What helps some young cricketers grow through adversity while others become stuck?

Why do some players lose confidence after a setback, while others use it as a catalyst for improvement?

In this episode of the Cricket Mind Podcast, Nathan Wood is joined by Faisal Shahid, Academy Manager for Warwickshire Women, to explore the psychology of long-term player development.

Drawing on his experiences as an England U17 player, MCC Young Cricketer, professional cricketer and high-performance coach, Faisal shares his insights on confidence, resilience, motivation, identity and the ability to "survive bad days".

Whether you're a player, parent or coach, this conversation is packed with practical lessons to help young cricketers navigate setbacks, maintain motivation and continue developing through the ups and downs of the game.

• What long-term development actually looks like

• Why confidence is about surviving bad days

• The dangers of becoming obsessed with outcomes

• How setbacks can become opportunities for growth

• Why some players thrive through adversity while others struggle

• The role parents play in shaping confidence

• How to balance ambition with enjoyment

• Why identity and performance should remain separate

• What boys' and girls' cricket can learn from each other

• The biggest myths in youth cricket

⏱️ Timestamps

00:00 – Introduction

02:41 – Long-Term Player Development

12:37 – Confidence and Surviving Bad Days

21:47 – Setbacks, Adversity and Resilience

34:09 – Motivation and Enjoyment

45:43 – Identity and Performance

48:44 – Coaching Boys and Girls

53:27 – Quickfire Questions

Please subscribe to the show, leave a rating and review, and share this episode with a player, parent or coach who you think might find it helpful.

Cricket Mind Online is hosting an online workshop for cricket parents on Tuesday 16th June at 7pm.

The workshop will explore practical ways parents can support confidence, resilience, enjoyment, motivation and long-term development in young cricketers.

Book your place here:

https://cricketmind.online/supporting-young-cricketers-workshop/

Website: www.cricketmind.online

Email: info@cricketmind.online

Instagram: @cricket.mind.online

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Why do so many talented young cricketers stop enjoying the game?

And do players really need to be in a talent pathway from a young age to have a realistic chance of becoming a professional cricketer?

In this episode of The Cricket Mind Podcast, Nathan Wood and Briony Brock are joined by ECB Level 4 coach and coach developer Ben Silver for an honest conversation about talent pathways, cricket trials, player development, coaching overload, and what actually helps young cricketers improve over the long term.

Ben has worked across county cricket, England pathways, ECB Disability Cricket, and high-performance coaching — giving him a unique perspective on what coaches and selectors really look for, why some players thrive while others burn out, and how young cricketers can develop without losing their enjoyment of the game.

Alongside this, Ben also works with Cricket Mind Online as a high-performance coach, helping players optimise the quality of their training and practice routines.

In this episode:

• What selectors actually look for in cricket trials
• Why “high ceiling” players stand out
• The truth about county age-group pathways
• Whether players need early pathway selection to succeed
• Why some talented players stop enjoying cricket
• Coaching overload and social media cricket advice
• The importance of messy practice and game-based learning
• Why player development is rarely linear
• What parents should really focus on

Timestamps:

00:00 — Jimmy Anderson and the Lancashire U15 “B” team

02:05 — Introducing Ben Silver

03:17 — What coaches and selectors look for at trials

07:33 — Risk vs reward during cricket trials

11:13 — Confidence, bravery and coachability

16:35 — Do players need to be in talent pathways early?

22:57 — Why some talented players stop enjoying cricket

34:38 — Are young cricketers being over-coached?

42:42 — Long-term development vs short-term winning

55:58 — What “messy practice” actually means

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Why do some players stay in cricket for years… while others quietly drift away?

In this episode of The Cricket Mind Podcast, Nathan Wood and Briony Brock are joined by coach Laura de Silva and player Charlotte Bernstein for a powerful conversation about confidence, pressure, enjoyment, and the environments that keep players coming back.

This episode offers a unique perspective from both sides of the same environment — a coach working to build meaningful relationships and supportive cultures, and a young player experiencing those environments firsthand.

The conversation explores girls’ cricket, but the lessons apply across the game for players, parents and coaches alike.

• Why players really drop out of cricket
• The importance of confidence and enjoyment
• Why “unlucky” is banned in Laura’s coaching environments
• Building strong coach–player relationships
• Pressure, expectations and performance
• The difference between boys’ and girls’ cricket environments
• How coaches can create environments players want to return to
• Why support matters more than frustration
• Managing cricket alongside GCSEs, school and life
• The role friendships play in long-term engagement
• Why great environments help players perform better

00:00 – Are we still losing too many players from cricket?

01:01 – Introducing Laura de Silva & Charlotte Bernstein

02:56 – What makes players want to keep turning up?

06:01 – What great coaches do differently

14:11 – What makes a strong coach–player relationship?

22:44 – Building real confidence in players

27:32 – Why “unlucky” is banned

30:06 – Pressure, expectations and performance

38:15 – Have you ever thought about quitting cricket?

45:06 – Why there still aren’t enough female coaches in cricket

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If you enjoyed the episode, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with another player, parent or coach involved in the game.