Aerobics, cornflake packets and three-a-side fives in a squash court…it was all part of the EFA coaching weekend at Cranleigh led by Howard Wiseman. Twenty coaches from Berhamsted, Bryanston, Cranleigh, Eton, Harrow, Lancing, Mill Hill, Oakham, Orley Farm, St John’s Leatherhead, Stowe, Westminster, Westway and Zuoz attended.

Howard began by showing how a group of complete beginners could be enthused. (Parts were played by young Cranleigh boys who quickly showed that they were not complete beginners). This involved the maximum amount of running about and hitting a fives ball without it ever becoming a formal game.

He then moved on to drills, with and without a ball, and various simplified games avoiding the serve and cut sequence, which could involve groups of more than twenty pupils with only one coach.

Time was then spent analysing the cut and return of cut, before moving on to volleying techniques. The final session was spent on more advanced coaching with the aforementioned cornflake packets being placed as targets in strategic positions on court. There was then an opportunity to watch (and in some cases play in) a game of squash court fives, which began as a demanding encounter between two fit young men but was then extended to an only slightly less strenuous team contest three-a-side.

In an after-dinner discussion the delegates were invited to share any problems they might have running fives in their schools and there was an interesting and stimulating exchange of ideas.

The EFA is grateful to Howard Wiseman, to Mark Williams for his wise counsel on many points of coaching and to Jon Carr and his colleagues (especially the chef) for their hospitality and excellent organisation at Cranleigh.

J.D.C.V.

A Coaching Weekend at Cranleigh by Dale Vargas
Created 28th March 2007 by Mike Fenn
efa@etonfives.co.uk

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