School coach's top tips for filming virtual cricket drills

Clayesmore School are delivering a comprehensive online programme for their cricketers, and head of boys' games at the school Dan Conway gives his insight into producing content and how to engage pupils in more usual times

Amid all of the uncertainty and fear for cricket’s wellbeing at the school level, the Covid-19 pandemic has seen a few positives for our educational institutions.

Now we are in a third lockdown, schools are prepared and practised in producing digestible content that educates despite being away from the classroom. Sport, and cricket in particular, has featured in living rooms, bedrooms and gardens across the country via challenges and drills.

The technical benefits are obvious to keep young people swinging their bats but the mental health benefits too are intangible but invaluable.

Huge praise must be given to the teachers and coaches creating these sessions. It may sometimes fell difficult to engage a group of teenagers when they are standing in the same room, but to engage and inspire virtually is a whole different ball game.

Leading the way in their virtual offering is Clayesmore School in Dorset. 

“Having the students in school last term enabled us to start the winter preparation in group bubbles and now we have moved to remote learning. I’ve just introduced and rolled out our pre-season plan this term, in order to be ready for the summer,” head of boys’ sport Dan Conway tells The Cricketer.

“We’ve created choice boards for all the different sports, so pupils can pick an activity or method of training. But they can change throughout the week, shape it themselves.”

Virtual learning may have lost its novelty at this point, so keeping content fresh is vital.

“I’ve put strength and conditioning sessions on there as well as skills work that I have filmed,” Conway continues. “Everything can be done at home and I can also keep track of what the pupils are doing, especially the cricket scholars.”

^{Clayesmore hosted The Cricketer's Club Cricket Guide bat testing day in 2019}

At the time of speaking, Conway was soon to be on his way through the near-empty school to the sports hall to film the next cricket drill video. This sort of content has had a surge in popularity over the past year, with hundreds if not thousands of videos uploaded intended to help young people keep fit and in touch with the game.

But, like all forms of video production, what might look like a seamless end product is the result of hours and planning, and years of practice in coaching, explanation and video skills.

“My best tip for producing a cricket coaching video would be to not overcomplicate it, as simple as it sounds,” Conway explains. “I’ve seen a lot of people start filming, get two minutes in then lose track and have to start again, using up numerous takes and wasting a lot of time.”

Conway is an accomplished coach, being part of the Dorset coaching staff, and his tips on producing videos for students are applicable across all sports. 

Rather than explain a drill himself in the video, he simply performs the task and uses text in the editing to introduce and explain. 

Today’s video is helping players learn to play the ball late.

“I’ll set up one camera with two Feed Buddies, one in front of me and one to my side. So I’ll move my position and then those watching can see the drill from the front and side-on. The side-on review is key so that you can see the point of impact. If the kids have a visual of that they understand that they can play the ball really late right underneath their eye line.”

Of course different coaches and school will not all have the same facilities, but an iPhone will do the job, and Feed Buddies can be replaced by actual buddies, gently tossing tennis balls at the batter.

Conway lists his top tips for producing coaching videos for young players:

- A few key coaching points

- Make it accessible to everyone

- Minimal equipment as this needs to be match at the students house

- Linking in challenges after the skill demo

- Make it interactive

It is this awareness for the viewer, the pupils watching, that stands out and Conway’s simple tip to write text rather than try and explain, as well as moving yourself to show a side-on view, that can be of help to other coaches out there trying to remotely communicate with their players.

This innovation, creativity and willingness to produce a better product for pupils to engage with is admirable, however it is indeed necessary to keep the spirit of cricket alive for pupils at the school.

But the Clayesmore creativity intended to engage is nothing new, particularly in house cricket competitions. 

“The winners of the house competitions aren’t determined by who is the best team on paper. It’s who is the team who read the rules and interpreted them correctly, adapting their style of play.”

The house cricket rules at Clayesmore are unique. One rule is that should a batsman face three consecutive dot balls, not only are they out, but their individual score is removed from the team total.

^{Cricket is delivered to be accesible to all}

“It keeps the strike rotating but it’s also good for captains to be aware of saving their best bowlers for last, when batsmen will be on a higher score.

“One of my big things is fielding. There has been a massive drop off in youth age groups and I think it’s because of the fielding. They stand in the field and think it’s boring.

“But with house cricket being eight/nine a side, and the three consecutive dots rule, the fielders are doing something every ball. You get a player in the B or C team darting around the field and they’re enjoying it because they’re busy.”

The dot ball rule keeps the score ticking and the batters running, a tick in the fitness column, but three run outs and the innings is brought to a close, so a cricketing brain is required.

A restriction on external fixtures could indeed be blessing, as that would allow this innovative, inclusive and fun tournament to extend beyond one or two weekends, instead to a full round-robin where internal bragging rights will surely produce a fiercely competed but well-enjoyed competition.

But whatever happens over the coming months, Clayesmore will be prepared. The elite players will be in as good form as they can be due to Conway’s home video drills, but even if we are subjected to another summer of no external school fixtures, a lot of fun will be had and cricket will firmly remain in the hearts and minds of this current generation.