ANNUAL REPORT 2019

29 ACADEMY REPORT in the system that players have gone in and put in performances – and also the fact that we’ve got a system capable of producing cricketers for this club and beyond. Naturally, being with the players for a long period of time, we build close working relationships with them. We try and put as little pressure on each individual as possible when they are making the transition be- tween different levels of cricket, and having Ant Botha working closely with us as head of the Second XI has proved valuable. With Phil Tranter (Physio) and HenryWoodward (Strength & Conditioning) also spending time in both camps, there is a seamless transition between the two sides. We’ve also worked hard to maximise the time we spend with our Acade- my intake, realising that they have commitments other than cricket. The strength and conditioning element of training is a large under- taking for any cricketer, so we’ve worked hard to give them the res- ources to make the most of their available time. Providing each player with an on- line hub hosting videos of exercise regimes, as well as having Henry working with players in their school environment, gives them the plat- form to work on their independence and discipline away fromTrent Bridge. All the players have taken this on board because to become a profes- sional cricketer is not solely about playing the game.You also need to be an athlete. Cricket across all formats is a taxing game and different types of cricketers test their bodies in disparate ways. The challenge is to complement and enable the skills of each cricketer with a requisite and relevant physical package. Hopefully we’ll see many more Academy graduates on the profes- sional scene in years to come. “CRICKET ACROSS ALL FORMATS IS A TAXING GAME... THE CHALLENGE IS TO COMPLEMENT AND ENABLE THE SKILLS OF EACH CRICKETER WITH A REQUISITE AND RELEVANT PHYSICAL PACKAGE.” Matt Wood