This week, to celebrate Coaching Week and Volunteers Week coinciding, the team here at Cricket Without Boundaries spent some time thinking about how volunteering and coaching with CWB as influenced us, as coaches and as people. From our hard-working Ambassadors through to the behind-the-scenes volunteers who keep the charity going day in and day out, we ended up with a short list that could easily be described as “The Cricket Without Boundaries Way”.
1. Make it fun, “and everything else follows”
Sometimes, it won’t look like cricket, and that is OK! The first and most important thing is that it is fun, that your players and coaches are happy, and that is the platform on which you can build everything else. Maybe you’ll get some bowling practice in. Maybe you won’t. But your players will want to be there, they’ll want to come back, and they’ll want to learn.
“The process helps you understand what matters in sport; mainly kids having fun and learning in a safe environment.”
“Keep the kids smiling!”
“Making things fun (whether for kids or adults).”
2. Include everyone
Sometimes, you “won’t have enough equipment” – don’t worry, you can adapt to that. Sometimes, there will be a massive range of ages – don’t worry, you can adapt to that. Sometimes, there will be 300 children waiting for a session on a space the size of a basketball court. Guess what… Yes, you can adapt to that (relay races anyone?).
“Be flexible with a plan”
“Adapt to the environment – don’t worry if you have equipment!”
“Dealing with loads of numbers of children in different regions has been my problem, but now I have found the “mathematics” to that!”
3. Be a change maker
Coaches are in a special position to be agents of change. Embedded in the community, it is our responsibility to take up that opportunity, to embrace it and to use our position to positively change the lives of those we coach and the community we are in.
“Right from the onset of the 1st CWB trip in Kenya, I vowed to be a life changer to everyone I met on my way. I have been given a chance to coach and mentor young ones to become better citizens.”
“Coaching with CWB has allowed me to be more active in the field, and learn a lot how to train children, how to give them advice on their future against contagious diseases especially HIV/AIDS.”
“My coaching philosophy changed when I get involved with this wonderful and life changing project, I believe am among the lucky ones who can proudly say “changing lives through cricket”.”
Want to get involved with Cricket Without Boundaries? We have coaching and non-coaching volunteering roles open! Check out www.cricketwithoutboundaries.com/volunteer (coaching roles) and http://www.cricketwithoutboundaries.com/vols (non-coaching roles)
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