Yesterday was a truly memorable day. I had the opportunity to join the NSW women’s and men’s teams for training at the iconic SCG, a place I hadn’t visited in over two decades.
The women’s session was primarily a maintenance training session, as they had a match scheduled for a few days later. Despite the fundamental nature of the session, the players demonstrated a high level of precision in their training, and were very impressive.
The highlight of the day was undoubtedly the men’s session. Australian cricket stars Nathan Lyon and Pat Cummins were in attendance. Lyon, in particular, was a standout, arriving early for training and staying late to provide advice and encouragement to younger players.
The men’s session followed a more traditional format, with bowlers delivering balls to batters. This contrasted with the women’s team, which often incorporates scenario-based training.
I was particularly impressed with the men’s head coach, the veteran Greg Shipperd. Greg is a great observer, and doesn’t use words without reason- and his words carry significant weight and command attention. Meeting him and observing his coaching style was undoubtedly a highlight of my trip.
The women’s and men’s head coaches have distinct coaching approaches, but both are highly effective in their respective environments.
I spent approximately four hours throwing balls to players in the nearly 30-degree heat. It was undoubtedly a challenging day, but a truly rewarding experience. I had the chance to chat with the players during the session, and they were all very approachable and open to conversation.
One significant difference between the men’s and women’s teams is the size of their coaching staff. The men’s team has a larger staff, while the women’s team is much smaller, similar to the situation in Ireland. The men’s coaching staff tends to be less hands-on than the women’s team.
Today, I’m heading to the state men’s 2nd XI game, hoping to chat with some of the coaches about cricket in general. The weather is currently more reminiscent of Ireland than Sydney, but I’m hoping for a break in the rain and some sunshine!
Tomorrow, I’ll be back at the SCG for a similar day to Tuesday. I’m really enjoying the opportunity to travel and continue my own professional development in coaching, and have gained some valuable insights that I will bring back with me to Ireland.
