Revamped Academy part of broader plan for elite cricket
The Australian Cricket Board (ACB) today revealed a bold new plan to maintain Australia's position as the best team in the world game by establishing a cricket "Centre of Excellence" that would include a revamped Cricket Academy, two new programs and the creation of a new Information Resource Centre.
"On the Front Foot" is an ambitious blueprint for the Australian game that recommends an overhaul of the 13 year-old Commonwealth Bank Cricket Academy, a program of the Australian Institute of Sport, as just one component of an overall strategy to secure Australia's position as a world leader in all aspects of the sport.
The report was discussed by the ACB Directors at a meeting last Friday. The Directors agreed in principle to the report's recommendations but have delayed a final decision on the implementation of the reforms until further consultation with the states and a more detailed financial analysis of the Centre of Excellence model is completed.
The report proposes the following initiatives.
THE COMMONWEALTH BANK CRICKET ACADEMY, A PROGRAM OF THE AUSTRALIAN INSTITUTE OF SPORT (THE PLAYER DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM)
The proposed changes to the Academy program would see:
SPORTS SCIENCE AND SPORTS MEDICINE PROGRAM
The report recommends the closer integration and expansion of the ACB's Sports Science and Sports Medicine initiatives through the establishment of this program within the Centre of Excellence.
It is not proposed that this unit will conduct all research but act as a central point of contact for all research conducted across a range of institutions.
ELITE COACHING, UMPIRES, CURATORS AND ADMINISTRATORS PROGRAM
The report recognises the importance of increasing the skills of these critical groups within the Australian cricket community through developing specific programs to develop capabilities in these areas.
INFORMATION RESOURCE CENTRE
The report highlights the importance of effective information in underpinning proper planning and decision making in relation to the development of elite cricketers.
It highlights that information is not compiled in a coordinated way within cricket and recommends the creation of the Information Resource Centre to better identify collect, manage and disseminate the information required to develop elite cricketers.
This information may include game and player analysis, player performance data, medical data and research analysis data.
ACB Chief Executive, James Sutherland, said the review had identified a need for the ACB to broaden its development beyond the players in order to remain at the top of world cricket.
"The strength of Australian cricket lies not only in the playing quality but also in the area of sports science, coaching programs, ground and pitch preparation and administration," said Mr Sutherland.
"On the Front Foot highlights that if the ACB is to build on the success of the game, it must also ensure that these aspects of the sport are properly addressed. The challenge now is to put in place a system that will support Australian cricket in total for the next decade. This report provides us with the basis to begin making these changes."
Mr Sutherland also noted that while the current structure of the Academy program had served cricket exceptionally well, fundamental changes in the way cricketers were developed over the past decade required changes to the Academy program.
"Since the Academy was established more than a decade ago, there have been dramatic and fundamental changes in the way in which young players are prepared for elite cricket and in the ages at which players are likely to come into the first-class game," said Mr Sutherland.
"The development of state and territory cricket academies, the greater professionalism of state associations, significant increases in the amount of money in the game and the associated trend of players staying in the game for longer all mean that the current structure is becoming rapidly outdated.
"There are obviously a number of complex issues that arise out of this report, not the least of which is the financial implications of such a comprehensive change, but it provides a starting point from which to conduct further analysis."
The next stage of the process will take place over the coming months with a further report scheduled to be considered by ACB Directors in February.
On the Front Foot was commissioned by the ACB to review the future of the Academy in light of the apparent changes in cricket since the program was first established.
As part of the process, 54 interviews were conducted with elite cricket coaches, administrators, the Australian Cricketers' Association and other stakeholders to gain an understanding of their views of the Academy program.
© 2001 Australian Cricket Board
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