A key part of our work with Cricket Without Boundaries in Brazil is supporting the team at Cricket Brasil to develop the skills and confidence of their coaches and development officers. Sustainable programmes depend on strong local leadership, and over the past few weeks we have had the privilege of investing in exactly that.
As an ICC Master Educator, I had the opportunity to work closely with three of Cricket Brasil’s development officers — Iuri, Mayara and Cassio — as they began their journey towards becoming ICC Tutors.
ICC Tutors play a vital role in developing cricket globally. At ICC Foundation and Level 1, tutors are responsible for training coaches who will go on to support grassroots cricket in their communities. These courses help ensure that coaching meets the standards we value at Cricket Without Boundaries: sessions that are fun, safe, inclusive, and designed so that players learn through playing, exploring and solving problems.
Learning to Become Tutors
Over three intensive days we explored what it means to be a tutor. Normally, tutor training happens with a ratio of around five or six learners per tutor educator. Here in Brazil, however, we were fortunate to work with a three-to-one ratio, with fantastic translation support from Felippe, which allowed for deeper discussion and reflection.
A major focus was understanding the difference between coaching and tutoring. Coaches work directly with players. Tutors, however, develop coaches, multiplying their impact across the game.
We spent time practising the core skills of effective tutor delivery, particularly the ICC principle of facilitation over presentation. Instead of telling coaches exactly what to do, great tutors create learning environments where participants engage, discuss, and discover solutions themselves — modelling the same player-centred approach we want coaches to use with their teams.
Putting Learning Into Practice
The real test came during the first weekend of the Cricket Without Boundaries volunteer programme in Poços de Caldas.
Together with existing ICC tutors Felippe and Xipin, Iuri and Mayara delivered an ICC Foundation Coaching Course for 16 young leaders from the Cricket Brasil Girls’ Academy and the Boys’ Under-15 squads.
It was fantastic to see these young coaches growing in confidence as they learned how to design sessions that were safe, inclusive and adaptable. A key part of the course focused on how to adjust activities — making them easier or harder depending on the ability and experience of the group.
But perhaps even more exciting was seeing Iuri and Mayara flourish as tutors.
One highlight was Mayara leading an excellent discussion on inclusive planning, emphasising how thoughtful session design can help grow the game for women and girls.
Meanwhile, Iuri channelled his inner Lee Booth, using a powerful facilitation technique: always following answers with a second question.
When participants described a session as “fun”, Iuri would ask:
“Why? What made it fun?”
That simple follow-up question encouraged deeper reflection and helped participants understand the planning and thinking behind effective coaching.
Looking Ahead
Next week, Iuri and Mayara will deliver the ICC Level 1 course alongside Lee, marking the next step in their development as tutors.
The long-term vision is exciting. As this group of tutors grows in experience, they will not only deliver ICC courses but also lead bespoke coach development programmes that support Cricket Brasil’s unique initiatives.
One example is the newly developed Cricket Para a Vida curriculum, designed specifically for the communities of Poços de Caldas, integrating cricket with life skills and development outcomes.
Already Making an Impact
In fact, the direction of travel was already clear earlier this week.
On Monday, Mayara led a short coach development workshop tackling some of the common challenges coaches face in Brazil, including:
• How to teach bowling with a straight arm in an engaging way
• Helping coaches identify left- and right-handed batters
• And perhaps most relevant this week — what to do when it rains
Heavy showers have tested the programme recently, but the team has adapted brilliantly. It has been inspiring to see creative activities emerge that work in small spaces, indoor areas and classrooms, ensuring that learning and enjoyment continue regardless of the weather.
A Strong Future for Cricket in Brazil
Watching this group of tutors develop has been one of the highlights of the trip. Building local coach developers is one of the most powerful ways to grow cricket sustainably.
With passionate leaders like Iuri, Mayara, Felippe and Xipin, the future of coach development — and cricket more broadly — in Brazil looks incredibly promising.
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