Congratulations to our seven new female cricket coaches in Warwickshire, who completed their Foundation Level 1 Coaching course this weekend. The course was unique in two ways
- It was the WCB’s first Level 1 coaching course exclusively for women, responding to feedback from women that they would feel more confident learning cricket coaching skills in an all-female environment.
- Much of the coaching was delivered by a female coach – Mina Zahoor, WCB Diverse Communities Officer.
Speaking on the final day of the course, WCB Women & Girl’s Officer Gabby Basketter explained, “We decided to offer this course to women only, because there are many women who want to coach but are nervous about their lack of technical knowledge of the game, or experience, in comparison to many men. Everyone here today has started from a similar baseline of knowledge, and no one is intimidated. The Level 1 Course is not as intense as people would imagine and a great depth of cricketing knowledge isn’t required. All the basics you need are provided on the course so you can quite happily undertake this course as a complete novice to cricket. Obviously that situation changes with further levels of qualification, but this is an excellent start point for women coming into the game.”
The course participants are all from different age groups and backgrounds, coming to the course through a variety of routes. Faizah Hashmi was interviewed earlier this year by WCB as part of Women’s Cricket Month and said then that she would like to complete a coaching course. Gabby Basketter remembered this and was delighted when Faizah enrolled on the course after having a conversation with Asma Ajaz-Ali (a local role model for aspiring female cricket coaches). Another participant, Bernie Roberts from Norton Lindsey CC, booked on the course after it was mentioned on a WCB Women & Girls’ Zoom call.
Hannah Rigby is 19 and preparing university applications. “I have played cricket for a number of years and helped at a few coaching sessions at Knowle & Dorridge CC and with Complete Cricket last summer. This course is great as it has solidified my knowledge and gives me a formal qualification, which is useful on my personal statement and with the sports science degree I hope to take.”
Jane Mander enrolled on the Level 1 coaching course to enable her to support women’s softball cricket at Kineton CC, and to assist with the development of girls’ cricket where she works at Solihull School. “The course has been great,” Jane says. “I feel confident now as one of the coaching staff at my club or at school.”
Fellow participant Zakia Malaik is keen to use her new skills to encourage young girls to play cricket, especially in communities where it has traditionally been a male dominated sport. “I want more opportunities for women to play cricket, and for female coaches to get coaching experience. This is more than just a qualification for me. I now want the opportunities to get out there and coach. For me personally, I see this as very much a first step into something bigger. Hopefully I might inspire or motivate another woman to play cricket. I played when I was 18-19 and honestly it was like ‘Bend it Like Beckham’ then, but things are very much different now. Women playing cricket is much more normal and I want to be part of that.”
Gurby Evans is hoping to establish a girls’ section at Moseley Ashfield CC and says it made a big difference to her that much of the coaching was delivered by a female coach. “Mina understood how we felt and could identify with any concerns we had – it just made the group more confident and relaxed”.
Mina Zahoor was very pleased with the group. “They are excellent at picking up information and listening. Today they have all come in early and helped each other prepare. There is some great teamwork going on here, especially during the assessments. The women have all encouraged each other during their assessments and given each other a round of applause afterwards. The feedback has also been very participative, with plenty of discussion about how each session went. As coaches, we have been able to add hints and tips about what went well and what could be improved. I am really hoping there is a ripple effect now and these women will go back and say, ‘This was good’ to encourage more women coaches to enrol.”
Mina’s colleague, Chris Kenny, agrees as he sums up at the end of the course. “Well done everyone. You’ve stayed with it and now we have seven new female coaches in Warwickshire. Never stop thinking of ways to develop as coaches. Remember to use the WCB coaching resources and those at your clubs – we are all there to help you. Try and put yourself in a coaching environment as much as you can so you can keep learning.”
The last word of a long afternoon of assessments goes to Mina Zahoor. She is delighted to have seven new coaching colleagues. “Congratulations to you all. There are still only a few of us, but this is just the start. It is up to us now to go out and inspire as many women and girls as we can to come and join us.”
For more information about Women & Girls’ cricket or Women Only coaching courses please contact [email protected]
