ENGLISH INSTRUCTOR HAILS ZC

ENGLISH Cricket instructors, who were recently in the country for the Level Two cricket course, have hailed Zimbabwe Cricket for facilitating a “After cricket course” for players in the twilight of their careers.

After conducting a six-day day Level Two cricket coach, which saw 24 local coaches participating, Tim Dellor and Phil Relf, held a two day “After Cricket Course” which focused on opportunities for players to pursue after their playing careers.

Dellor, who was the head instructor of the coaching course, hailed ZC for facilitating a course that seeks to help players in the twilight of their playing careers to cope with life after cricket.

“You look at the statistics of sports people, they particularly suffer from high level depression, bankruptcy, addictions, divorce and, in the worst case, suicide around the time of retirement.

“All sport bodies need to be aware of that and take some responsibilities in preventing it.

“Zimbabwe Cricket deserves massive credit for facilitating such a course that helps in capacitating players in a quite challenging time of life, retirement, which I prefer to call career change.

“I am really impressed by what Zimbabwe Cricket has done, the compassionate and foresight to try and help these guys through what is quite a challenging time in their careers,” said Dellor.

Among the participants were national team captain, Craig Ervine, Tendai Chatara, Timcyn Maruma Sean Williams.

“We did a module on budgeting financial management and planning finances which the guys really appreciated and found useful,” said Dellor.

“We need to help these players who are finishing playing sport full-time and make them understand the transition and make them feel positive about it.

“What I have realised is that the players have some skills that they possess, which is not about catching, fielding, batting but I am talking about the leadership, discipline, organisational skills, teamwork.”