Sam Lavery is Cricket Professional at Portsmouth Grammar School*

As a cricket coach you develop transferable skills. So why not take a leap out of your comfort zone? Try things away from the world of cricket coaching.

Where do I go?

There are many other sports out there to throw yourself into that would be great test for any cricket coach. Every year I'm lucky enough to work with a rugby team at the school that I'm based, and it's an education as well as a challenge. It allows me to observe each session as if looking at a completely new, blank canvas. It also lets me look at that canvas from a completely different angle and perspective.

What does that mean?

In a cricketing environment I'll regularly find myself in some form of leadership role. Whether that be as a director of a club, a head coach, a manager of a group of coaches, or a consultant to an individual or team. Either way I have a certain perspective, or view of the situation and the environment around me. Usually, allowing time to think, consider and respond, while others around me are dealing with the chaos that can so often be a training session.

A rugby environment allows me to experience a different perspective. Sometimes with little influence, following orders rather than making decisions. And more importantly, never being able to settle with the assurance that a hunch, or some prior experience may create a solution to a problem. Instead, every situation is new, every scenario a different one, and every day a school day, literally.

That's one example. Everyone's circumstances are different, and people's willingness to take an every increasing leap of faith will also be varied. Coaching another sport is one option, albeit an obvious one. but sometimes the obvious choices can be the best.

What about coaching outside of sport?

What about seeking an opportunity to develop teams, or leaderships skills in businesses or other institutions?

This distance you travel away from cricket really doesn't matter. Just think about the skills that you've developed, and take some time to consider the potential overlaps into different working environments. After all, when you're done, cricket will always be here to take you back.

Sam Lavery is Cricket Professional at Portsmouth Grammar School*