Ages and stages of cricket development

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Bashypack

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Ages and stages of cricket development

Does anyone have an ages and stages criteria for child cricket development ..... to progress to higher levels what targets should they be hitting at each age group level - ie by U11 they will be able to execute the cut shop proficiently or bowl 3 different lengths at will ... that type of thing .. is there a published criteria that anyone knows about???

Thanks for your input!
 
Re: Ages and stages of cricket development

There are no set standards as children develop at different speeds. Why do you want to know?
 
Re: Ages and stages of cricket development

I do not think it is a secret that I am a great believer in the Long Term Athlete Development Programme ("LTAD"), across the sporting arena, not just cricket.

The answer to your question is not as simple as I imagine you would wish, especially as we work with 'biological' age.

However, take a look at the ECB's guide:

http://static.ecb.co.uk/files/planning-for-long-term-success-910.pdf

Let me know what you think. I am sure once you have read it, we can expand :D
 
Re: Ages and stages of cricket development

Obviously, as both Liz and David said, there is absolutely no line on how a youngster should develop.

I'm not a qualified coach, although i do my fair bit every week helping out for a couple of ages just getting the feel for it. I've done it for 3 seasons now and i must say its exactly right that each and every kid is unique. I coach U10's and Under 15's (ages 8-9, and 13-14 respectively) and i pretty much see in the Under 15's the sort of skill and talant that tells me if i kid will do well, or maybe not so well.

The little kiddies i coach are just there to have a bit of fun and come matchday (which there aren't too many, and they're always hectic as im sure any coach of that age will tell you) they just wanna be able to say at the end of it "Mom, did you see me." Whereas the older lot come off kick dust and have thier heads down...thats mental development, but as i say, theres no set age, but you should be getting general idea of direction at around the age of 14.
 
Re: Ages and stages of cricket development

Thanks for your replies - I am very aware of the importance of individual progress and that cricket is a late specialization sport. I am also acutely aware of the importance of having fun - without which it is pointless playing. The document you referred to Liz was exactly the sort of thing I was after - I know all about neurological development and hemispherical dominance but I wanted to have a practical framework to hang onto the neurological framework. At each area and county assessment through the various age groups - before a child is nominated they have to be able to meet certain criteria - I was wondering if there was any document outlining this throughout the age groups so I will know what level our more skilled players need to achieve in order to be considered at higher levels - I have the U10's criteria - just wanted to see each stage outlined in advance and whether it could be correlated with a neurological profile - if so then working with specific neuro exercises should help cricket related targets very much alongside LTAD - as the thought occurred to me I thought this was the best place to ask the question .... Hope that clarifies my original question!
 
Re: Ages and stages of cricket development

No worries; I assumed that was the direction you were going.

It can be extremely frustrating at the beginning of the Learn to Train stage. You are really at the mercy of the coaches working in the FUNdamentals stage. It is the foundation and, if any of the foundation stones are missing, you really do not have a solid base to work on. Similarly, you have a great responsibility to ensure your players are capable at the time they must leave to go on to the Training to Train stage.

This all rests on the communication and cooperation skills of all the coaches in the Club. I prefer to take one group from the beginning, right through to the Training to Win stage but then the coach must be proficient at teaching all skills.

I disagree with the profile that cricket should be a late specialisation sport. When you consider all the complex moves involved with the sport, we should be preparing toddlers for it with movement skills; well, not necessarily cricket, but any sport. What do you think?

As for County, it really depends on what they are after at the time of trials and it is always best to speak to the CDM and County coaches to see what they are after.
 
Re: Ages and stages of cricket development

I find your comments about late specialization very interesting - that has never sat very comfortably with me for the very reasons you stated - the earlier these complex movements can be 'programmed' the more efficient they could potentially become ... I think i toed the party line saying that it was late specialization!

I wondered if county had taken their requirements from a central 'profile' but I guess they have developed it on experience.

Thanks though .... following through with the same group would be very satisfying ... but I suppose there are politics and egos in club coaching along with most other avenues in life!
 
Re: Ages and stages of cricket development

Bashypack said:
... but I suppose there are politics and egos in club coaching along with most other avenues in life!
Click to expand...

Unfortunately ;)

Good luck with your u10s; it sounds like they are going to get a great season.
 
Re: Ages and stages of cricket development

Thanks Liz, I love doing it and they seem to respond well - I (along with most coaches) just want to maximise their potential whilst all of us enjoy the experience infect them with the cricket virus .... and thats it - a lifetime of enjoyment! :)
 
Re: Ages and stages of cricket development

U-10's aww!

To be honest, at that age the coaches tend to have more fun than the kids if thats indeed possible!! :laugh:
 
Re: Ages and stages of cricket development

I think we are talking about 2 things here.

The first is physical development and basic movement skills (Agility, balance, coordination, run, jump, throw, squat, lunge, twist, roll). This is where the LTAD provides a useful model.

The 2nd is cricket skills. the LTAD plan talks about these skills only briefly. There is no set age, for example, to learn the cut shot.

In terms of the age groups at Fundamental stages I would expect most kids to be able do the following at some point between the age of 6 and 9:

Run up and basic bowling action
Grip, Stance, Backswing, Step and front foot drive
front foot defence
Pull shot
Long Barrier
Underarm pickup and throw
Long and short pickup and throw
Close and deep catching
Wicketkeeping off side take

Advanced kids could manage more but if you have a group of 9 year olds who can do all that you will be ahead of most teams.

However, in my mind the emphasis is not on learning these techiques to perfection at that age, it should be on the LTAD movement skills.

Cricket skills can be worked on more at the Learning to Train stage (boys 9 to 12 and girls aged 8 to 11).

By 12 I would expect much better technical execution of the above skills plus at least an awareness of back foot straight shots, spin bowling, wicketkeeping, square cut, crow hop and 2 handed intercept.

Bear in mind these are my standards not ECB prescribed ones.

This is also ideal standards as many kids come into the game later (11 or older) and need time to catch up. I find even poor kids can catch up in a couple of seasons with the right encouragement.

Thoughts? Liz?
 
Re: Ages and stages of cricket development

I totally agree. I am not sure if it is possible to set an 'across the board' age for technical skills, just something to aim for. It really does have to be a 'feel' for the players potential; as long as they have the fundamentals firmly laid down.

I think the hardest skill for a coach, at this age group in particular, is differentiation. It is really hard giving all the players the right balance of coaching to maximise their potential, rather than the desires of the coach.

Obviously, there are going to be a few, either talented or with a better head start, who will race ahead in the skills stakes. It is easy to either let them 'tread water' whilst the coach keeps the mass amused or enforce speedier development on the mass.

The former, hinders the talented with huge implications for their future. Any deceleration in development can prevent their potential at [say] u15 being reached, let alone maximised.

The latter can create huge holes in the development of the mass. There is a great incentive to bypass the fundamentals, giving them very little to build on, or indeed to fall back on.
 
Re: Ages and stages of cricket development

We tend to really 'milk' the fundamentals and make sure that the more advanced children excel at those skills- my concern was are we holding them back on other aspects but my aims have been much as David described and as Liz mentioned previously about the LTAD - most of the children play football and other sports so obviously cricket specific goes down well.

it was the LTAD document that I had in mind when first posting this question and I wasn't sure if that encompassed the technical areas - although the children enjoy the sessions and actually did very well last year in their U10 league a lot of our other age groups are very mediocre in their actual game standard - Again as Liz stated yesterday it would be great to follow them through the age ranges but I suppose on the other hand it is good for them to have different coaching approaches as each individual coach obviously has strengths and weaknesses ... I just wanted to make sure that my knowledge and objectives were still appropriate - its very easy to get in your own comfort zone!

In a nutshell - they enjoy it, we have great feedback from the parents - they won half their games against perceived stronger opposition and I just want to build on that this year with a new group ... so why can't our club be regarded as 'strong' opposition??? Just don't want to miss a trick and inhibit their development ! sounds like we are in the right direction!

Thanks for your inputs!
 
Re: Ages and stages of cricket development

Structuring training sessions is something I'd like advice on.

I'll be working with players upto 10.....

Obviously I'll be looking at the 'ABCs' as areas to work on, but how much time should I look at devoting each session, etc...?

Also, what is the crack on stretching - I'm looking at dynamic warm ups, your skips, russian lunges etc.....is it necessary to stretch before or after?
 
Re: Ages and stages of cricket development

As for stretching:
Dynamic flexibility always before the session;
Static stretches always after the session.

How long and how often are your sessions?
 
Re: Ages and stages of cricket development

Right - will note that down.

With regards sessions - starting in April, once a week, for 2 hrs.

Will be taking it very seriously and my ideas will be put to the forefront I'd of thoughts given that I think I will be running it with a lad of limited cricket experience.

Hopefully it'll bring my own game along, too.
 
Re: Ages and stages of cricket development

Liz Ward said:
As for stretching:
Dynamic flexibility always before the session;
Static stretches always after the session.
Click to expand...

Just as a note for consistency I agree with Liz but the ECB recommend children under 16 do not do any static stretching.
 
Re: Ages and stages of cricket development

I get carried away!

Static stretches are fine for u16s as long as there are no isometric contractions, which do have contra indications for the little people. It is advised that, unless you are a qualified fitness professional i.e. a certified personal trainer, it should be avoided; any misalignment could cause permanent damage.

I am afraid there is nothing for it KF, you will have to pay for me to come and show you how to do it :laugh:
 
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