Cricket Coaching Classes (1957)

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Written in 1960

Chipping Sodbury Cricket Club can claim to have given a lead to other local Clubs of comparable size in Gloucestershire as far as indoor group coaching is concerned. Ever since the winter of 1956-57, members and their friends have met for a series of coaching classes and last winter the facilities were extended to players of neighbouring Clubs.

The scheme was first suggested at the Club's annual meeting in November, 1956 and much credit for the pioneering work must go to Graham Wiltshire, the Chipping Sodbury-born, Gloucestershire cricketer, who is the holder of an M.C.C. Advanced Coaching Certificate.

There was enthusiastic support for the new venture which began really as an experiment to keep the members together during the winter months. So, with 1957 but a few days old, Chipping Sodbury cricketers, young and old, met for the first time at the Clubroom of the Portcullis Hotel, Chipping Sodbury, which had been kindly placed at their disposal by '' mine host ", Mr. Denis Pike, a keen supporter of the Club. There they donned their sweaters once more and were soon practising their strokes and receiving tuition from their coach, Graham Wiltshire.

Ever since the classes have been operated successfully by Graham, who has generously given his expert services, free of charge. Senior players and schoolboy cricketers have taken full advantage of the weekly classes each winter in order to learn more about the game and all those who have taken advantage of the facilities will agree that the coaching they have received has been of immense value to them.

Instruction is given on all aspects of the game and the scheme has undoubtedly helped to keep cricket interest alive. At the beginning of March, 1958, Mr. George Emmett (then captain of Gloucestershire) and Mr. Trevor Churchill (hon. secretary of the Gloucestershire Youth Cricket Council) paid a visit to one of the classes and both cornmended the work that was being done. Mr. Emmett gave a short talk to the members of the class on basic batting principles and afterwards demonstrated a number of strokes.

Commenting on the Chipping Sodbury scheme, Mr. Churchill said: '' Here we have a working example of how older players are helping the younger members to bridge the gap between school and Club and it is something which other adult cricketers and Clubs might well follow. We feel that if this is done more widespread in the County, cricket is going to benefit and therefore the standard of Gloucestershire cricket will improve."

Midway through the course during the following winter, the members of the coaching class and players of other Clubs met at the Town Hall, Chipping Sodbury, for a programme of instructional cricket films, arranged by Graham Wiltshire and Mr. Trevor Walsh (Area Youth Officer) in conjunction with the Chipping Sodbury Club. Representatives of the Sodbury District Youth Committee and of the Gloucestershire Youth Cricket Council also attended. Last winter at the weekly indoor coaching classes, Graham was assisted by his former County colleague, John Griffiths, who, on leaving first-class cricket at the end of the 1958 season, joined the Chipping Sodbury Club.