In my view, personal 1-2-1 coaching is the best way to develop a player's game. Of course there is nothing like match practice but where do we put in the hard work behind the scenes that bring out results in the playing arena? Nets are all well and good but only when they serve a purpose. How often do batsmen get 10 minutes or so for batting in a net as their practice, and it is as little as once a week in most cases!
Moreover, it is often a net where only a small percentage of deliveries are of any real quality for homing in on what a player needs to work on. Lets take the scenario of a batsman who needs to work on a specific aspect of their game. For example playing on the back foot through mid-on, or maybe enhancing technique against late away swing bowling. In a 10 minute net a batter may face 50 odd balls. They may then only receive 10% of these deliveries in the area they’re looking to improve- if they are lucky!
On a 1-2-1 level we can achieve this specific focus, and cater sessions to develop naturally up towards the game arena, and this includes well organised nets! Research shows that a movement has to be made 10,000 times correctly before it becomes ingrained in the subconscious. Very difficult to achieve in 10 minutes practice a week, where the problem is perpetuated by various bowlers hitting different areas at all sorts of paces. Plus, what a bowler may be working on may be totally contradicted by the style of batsman. Taking the real valve out of a precious session.
There are not many individuals who are lucky enough to be able to spend the time on their game like the pro’s can. When you break it down a club or youth team may get 10 weeks worth of pre season training sessions together. More often than not they are just net practices and batsmen particular get the real raw deal. Lets say they get 10 minutes per week, for 10 weeks. So actually they receive an hour and forty minutes of batting practice before they go into the season. Not the way to improve, or to be prepared for winning.
My 1-2-1 sessions always start with a discussion with the player and some form of player profiling and analysis. The methods used will vary in form depending on the level and requirements of the player I am working with, and also the time scale that we are working to. From this dialogue we will highlight the disciplines of the game that are to be focused upon. Where appropriate the agreed areas of work will be player led. This process can last upto an hour.
Should a course of sessions then be booked various coaching methods will be used to obtain the desired result. For video analysis, parental permission will always be required for players under 18. Furthermore junior players training and match programmes shall always be considered, whereby player work loads shall adhere to the relevant ECB guidelines.
To find out more, please do not hesitate to contact me.
