Jendamark United Cricket Club head coach Grant Morgan hopes to use the skills he has learnt in various coaching roles and return the club to the top.
Morgan was unveiled alongside seven other coaches who will form the management arm of all things cricket within the club’s structures as they continue to plan for the new season.
The 49-year-old former Dolphins coach spoke passionately about the New Brighton club, saying that after all his travels, coaching in various competitions around the world, the aim had always been to return one day.
Speaking at the announcement on Thursday morning, Morgan said the club had always held a special place in his heart.
Morgan said his extensive travels had certainly added a new facet to his coaching repertoire, having been the assistant coach to Shane Burger in Scotland’s ICC T20 World Cup campaign.
The former Grey High schoolboy said it was interesting to learn and experience the strength of the brand of cricket played by associate nations and how they had grown.
“There are quite a lot of people from strange countries who can play the game,” he said.
“It is not a right for anyone. It is a privilege.
“It is not a right that Australians, or the English or Indians are good at cricket.
“There are all types of nationalities who are good at the game and can develop.
“What I want to bring back here is that we can all develop and be where we want to be in the game.
“There is so much talent, and it just needs to be developed,” he said.
Morgan said while getting back to the summit of the game in Nelson Mandela Bay club cricket structures was something he aspired to for the team, his ultimate aim was to turn the game into a lifestyle.
“Of course you want to win, it’s human nature to want to win, but by the same token, we want to make it a lifestyle.
“Covid-19 must not change the world in that people become less competitive, lose their edge and everyone is going to become too philosophical.
“At the end of the day, sport is a privilege and it is here to keep us healthy, help us develop and if we can make it a lifestyle, it can build capacity for us to be better human beings, to engage in healthy sport, develop our bodies and minds, and the winning will come,
“All I’ve tried to do in my career was win, but as you get older, it’s not always about winning at all costs, but rather winning in the right way,” Morgan said,
He said plans were already afoot for the season ahead.
“I have a general template I use with teams, an ideology I have devised over my years of coaching, so there have been discussions around that and we are working behind the scenes,” he said.
Asked about the squad to tackle the new campaign, he said he was familiar with most of the members, and they looked like an exciting bunch of players who were hungry to get some action.
Jendamark United hub coaches: Pumzile Yiba (primary schools), Anam Baleka (mini cricket), Jana Nell (ladies), Riaan Jeggels (high schools), Zuko Rhonyile (ladies primary school), Kholosa Koyana (primary schools), Siviwe Gidana (high schools). — HeraldLIVE