Head Coach's advice!

As promised here is a copy of the Advice and Guidance issued at last night's meeting.

Advice and Guidance for all players/parents/team manager and coaches to aid a successful Lancashire u/13’s tour of Barbados April 11th-25th 2011

General

All players are expected to display the highest standard of behaviour, punctuality and respect on and off the field. Remember you are representing the Lancashire Cricket Board and Lancashire Schools Cricket Association. The spirit of cricket involves respect for the games traditional values, your own captain and team mates, the role of the umpires and officials, your opponents and their management staff and all supporters/spectators.

There is an absolute ban on drinking alcohol (Blog note - players only; this doesn't apply to you Scooby!), taking drugs and on smoking. Please be mindful that you are to accept nothing from strangers and you are to report anything suspicious to the team manager, coaches or nearest parent/guardian immediately. At no time should players go off alone (ideally only go in 3s or 4s) and if you are going off site for any reason you must inform and be given permission from either the team manager and/or coaches at all times.

Maximum spending money for each player £50.00.

In case of emergency - Players

Please ensure that if for any reason you need assistance or other team members need assistance no matter what time of the day or night that you contact the team manager, coaches or nearest parent/guardian immediately. If for any reason you cannot find anybody quickly enough, please report to reception or staff at the hotel or venue you are at. The coaches will have a first aid kit but it would be sensible for parents to also have their own. If individual players have specific medication requirements (eg inhalers, allergy tablets, protection from bites/stings etc) please ensure they have sufficient quantities for the duration of the tour and that the team manager and coaches are informed. If there is anything else the team manager or coaches need to be made aware of please discuss with us at any time. We will find the contact details of the nearest hospital, doctors on arrival

David Leighton  +4407785722231

Shaun Anders +447795546647

Phil Wright +447889584676

Queen Elizabeth Hospital

Bridgetown

Barbados

Tel +1 246 429 5112

Police Emergency 211

Ambulance 511

Fire 311

Making contact with people at home

Making and taking phone calls may be expensive from/to Barbados (see attached sheet as a guide) but if parents wish their child to have their mobile phone then this is perfectly acceptable. Where possible it may be best to text. If a phone call is required then please discuss the frequency with your child and we will make the best arrangements on arrival or with the hotel management. If for any reason parents/guardians at home do not hear from their child for some time, please do not be concerned because we will contact you immediately should we feel this is required. (Blog note - other communication channels are available, including the Blog, e-mail barbadosdadu13s@gmail.com, and Twitter @barbadosdadu13s)

Around the hotel

Please ensure you respect all property, staff and other hotel guests and act sensibly around all facilities including the swimming pool. Players must not use the pool without a responsible adult from our party present. We will discuss any fire evacuation procedures and anything else we need to be aware of with the hotel management on arrival and inform all players of arrangements at team meetings

Hotel Details:

Dover Beach Hotel

St Lawrence Gap

Christ Church

BB15026

24 Hour Reception

Tel+1 246 428 8076

Fax+1 246 428 2122

Security

Security of valuables can sometimes be a problem on tours. Please ensure that your room is locked at all times when you are not in. We will assess the best security arrangements with the hotel management and any small amounts of money to carry with you that may be required when we arrive. We will then discuss at team meetings.

Meals

Players will eat together most days/evenings unless otherwise informed by the team manager and coaches.

Leisure time

This is the players' ‘down time’ and we will discuss arrangements at team meetings

Bedtime

Players must be in their own rooms and quiet by 10.00pm unless otherwise informed by team manager or coaches. We will discuss breakfast times at our team meetings. Suffice to say that sleep will be very important as the heat, cricket, excitement and long days will take their toll on your performance on the field. The team manager and/or coaches and/or responsible adults from our party will be on site at all times.

Clothing and playing equipment

Players will require sufficient Lancashire cricket clothing and playing equipment for playing 6 games of cricket (cricket whites) together with warm ups and practice sessions (Lancashire shorts/training shirts/training shoes and cricket boots) and sufficient smart casual clothing ie ‘t’shirts/shorts etc for leisure days/evenings. I am also suggesting that you bring along your white shirt, Lancashire tie and long trousers (and a decent pair of shoes) in case we visit anywhere where this is required. We will discuss arrangements for laundry with the hotel management on arrival but please ensure all cricket clothing has your name on it. We will travel from Manchester Airport in Lancashire Tracksuits and training shoes.

Hygiene

Please ensure players wash/shower regularly. Hand Gel wash is advisable to help reduce the risk of infection

Protecting players

The sun in Barbados can be very hot and therefore please ensure that you are protected at all times by wearing sun cream/sun block/lip balm, your hat/cap, sunglasses. It is also advisable to wear your shirts with the collar up and long sleeve shirts if you really suffer from the sun. Please keep well hydrated by drinking sports drinks or water regularly and having plenty of fruit. 1 kilo of body weight loss = 1 litre of water loss this should be replaced by an intake of one and a half litres. When you get the opportunity take shelter in the shade.

Meeting room/Meeting Point and team meetings

We will be allocated a team meeting room on arrival. We will use the meeting room as required but on occasions we may meet on the beach or in the sea/pool etc.. We will agree appropriate meeting points on arrival and at team meetings.

Cricket

Clearly the reason we are in Barbados is for players to improve individually as  cricketers and collectively as a squad. They will achieve this if they, relax and enjoy, work hard on their game, stay focussed, listen carefully, take controlled risks and play without fear of failure.

Talented players often exhibit the following characteristics:

    They tend to work harder in pursuit of their goals

    Have fun and constantly looks for new challenges

    Have high levels of self confidence and are prepared to be self critical

    They listen to their coaches and peers and are willing to learn

We do not know what format we will play yet but it is likely to be overs cricket with restrictions on number of overs bowlers can bowl. Whatever the format, we will play within the laws, be playing to win by playing positive cricket, but lose with dignity, respect and credibility. We will try to ensure that all players have opportunities to perform over the 6 matches and help them along the way to achieving their full potential.

All players are expected to bring with them their individual, realistic performance goals (targets) for the tour that can be discussed with the coaches.

Practice

Sessions will be arranged and communicated to the players at team meetings.

Further advice for players

• Batters
•  Learn to create singles
•  Practice hitting boundaries in a controlled manner
•  Trust your partner
•  Become confident at executing all strokes
•  Work hard on technique, balance and mental application
•  Be fit for batting
•  Head, hands and feet are the 3 most important components
•  Practice harder than you play 

• Bowlers
• Learn to bowl ‘dot’ balls
• Work hard at bowling stock delivery
• Experiment with alternative deliveries
• Practice bowling at left handers
• Work hard on technique, posture and mental application
• Create and build pressure (eg attempt to bowl an over at the same batsman)
• Be fit for bowling
• Don’t over bowl in practice 

• Wicket  Keepers
• Lots of glove work
• Improve footwork and speed ‘off the mark’
• Strengthen right and left hand
• Improve throwing accuracy and speed
• Work hard on technique, balance and mental application
• Ensure enthusiasm/motivation
• Be fit for wicketkeeping

•  Fielders
•  Practice with a real purpose
•  Practice throwing technique underarm and overarm under pressure
•  Lots of catching practice with good technique 2 hands and 1 hand (high, low, flat, short, long, diving)
•  Learn to stop the ball consistently under pressure
•  Learn ideal distances to be from ‘on strike’ batter on different pitches and in different situations
•  Practice run out opportunities
•  Enjoy fielding

IN SUMMARY!

....and, lads, don't forget to bring a......