A highly successful ICC 'Introduction to Coaching' course was run at Tallaght Leisure Centre last Wednesday, April 18th with 17 coaches attending.
The course itself concentrated on basic cricket techniques along with small-sided games that can be easily delivered within schools or sports halls. A separate classroom session concentrated on the rules of 'Kwik Cricket' and the coaches also got the chance to watch some footage of an Introductory bowling lesson, usually the most difficult skill for children to learn.
Donal Lynch, a Transition Year student at Firhouse Community College and a member of Terenure Cricket Club thoroughly enjoyed the day’s activities commenting:‘The Intro Cricket Coaching course which took place in Tallaght Leisure Centre was the first step for me on the cricket coaching pathway. I will be using the knowledge I learned to assist in developing cricket in schools in the Tallaght and Terenure areas’.
Anne Marie Doherty, the Sports Co-ordinator at St Mary's National School, Saggart also participated in the course.‘As part of the SDCC / LCU Cricket Development Programme Kwik cricket has recently been introduced to St. Marys NS. The children have loved it and in order for us to continue playing cricket in the schoolyard I attended the coaching course in Tallaght. I now have a basic knowledge of the laws of the game and the ability to organise games of 'continuous' and 'pairs' cricket. We will be entering the Tallaght Kwik cricket blitz in May and we will have regular games of 'pairs' cricket in the schoolyard to prepare for this.
Irfan Quereshi from Ballyroan Youth and Community Centre also attended the course. He commented:‘Cricket is one of the most popular sports with children in the Ballyroan area with Ballyroan Boys NS and Rathfarnham Parish NS currently participating in the Leprechaun Cup. Due to this interest BYCC will be organising after school and summer holiday cricket activities’.
The LCU would like to thank South Dublin County Council for their continued support and in particular for facilitating this course.Course tutors on the day were Brían O'Rourke (Leinster Development Manager), Reinhart Strydom (Fingal Development Officer) and they were supported by Kenny Carroll (South Dublin County Council Development Officer).