Courses and certificates

For any coach to deliver a program or service of value, they need to be properly equipped, not only with the correct techniques for cricket, but also the ‘soft skills’ of coaching and to be brought up to date with the different changes in the game. New coaches (as well as very experienced ones), often get ‘stuck in a rut’ and end up doing the same things repeatedly which leads to boredom, player drop out and stagnation!

We aim to equip our coaches to develop their own skills from where they are at currently and to open their eyes to what is out there for them to use. We promote a continuous learning environment for our coaches which will then rub off on the players, because we believe that for your student to grow, you must grow first!

All our courses fall in line with the CSA Coaches Academy guidelines and regulations.

To register for a course, click here to download the Course Registration Form to be completed and forwarded to info@swdcricket.co.za

The main objective of the CSA Coaches Academy is to coordinate and control the training, qualification and certification of cricket coaches, and the following courses are offered:

Mini Cricket (Fundamental Phase)

This certificate enables coaches/teachers to coach Mini Cricket to children under the age of 10 years. Mini Cricket is the simplest form and a modified version of the game, and is regarded as the introductory level for both coaches and players. Coaches need not necessarily have any previous cricketing experience. The duration of the course is 10 hours and candidates are expected to complete a 1-hour theoretical exam and a 10-minute practical session.

Orientation Course (Preparatory Phase)

The purpose of this course is to introduce aspirant coaches to the hard-ball version of the game and prepare potential Level I candidates. Topics include the most basic laws and terminology of cricket, pitch measurements and other technical dimensions, as well as the basic playing skills. The only requirement to attend this 6-hour course (3 x 2-hour modules) is that a candidate must be at least 16 years of age. No evaluation or exam is necessary and candidates receive a certificate of attendance.

Level One (Basic Skills Coach)

The Level I course is designed to enable successful candidates to coach basic cricket skills and to organise an effective practice or training session for junior cricketers. Candidates must be at least 18 years of age and have a sound understanding of the game. Course duration is 18 hours and assessment includes an hour-and-a-half theoretical exam and a practical evaluation. Currently the course is being piloted online and will be rolled out permanently for coaches to complete the theory aspects of the course online.

Level Two (Intermediate Skills Coach)

To register for this course, a candidate must be 21 years of age and have held a revised Level I certificate (post 2005) for at least 12 months. This serves as an entry level for first-class cricketers and a holder of this certificate should be able to coach any school or junior club side with confidence. The course covers all aspects of coaching and various teaching methods, as well as practice organisation and planning.

A 3-week self-study period is followed by a 24-hour course (8 x 3-hour modules) while the overall evaluation consists of a pre-course assignment, two-hour theoretical exam and practical assessment. Candidate-coaches are required to conduct community coaching sessions that form part of their ‘work experience’.

Level Three (Senior Skills Coach)

Whereas all the above-mentioned courses are conducted by the provinces, the Level III & IV programmes are the responsibility of the CSA office and ARE BY CSA INVITATION ONLY.

The affiliates annually nominate experienced and suitably qualified Level II coaches (revised 2005 course) to attend this particular course, while CSA reserves the right to invite or select individuals at its discretion to enable the nominees who have the necessary coaching experience to become competent provincial youth, academy and senior club coaches.

The 5-day, 34-hour course covers the technical/tactical aspects of the game and includes more advanced topics and principles of sport science and medicine. Emphasis is also placed on skill assessment methods to assist the coach with individual technique analysis, error detection and fault correction.

The theoretical assessment consists of a pre- and post-course assignment, a 2-hour written examination and an individual presentation during the course, while the practical evaluation comprises a video analysis section, a one-on-one as well as a group coaching session.

Level Four (High Performance Cricket)

This is the highest cricket coaching qualification currently obtainable in South Africa and is mainly for professional, career coaches working within the national and domestic professional structures. Attendance is by CSA invitation only.

The emphasis and focus is mainly on team and individual game plans, analysing the opposition and different conditions, strategic management, sports law and the use of technology. Successful candidates will be qualified to undertake cricket coaching at its highest possible level.

The course lasts a period of 10 days (2 x 5-day contact sessions) and focuses on coaching styles and man-management skills. In addition to these interactive workshops and group discussions, the professional coaches are required to submit detailed pre- and post-course assignments and write a 3-hour examination, with an emphasis on strategies, tactics and foreign playing conditions.

The Coaches Academy also focuses on the continued development of qualified, certified coaches and places a strong emphasis on improving the ‘soft skills’ of coaches. Quite simply, quality coaches will produce quality cricketers and it is imperative that we constantly improve the standard of coaches and coaching in our country. As a result, a number of training programmes are in place to accelerate the growth of coaches around the country.