Do Professional County Academies seek out critical feedback?

Six years ago, in January 2020, I provided the following constructive feedback to a Professional County, Somerset CCC, on how their development environment could improve, after I had experienced it for seven years as a parent. Some of these subject areas I barely knew much about but have now developed a firm interest & reasonable knowledge. I received a curt thank you and nothing more. This wasn’t feedback that was sought out. It was something I felt I needed to say, if only to help make the next person’s journey a little better. From my understanding of current coaching topics & coach education, I would say most, if not all, of the subject areas remain unaddressed. What do you think?

1. Consider updating your processes

Use modern learning techniques like spacing, interleaving and testing (e.g. hit a specific target).

Spacing - Work on a skill for a couple of weeks. Leave it, work on something else. Come back to it in a couple of weeks or a month. This creates better learning through engaging long-term memory. They encourage it at King Edward’s School, Bath.

Interleaving - Try working on two skills alternately to prevent the brain switching off (auto-pilot) when doing repetitive drills for long periods. The brain has to ‘reset’ each time a new skill is required.

Measuring/Testing (Dave Alred) - how many out of 10 - working at players own margins, then progress onto the next stage.

Also play more individual or small group games that push players to work at their margins and generate immediate direct feedback.

2. Recognise and act on Relative Age Effect (RAE) & Early Maturation

In recent years you are 3 times more likely to progress from the Academy to the staff if you are born in the first half of the academic year (Sep-Feb) whereas RAE is not found in the professional cohort.

RAE and general early maturation effects can have long term effects. For Bunbury you were 4 times more likely to be selected in 2016 if born Sep-Feb. England Lions squads are consistently at a two times factor.

3. Avoid Unnatural Selection: The ‘Millfield’ Elephant in the Room

Be honest with prospective players/parents about the need for a player to be exposed to the environment and amount/quality of playing opportunities that Millfield & Kings offer. This opportunity imbalance can be compounded by clubs, Minor Counties, SCB/SCCC, Regional competitions & Young Lions. Avoid tokenism by selecting players from lesser schools. Select with a better balance between recognising what opportunities have been given (experience) with what the current level of performance is. Talent is potential (ceiling) rather than current perceived level.

4. Commitment. Respect. Family. But not parents!

Make the player/coach/parent dynamic work. Parents are undervalued and underutilised.  In the current culture parents fear coaches. Parents are unwilling to make honest helpful interventions and coaches don’t invite parental input. We are only seen as people to be educated in the ways of parenting. Encourage your own critical feedback. Players and parents that have recently completed the Academy years must be the ultimate bearers of the best customer feedback. A ‘learning’ organisation would be actively seeking this highly valued information.

5. Match Goals to Expectations 

If you want all players to be at a certain standard in white and red ball cricket - make that clear, set staged goals to achieve and address it in training. Everything at the moment is far too woolly.

6. Aim to be an Inspirational Mentor

Be more aware that building confidence and belief is needed for ALL members of the group and that this is the most important part of your role. It can only be achieved through developing a meaningful relationship with the player.