All Stars – Session Plan

U9s coaching is based on the ECB All Stars Program. To watch the videos you need to sign up at the ECB icoach website – its free :-
https://icoachcricket.ecb.co.uk/

Warm Up – Space invaders

• Video: https://icoachcricket.ecb.co.uk/activity/all-stars-cricket/600
• Aim:
  Get ready for action
  Different whole-body movements
  Teamwork
• Equipment: Balls, Cones
• Organisation:
  In small teams, one at a time, players take turns to steal balls from the middle and return to their planet
  Once all balls are taken from the middle, teams can steal balls from other planets
  The team with the most balls on their planet wins
• Adaptation/variation:
  Easier
  S – Decrease the size of playing area
  T – Simplify the rules
  E – Use one type of ball
  P – Change the number of teams or their size
  More challenging
  S – Increase size of playing area
  T – Change how players move, pick up balls or return balls
  E – Attach points to different types of balls
  P – Appoint team captains or have more teams

Batting – Rocket fuel batting

• Video: https://icoachcricket.ecb.co.uk/activity/all-stars-cricket/699
• Aim:
  Watch and hit a moving ball with a free swing of the bat
  Run between the wickets
  Stop, catch, throw!
  Teamwork
• Equipment: Balls, Bats, Cones, Rope, Stumps
• Organisation:
  One batting team and one fielding team
  Waiting batters take part in catching challenges with a volunteer until last ball is hit
  Batter hits four balls in a row as far as they can
  After last ball, they complete as many runs as possible
  Fielders must remain behind a safety line
  Fielders cannot move until last ball is hit
  Fielders return all balls to bowler to stop batter running
  Both teams bat
• Adaptation/variation:
  Easier
  S – Decrease running distance
  T – Roll ball to batter
  E – Use larger ball
  P – Batters in pairs
  More challenging
  S – Increase running distance
  T – Change way ball is delivered, use more scoring areas or introduce a boundary
  E – Use smaller ball
  P – Players create own rules and scoring methods

Bowling – Bowl-a-goal

• Video: https://icoachcricket.ecb.co.uk/activity/all-stars-cricket/700
• Aim:
  Straight arm when bowling
  Co-ordinate body movements for bowling action
• Equipment:
  For each pair: Ball, Two cones
  Layout: Ropes
• Organisation:
  Create goals using cones for each pair to bowl at
  Ropes can also help provide a target to land ball
  In pairs, one bowler and one wicketkeeper
  Bowl six balls and swap over
• Adaptation/variation:
  Easier
  S – Decrease bowling distance
  T – Larger goals or bowl underarm
  E – Use larger ball
  P – Match players by ability or increase group size
  More challenging
  S – Increase bowling distance
  T – Decrease target size or remove target
  E – Use smaller ballP – Attach points target and introduce competitions between pairs or groups

Fielding – Clean your planet

• Video: https://icoachcricket.ecb.co.uk/activity/all-stars-cricket/697
• Aim:
  Watch and stop a ball then throw it
  Make quick decisions
  Teamwork
  Equipment: Balls, Cones, Ropes
• Organisation:
  Two teams ?
  Activator shouts ‘Go’, and players on both teams roll or underarm throw their balls to their opposition’s planet
  Play should continue until the call of ‘Stop’
  The team with the fewest balls on their planet are the winners
  After several rounds, bowling can be introduced
  Adaptation/variation:
  Easier
  S – Decrease size of playing area
  T – Play Star skills
  E – Use larger balls
  P – Bigger teams
  More challenging
  S – Increase size of playing area
  T – Play Feed the aliens
  E – Use smaller balls
  P – Smaller teams

Game – Continuous cricket

• Video: https://icoachcricket.ecb.co.uk/activity/all-stars-cricket/667
• Aim:
  Batters score runs
  Fielders help wicket taking
  Teamwork
• Equipment: For each game: Balls, Bats, Cones, Stumps
• Organisation:
  Two teams, four players maximum on each side
  Bowler, activator or volunteer bowls
  After hitting the ball, batter scores by running around the cones
  Fielders return ball to bowler as quickly as possible
  Bowler can bowl at any time once they have the ball
  Batters can be caught or bowled out
  Three hits per batter and rotate
  Both teams bat
• Adaptation/variation:
  Easier
  S – Decrease running distance or spread fielders out
  T – Activator or volunteer feeds or bowls for both teams
  E – Use larger ball
  P – Change the game to suit the batter’s ability
  More challenging
  S – Increase running distance
  T – Introduce scoring zones
  E – Use smaller ball
  P – Introduce scoring or increase the number of fielders