THE COACHES

Chris Ellison
I hold the ECB’s Level 3 Coaching Qualification. More recently, I’ve started working towards the ECB’s flagship Level 4 Coaching Qualification.

My coaching roles have developed rapidly since my Level 1 award some five years ago. I work for a great many partners including: Head Coach at Henley Cricket Club, consultant to the European Cricket Council, consultant and tutor for ECB coach education department, Director of Berkshire’s Cricket Academy, Head professional at Shiplake College, multi skills community coach for Madjeski Academy, consultant and lead coach for Berkshire County Board, University of Reading cricket coach.

I have been fortunate to support such a broad spectrum of coaching. From each area I have drawn tremendous experience and knowledge. However, I do not intend to rest there having taken on the ECB’s Level 4 programme. My philosophy in coaching is to help players strive to be “better than yesterday”. I believe players learn most effectively when having fun and enjoyment. This is a core principle of all “Performance Cricket” courses.

I play for Henley CC 1st XI and Berkshire CCC.

Tom Lambert
I am an ECB Level 2 qualified cricket coach and have a BSc Honours degree in Sports Science with Coaching from University of Wales Institute, Cardiff.

I’ve been coaching full time for a year undertaking roles with the Berkshire Academy as fast bowling coach. In addition, I’ve worked with several of the county age group squads. I’ve supported 4 successful summer and 3 successful winter “Performance Cricket” courses to date. I have also worked in a variety of schools running regular coaching sessions in Henley and Reading.

My coaching philosophy would have to be: 'At a young age the result of the game very rarely matters. If you have learnt something NEW each time then you have won the game anyway.'

Reasons for getting into coaching: From a young age I feel that the person I have become and the values I hold have been dictated to me through playing sport. All the people that have helped me achieve have also made me a balanced individual. This is what id like to do for others through coaching.

I feel the previous courses have shown that through hard work and a lot of fun a lot can be learnt. From the first course in April through to our most recent one every single person has improved mentally and physically which is testament to the course.

I play for Henley CC 1st XI, Berkshire CCC and the full Minor Counties XI.

Ronnie Brock
I hold the ECB’s Level 2 Coaching Qualification.

I have been coaching at club, county age group and district age group level for four years. In addition, I work as a Community Cricket Coach for Berkshire.

My philosophy is to help youngsters have fun while playing cricket. When enjoying themselves it makes them more receptive to learning skills and techniques to improve. I also believe they need to take responsibility for their own games. In doing so, I aim to help players achieve their goals.
I went into coaching as a parent and as someone who has had immense enjoyment out of cricket for over 40 years. It provides the opportunity to fire enthusiasm for cricket in youngsters the way it caught my imagination when I started.

Steve Downes
I hold the ECB’s Level 2 Coaching Qualification.

I have been coaching a club and school level for nearly two years. I’m also a fully qualified personal trainer.

My philosophy is to make cricket enjoyable for everyone involved and instill a passion for the game. To adapt every coaching session for the players involved to enable them to learn, enjoy and thrive. Never forget that a coach, no matter what level, is always learning too.

I love cricket and I love coaching! In becoming a coach I can help a player achieve their full potential. I enjoy seeing how enthusiastic all the players are and the professionalism of the coaches involved.

Chris Johnson
I have a degree in Physical Education from the University of Birmingham. I’ve coached cricket for 35 years, having originally qualified under the MCC Coaching Scheme.

For most of this time I have concentrated on coaching 6 to 10 year olds and was one of very few coaches providing specialist cricket coaching for this age group back in the 1970’s. I believe cricket should at all times be fun and aims to install a love of the game in players which will make them want to play more, practice more and thereby improve their playing ability.

More recently, I have specialised in helping older children make the transition from junior to adult cricket. This is another area which I see as being neglected by many clubs.

Still an active cricketer, I have vast playing experience from representative levels downwards and encompassing all levels of club cricket.

James Yandell
I am a UKCC Level 2 qualified coach.

I have been coaching with Performance Cricket over the winter and assisted on 3 courses. I have also assisted Chris with his work with Henley Cricket Club junior section during their winter training programme. I have also coached in Surrey at the Stewart Cricket Centre.

When Coaching I believe that the main point of a session is for the player to enjoy themselves. The more a player enjoys his/her sport, the more they get out of each session and the more they improve.

I moved into coaching as I enjoy cricket and I want to share my enthusiasm for the game with others, whilst helping them improve their own games.

I play for the University of Reading First XI and Henley CC First XI.

Tom Scanlan
My first coaching job was at the DCF Burton (the old Yorkshire captain) School near Sunningdale in 1962! That was the same year that I captained my school team, Beaumont College, since defunct, against The Oratory at Lord’s (unfortunately, we lost…). I played most of my cricket for Teddington CC in the days before the Middlesex league was formed and then for a couple of seasons in the league. I was Assistant Editor of The Cricketer magazine in 1970-72 and then spent a long time in various postings overseas with British Forces Broadcasting Service, which pretty well put cricket to a stop apart from occasional games in far-flung outposts. I formalised my coaching on my final posting back to the UK and became a Senior ECB coach in 1997. Since then, I spent five years managing the Berkshire Cricket Centre and have been coach or manager to around ten Berkshire County or District youth teams.

I thoroughly enjoy coaching young players, whether they are county cricketers or beginners. My main aim is to bring the best out by make coaching so enjoyable for the boys and girls that they just want to keep coming back for more!"