issue 19 MAY 2009

with National French Coach & Dave Szumowski Q A Q: Tell me about a typical training session with the team. A: The most difficult part of coaching is knowing how many No players, no Q: How did you end up coaching France? players will attend not only training sessions but also tours and A: Firstly, I followed a French girl all around the world before even tournaments! Our players are amateurs who must sacrifice facilities and no settling in Lille, north of France, and I decided to stay in France to work and families for the team and because of irregular player French Cricket Team coverage ‑ these do my best at developing cricket. At the end of 2005 I discovered attendance there are many difficulties for management and are just some the ICC European Cricket Council and contacted France Cricket. coach in planning the season. This year’s squad has shown more Q: What cultural differences do you find when being involved with A month later I became the national coach. commitment and desire than in previous years and there are a French sporting team as opposed to an Australian sporting team? of the problems often a good number of players at training. Most players we A: When I think of sport culture in Australia I think of so much facing cricket in Q: What is your greatest highlight as coach? identify have raw talent and at the senior level some of these passion, public interest, professionalism, hard work, epic battles A: My greatest achievement as the French coach was when I players do not have the time to change particular techniques. and traditions. When I think of sport culture in France I think of France. However captained and coached the French team at the Two areas of the game we have tried to improve on are player football, football and football. A real challenge is trying to create French cricket World Cup played last year in England. Most had never played strength and the standard of our . Along with the use of a similar sporting spirit amongst my squad to get the most out of indoor cricket. We beat Pakistan twice to contest the Plate Final a machine for the first time we are trying to make them on the field, along with the mix of ethnic cultures. is beginning to against England. Result-wise, last years second place at the ICC players more adept in the modern game and ensure all the grow. Andrew under-23 European Division 2 Championship was a pleasing effort. basics are done correctly and consistently. Q: Are there any particularly funny incidents that have taken place over the course of your time as coach, that make you think, Marmont goes Q: What equipment/facilities are “This would only happen in France”? one-on-one available for coaching/training? A: Apart from national championship matches being cancelled A: Due to the weather we are due to picnics and kite flying on the ground? National French often restricted to indoor sports • An umpire calling dead ball five times in a national Cricket coach halls. The only facilities close championship match because the ball was lost to Paris are two public cricket (inside the boundary) due to long grass. Dave Szumowski grounds with astro-turf. Whilst • My first training to find out more. they are vacant in winter, mid- session with the summer means championship senior national team matches are delayed or canceled. was conducted with People use the grounds for tennis balls. friendly football matches, picnics, • A first-time club player flying kites and sun bathing, taking the field with with no comprehension of what gloves on to cricket is or why eleven men field the ball. dressed in white are chasing a • Club players at training Coach Dave Szumowski talks to little red ball around an oval. dropping the bat to . his team on bowling tactics

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