“We had a great turnout during December and January especially with our Curro Hermanus clinic,” GKC Coach, Garreth von Hoesslin said.

“The coaches delivered quality programs for the cricketers. The feedback from the parents, boys and girls was exceptional and we had a lot of kids return to our January clinics from December. The clinics are there for players to ask questions and find out more about the game and their ability,” he explained.

The GKC will host their next open camp during the March and April Holidays.

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Six more players have joined the Ryan Cook led programme which offers exclusive interactions with Kirsten and other top coaches as well as one-on-ones with world renowned professionals from a variety of different backgrounds.

“The players come from around the world so some opted to go home for the festive season while others decided to stay and enjoy the fruits of Cape Town,” Cook said.

The new boys in the camp have hit the ground running and will join the rest of the group as the programme now shifts towards a focus on the shorter formats of the game.

Limited Overs Focus

“This cycle is predominantly aimed at the limited overs formats of the game in which the ability to upskill to the modern game’s pace and expertise is of paramount importance,” Cook explained.

The team have already played their first competitive match against Stellenbosch University at Coetzenburg.

The programme also focuses on life-skills. Cook says the aim is not to just have these players leave as better cricketers but also better people.

“The players have been treated to the sights and sounds of the world class city of Cape Town and have already been up Lions Head and De Villiers Dam as part of their ‘Mountain Madness’ physical training and life experience,” Cook explained.

They have also contributed to the Gary Kirsten Foundation by coaching in Khayalitsha during the High Performance sessions on a Friday.

“It is always an enriching experience to see how willing these young players are to give their time and expertise to those less fortunate than themselves, Cook said.

The programme draws to an ends on the 28 February.

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With a number of promising young players in the region, GKC ran two high intensity holiday clinics during December and January.

Under the guidance of GKC Coach, Bradley Moses, 30 players between the ages of 8-13 got their first taste of private cricket coaching.

With a dire lack of high performance coaching in the Overberg region in the Western Cape, GKC is looking forward to establishing a central hub at the school.

“We know that there is huge potential in the area. Our first two clinics created interest and introduced youngsters to professional coaching,” Ryan van Niekerk, GKC Coaching Director said.

The project will be managed by GKC coach, Garreth Von Hoesslin. While Moses, a former provincial cricketer and CSA Level 2 coach will mentor the youngsters.

“We cater for kids of all abilities. From beginners to more established players. We are confident that a lot of these youngsters can go on to play junior provincial cricket,” van Niekerk said.

Now that a relationship has been established, GKC plan on hosting many more clinics during the course of the year.

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The longer days and beautiful weather presents the ideal platform for youngsters to get in some solid preparation behind them before the new school year gets underway.

This December, Gary Kirsten Cricket will hold 3-day-long holiday camps in Blouberg and Century City for players between the age of 9-13 and 14-17.

The clinic offers specialised training with top coaches from Gary Kirsten Cricket.

Players will be put through a range of drills including net sessions with a bowling net and machine. As well as fielding and agility tests on the Fives Futbol courts.

“Each day players will be pushed and trained intensively focusing on their strengths and improving or assisting where ever possible in their technique,” GKC Coach, Gareth von Hoesslin said.

He added, “Most players will not get this type of training or knowledge from their schools or clubs. The drills that we do are always different and fun which keeps the players interested over the 3 days. Our aim is to uplift each player’s skill and technique and to create awareness around their game.”

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The duo conducted a five-day High Performance Camp with 40 players between the ages of 13-21.

“Through the duration of the camp held at the Police Gymkhana ground on the famous Marine Drive the players were provided with interventions to help their individual games as well as how to interact as a team,” Cook explained.

Using video analysis, each player was given a detailed run down of their strengths and which areas to improve on.

After spending many hours toiling in the nets, players took to the field on the last day to showcase their skills.

“There is no shortage of talent with these young players as both batters and bowlers impressed with their variety of skills and tactical awareness,” Cook concluded.

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The four-month-long programme has attracted eight players from around the world between the ages of 18-21.

These players stand on the cusp of first-class cricket and the programme which is being held at the home of GKC in Constantia will give them an excellent platform to take their game to the next level.

It offers exclusive interactions with Gary Kirsten and other top coaches as well as one-on-ones with world renowned professionals from a variety of different backgrounds. 

Week One

‘Know yourself to grow yourself’

Upon their arrival in the picturesque, Cape Town, players had to undergo various technical, mental and physical assessments.

“Tom Dawson Squibb, GKC’s Performance Psychologist was on hand to provide a framework to guide the players to understanding their goals as the coaches put the players through a battery of tests in their primary and secondary skills,” Ryan Cook, Director of the High Performance explained.

Each player was also introduced to The Sports Science Institute at their High Performance Centre in Newlands and put through physical screenings.

There was also plenty of work taking place in the nets with two sessions per day at the Claremont Cricket Club.

Players enjoyed a far more relaxed end to the week with a calming Yoga experience in Khayelitsha with the Gary Kirsten Foundation players at the Impendulo School.  

Week Two:

“Invest in the root – bear the fruit”

Players were met with a mountainous task at the start of the second week.

An early morning awakening saw them ascend the iconic, Lions Head for a bit of team building.

“There is no better way to explore the surrounds of beautiful Cape Town by acclimatizing up the mountainous peaks. It was terrific to see all the players enjoying the challenges on the way up and the panoramic views upon arrival,” Cook enthused.

In the nets, players were put through their paces with coaches emphasizing on the fundamentals of the game.

“Players did drill work on all facets both in the nets and the middle. Access to specialists is second to none at the GKC High Performance Academy. Visual and Fielding Specialist Jolene Dippenaar came down from Pretoria to help the players with visual tips as well as pressure sessions to enhance their fielding technique which was much enjoyed by all the players,” Cook explained.

Coaches have already seen exponential growth in the players. There has also been some very encouraging contributions from these players at their Premier League clubs in Cape Town.

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It is the first time that GKC is running a four-month long programme with cricketers from around the world.

The talented group of semi-pros come from England, Holland, Denmark and Zimbabwe and are aged between 18 and 25.

Ryan Van Niekerk, Coaching Director at GKC says the players have all passed their fitness tests and have begun the programme with great energy.

“They are all very capable cricketers who have the potential to play first-class cricket. They have good attitudes and are raring to go,” Van Niekerk said.

He continued, “Gary Kirsten is heavily involved in the programme. They are training for five hours a day, five days a week so it is intense.”

Over the next four months these players will receive one-on-one coaching in all departments of the game. As well as the chance to work with Sports Scientists to improve their mental and physical capacity.

The programme also seeks to give players an authentic taste of Cape Town and its surrounds.

“It is a chance for them to experience different cultures. There will be many excursions or what I like to call ‘cricket experiences’ like climbing Table Mountain for instance,” Van Niekerk explained.

“They will also be doing community work with the Gary Kirsten Foundation in Khayelitsha every Friday,” he concluded.

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The well recognisable and renowned figure after winning the ICC World Cup with India in 2011 enjoys working on the sub-continent with passionate young cricketers.

He will head over with Ryan Cook, Director of the High Performance progamme at the Gary Kirsten Academy.

The pair will work together with 30 players aged between 14-20 from the Saldanha Cricket Academy.

”It is brilliant to go out there and see how much these players love the game. We will be running an intensive programme which includes morning and afternoon sessions,” Cook explained.

It also gives Kirsten and Cook a chance to share their knowledge on the game with other coaches.

”There will be a coach the coaches session. It is about sharing ideas. We learn a lot every time we go to India. It is fascinating to see how they approach the game and how they think compared to South Africans cricketers,” Cook said.

”It is also great to see how Indian players approach spin. It is aggressive and South African players can learn a lot from them, ” Cook concluded.

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With the school holidays in full swing, talented youngsters seized the opportunity to polish and hone their cricket skills with the help of GKCA’s sought after coaching staff.

The first clinic brought together eighteen boys from the Northern suburbs and West Coast.

They were put through their paces at the well-equipped Century City.

“The boys received very specialized coaching. We took them through nets and fielding drills. We also worked on agility and fitness, GKCA coach, Gareth von Hoesslin explained.

At the end of the three day programme the boys were able to test their skills with a friendly match.

The second clinic took place at the Blouberg International School.

“We had kids from the school at the clinic. We saw lots of potential among the boys. The coaches put them through some high intensity drills,” von Hoesslin said.

The visiting Harrismith High School are currently involved in the third clinic.

The Free State school’s first team are in town to develop their skills and to engage in a bit of team building.

“This is the first time the school has reintroduced a cricket programme in many years. It is great to see how passionate these boys are about the game. There is some really good talent and we are positive that they will return home better cricketers, von Hoesslin concluded.

The GKCA Holiday Clinics provide players with a chance to nurture their skills and go back into the system, rejuvenated and hungry for success.

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