What a week it’s been! I’m loving this adventure and hope I can make a big difference here.
Before I go any further I should probably introduce myself!
I’m Connor Bliss and I’m 27 years old from Wellington, New Zealand. I’ve been coaching cricket for a total of 11 years. From junior coaching, and the past 3 years I’ve moved into development and senior coaching. I’ve gained my Level 2 coaching certificate through NZC and have been lucky enough to have been mentored by some legends of the game in New Zealand. It’s a very privileged feeling being assigned head coach of Stretford CC this season.
I came to the UK two and a half years ago on holiday, and spent some time in Manchester where I became very fond of the tempo of the city, and reminded me of home in that sense. So when the opportunity came up to play and coach cricket here in Stretford, it was a no brainer.
My first week here has been full of meeting people and learning names, walking the streets and learning my new environment for the summer ahead. It’s been a real joy exploring the local area and the people here have made me feel right at home. A big thanks to the SCC management and others for this and setting me up.
My plan for the season will be to contribute to skills of cricket and the enjoyment of all the players I am involved with. Keeping the tempo high at training and on game days, whilst ensuring that everyone is involved and having fun. And of course, nothing is more fun than winning a game of cricket. I plan to bring KPIs and goal setting into the club, which provides a non-result based review of each game and the season. You can always find success on any day and also can outline areas of work on’s for the following week.
I’m really looking forward to the start of the season as this is a dream job for myself and looking to take full advantage of my time here. Any player who wants to take advantage of some 1-1 coaching please give me a shout, I’m happy to offer a free taster session for anyone who wants to develop their game- give me a buzz!
If anyone at the club has any questions for me or would like a chat over a coffee I’d love to hear from you! Open door policy all season long.
Thanks again and see you down at the The Boundary!
Connor 🥝🏏
stretfordcricketclub.co.uk 