LAUNCESTON Cricket Club’s Bill Glen has been awarded an ECB outstanding contribution coaches award for his service to the club.

Nominated by Launceston College PE teacher, Tom Lyle, the 64-year-old Welshman, who is a former teacher at the college, was treated to a special day out at The Ageas Bowl during last week’s first One-Day International between England and Pakistan.

During the mid-innings break, Bill and 11 others, all from the South West, were invited onto the pitch to receive their certificates in front of a crowd of over 15,000, while throughout the day they were treated to a lunch and plenty of drink.

Bill, who is club secretary and the junior’s co-ordinator, as well as a Level 2 coach, was honoured to be chosen.

Bill said: “I was absolutely delighted to have found about the award. I had an email come through from the ECB?telling me of the award and it means a great deal that Tom nominated me for that, especially as I had no idea about it.”

It’s been an extremely long ride for Bill who has seen everything which you could imagine at Launceston.

Having moved down to the area in 1976, to become a PE?and Geography teacher, a conversation with recently retired groundsman and former college teacher, Geoff Hills, changed his social life forever.

Bill said: “I was in the staff room one day and I asked Geoff whether there were any local cricket clubs around here.

“He obviously then told me about Launceston and the rest they say is history.

“In 1978, me and Mervyn Dawe (another recently retired groundsman) went on a coaching course and I’ve been doing it ever since.”

From 1985-1990 he was a Cornwall coach, taking a team, which included the likes of Launceston’s Marcus Gilbert and Giles Hutchings, right through from under 11 to under 16 level.

But being a teacher means that plenty of free time isn’t an option and he went back to concentrating on his club.

In 2003, Launceston moved out of their home at Polson Bridge to a new ground near Lawhitton.

Over the last 13 years, the club and ground have seen a major transformation with Bill right at the heart of it.

During that period he has continued to play as a fine top-order batsman and wily slow bowler along with his role as junior’s co-ordinator, which he’s held for over 15 years.

When asked about his coaching philosophy, Bill believes his organisation, planning and making people enjoy the game are his greatest strengths.

Bill added: “I like to think that if I was given a group of 50 kids it wouldn’t take me long to quickly assess their abilities and split them into groups where they can improve.

“Yes, a coach is important, but at the end of the day a player has got to want to improve and practice to get better, else there’s no real point of the coaching. But I think you know you’ve done quite a good job when a player gets to about 14/15 and they get the cricket bug where they want to play cricket nearly every day, because they can then take it on themselves and you can just give them bits of advice when they need it.”

When asked who were the best players he has ever coached, he was quite clear in his mind.

Bill said: “I’ve obviously coached lots of good players, but I think Marcus and Giles back in the day and in recent times probably Kris Jasper and Sam Pengelly.”

Being a coach at a club is a big commitment, but Bill, who retired from teaching in 2013 and from playing last summer, runs two of the teams as well as his role as secretary and organiser of the Chance to Shine initiative at the club, which sees him and other club coaches visit four local primary schools.

But as ever he is more than keen to thank the other volunteers who help out to enable him to focus on his own roles.

Bill admitted: “Without the likes of the captains, chairman, treasurers, coaches, etc, then there wouldn’t be a club so I’m always thankful to them.”

When asked as to his future plans, he was excited about what can be achieved.

“I want to carry on for the foreseeable future. The club has made great strides, so there’s lots to look forward to in the years to come and I’m sure that the juniors will be a big part of that.”