Despite having not watched much of the Proteas recently, former batsman Gary Kirsten says the current young crop of cricketers could ensure an exciting future for the side.
Speaking during a break at the Powerade Performance Academy coaching seminar at Nelson Mandela University’s north campus, Kirsten said the future looked bright heading into the 2019 Cricket World Cup to be hosted in England and Wales.
“I don’t know much about the team, but we have some great young players in the oneday team and I think we can definitely be a great one-day side,” Kirsten said.
Asked about the Proteas’ recently-concluded Test series against Sri Lanka, Kirsten, who was head coach of the team between 2011 and 2013, said travelling around the world was difficult, even for the best teams.
Having had experience in similar conditions during his own career, both as a player and a coach, Kirsten said: “For any team travelling around the world it is not easy and South Africa have proved over many years what success they have had at travelling.
“It is incredibly tough to go into foreign conditions and play a brand of cricket you are not used to, play a form of cricket you don’t experience every day in SA.
“So to suddenly have to manage yourself in a test match situation under pressure is not easy.
“It takes some time to work it out.”
Kirsten was one of three presenters at the seminar.
The others were sport psychologist Dr Kirsten van Heerden and former Banyana Banyana footballer Simphiwe Dludlu.The academy invited coaches from various levels to interact with sporting experts and learn new techniques and better themselves as coaches.
Kirsten’s presentation focused on current coaching trends in sport.
“I’ve been working with a number of teams across the globe and I’m starting to formulate a better understanding of how to lead people in that way,” he said.
Van Heerden, one of the coaches appointed by Sascoc to work with Olympic athletes, spoke on the mental side of sport and how to deal with it effectively.
“In South Africa, there is a huge emphasis on the physical side and we neglect the mental side or just hope the athlete will be confident.
“Just telling an athlete to be confident does not always work,” she said.
“You have to teach them the skills so they can practise and get better at it.”
Dludlu, the coach of the U17 girls’ national soccer team, spoke about women breaking boundaries in sport, and emphasised the need especially for women to pursue their dream, no matter their circumstances.