There would not be many more long-serving principals of a New Zealand school than Denis. He was first appointed as a principal in 1983 and has huge experience in education. As a young man he played 38 first-class cricket matches for Central Districts and Canterbury and then became a pre-eminent cricket coach. After working with the Canterbury team in the 1990s he went on to coach the Black Caps between 2001 and 2003. We are delighted to have Denis as our feature writer for this section of the 2020/21 Annual Report.
Sport provides many of the values, skills and attitudes that young people require to help them to be the best that they can be in adult life. We want our young people to be resilient, self-managing, critical thinkers, healthy, engaged and to have positive relationships. We want them to understand the importance of teamwork. We want them to be successful and to enjoy life. The list could go on but it is important they learn what they need to do to be the best that they can be. To me sport is a wonderful vehicle for young people to learn how to do this. Team sport provides the most opportunities to learn and to grow as an individual. To learn how to get the best out of themselves and their team.
Cricket to me is the ultimate team and individual game all in one (and of course I am not biased). It is a game of individual against individual with the active support of teammates. The importance of batting and bowling partnerships supported by a switched on fielding unit provides so many opportunities to learn and develop life skills. The disciplines needed during practice and in matches will stand them in good stead in adult life. Cricket is game where people who work harder tend to be luckier. If you want to be the best you can be you need to be clear about what you want and be willing to do the hard work.
Competition is important as I believe that players play the game to win. We must ensure that young people know that there is nothing wrong with wanting to win or to be the best you can be.
Winning has many forms. It could in fact be finishing first or it could be doing the best you could possibly do. It is important that we celebrate those who are first and those who have done their best.
We must ensure that our great game caters for all so that it continues to thrive and carry out its vital role in developing key life skills in young people. Society has changed so we need to ensure that cricket changes with it. This could be in various forms such as the level of competition, length of the game or the day and time games are played. If we want to keep our game relevant to young people and in a salesperson’s language have repeat business, then we need to provide a product that:
- Meets their needs.
- Is inclusive.
- Is well organised in coaching and delivery.
- Has quality facilities.
- Last but certainly not least is fun for all.
In recent years there has been some movement away from elite teams and the watering down of competition. If we want our young people to strive to be the best they can be and wish to play at the highest level, then we must encourage and support them in doing this. We need to emphasise that the key steps to success have not and will not change. The harder and smarter you work the better you will get. The quality and focus of your preparation will determine your performance. Your ability to review your performance and refocus will determine your ability to keep getting better. As I mentioned earlier there is nothing wrong with being the best. It is in fact what we should all strive to do.
We also need to ensure that young people:
- Respect the game.
- Respect their team mates.
- Respect the opposition.
- Respect the officials.
We need to help them cope with failures and to develop a growth mindset. For them to understand that getting it wrong is part of getting right next time. It is critical that enjoyment is always at the centre.
Kane Williamson is a wonderful role model for our young cricketers. He is at the top of the game and he is very understated. He is humble and his teammates are obviously very important to him. He is always looking to improve his game by doing the hard work. He shows a great respect for the game, his teammates, the opposition and officials. There is no better example to young people than Kane about being successful and getting the best out of yourself.
In summary, cricket provides a broad range of benefits to young people which they can take with them forever. We all need to do what we can to encourage them and support them to become involved in our great game. We must ensure that the experience meets their needs so that they continue to play the game. We must provide forms of the game that meet all the varied needs.
If like me they enjoy winning, then there is nothing wrong with that.