How to Progress Children to Professional Cricket

Being able to pursue a career in professional cricket is a privilege but it is a career path that isn’t open to very many. If you are keen that your child makes the grade and becomes a professional cricketer, there are a few things that you can do in order to encourage their success in the sport. 

Give them the Right Equipment

This is literally a case of “dress for success”. Make sure they have the correct sizes of equipment as they learn so that they can master the use of a bat that is the correct proportion for their height and so that they can receive maximum protection from injury. This is important because a painful injury can dampen their enthusiasm for the sport and make them less willing to play on their return from injury.

Teach Them the Fundamentals

Show them how to do the basic moves and techniques that are required in a cricket match and help them to practise and refine them. This will aid in muscle memory so that when it comes to playing against others, they are making the correct moves almost by instinct. It is helpful if you have played cricket yourself so that you know the things to teach them.

Find Local Cricket Clubs for Them

Scout out some local cricket club options that may suit them and give them the chance to go along to see whether they like it. If a particular club is not for them, don’t be disheartened, it can sometimes take a couple of tries to find the right one. Most cricket clubs will have teams based on different age groups and there should be one that is a good fit for your child. 

Spend Time Practising With Them

As they progress and join a cricket team, they will have maybe one hour per week of practice with their team. This is nowhere near what is required to reach the professional level, so take the time to talk about what they have learned and are practising and encourage them to go through the practice sessions with you as well. This will allow you to find out what they are learning, as well as giving you the opportunity to help them to get in some useful practice. 

Play Catch with Them

This is an excellent way to develop and improve one of the core skills needed to become a professional cricket player. Playing catch helps them improve their hand-eye coordination, which will allow for high-quality catching in actual matches. 

Don’t be too Pushy

If your child is going to make it in professional cricket, it has to be their dream, rather than just yours so don’t push them too hard toward it. If they want to spend time doing other things, let them and encourage those interests as well. Just be supportive and available for them and the rest should take care of itself. 

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