BY SANDHYA DISSANAYAKE, ATTORNEY-AT-LAW
Sri Lanka Cricket, under the direction of the Cricket Transformation Committee, has launched a special nationwide programme aimed at developing and educating school cricket coaches across Sri Lanka.
The inaugural session of the initiative was held on Monday (May 25) at the SLC High Performance Center, with 74 coaches from Division 1 and Division 2 schools in attendance.
The programme featured Sri Lanka Men’s Head Coach Gary Kirsten, who conducted a two-hour interactive session focusing on modern coaching methodologies and player development strategies.
Kirsten emphasised the importance of building a positive and supportive learning environment for young cricketers, highlighting that coaching should go beyond match results and prioritise long-term player growth.
He also encouraged school coaches to continuously upgrade their own technical and tactical knowledge in order to produce higher-quality players for the future national system.
The session also featured contributions from National Bowling Coach Ryan van Niekerk and National Fielding and Spin Bowling Coach Jordan Gregory, who shared insights from international coaching practices and performance development systems.
The programme was formally introduced by Sidath Wettimuny, Chairman of the Cricket Committee of Sri Lanka Cricket and a member of the Cricket Transformation Committee.
An interactive Q&A session allowed participating coaches to directly engage with the national coaching staff, gaining practical insights into modern cricket coaching approaches.
Sri Lanka Cricket stated that this initiative will continue periodically, with the goal of strengthening the overall standard of school cricket coaching and improving the country’s long-term player development pathway.
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