Vanuatu Cricket strengthens coaching pathway to grow the game at every level
Vanuatu Cricket has strengthened its national coaching pathway following the successful delivery of the ICC Foundation and Level 1 Coaching Courses in Port Vila from 7 to 9 September 2026.
The courses were held at the Vanuatu Cricket Grounds alongside the ICC Under-19 Men’s Cricket World Cup East Asia-Pacific Division 2 Qualifier, also hosted by Vanuatu Cricket.
Fourteen Cricket Ambassadors completed and passed the ICC Foundation Coaching Course, with 12 participants also passing the ICC Level 1 Coaching Course.
The participants represented schools and cricket programs on Efate, including Malapoa College, Central School, Seaside School, Etas Grace Community School, Club Hippique School, Survival School, Malasitapu School, Erakor Bilingual School, Pikinini Playtime School, Vanuatu Independent Pikinini School, Melemaat School and Tafea Cricket Club.
The three-day course was facilitated by Kerrod Loughman and Pierre Chillia and combined classroom learning, practical coaching experience and assessment.
Vanuatu Cricket recognizes that the long-term growth of the sport also depends on developing capable coaches who will play an important role in introducing people to cricket, creating safe and inclusive environments, planning effective training sessions and helping participants improve at every stage of the game.
Vanuatu Cricket’s Domestic Cricket Coordinator, Kerrod Loughman, said investing in coaches would have an impact far beyond the individuals who completed the course.
“If we want to develop good players, we must also develop good coaches. Coaches are often the first people to introduce children to cricket, teach them the foundations of the game and help them build confidence. So, by strengthening coaching in schools and communities, we are strengthening the entire cricket pathway.”
The Foundation course covered the basics of cricket, safety and inclusion, understanding participants, the role of the coach, effective training sessions and game-day responsibilities.
The Level 1 course built on this knowledge through online technical modules, face-to-face practical learning and a practical assessment. Participants completed their online learning through the ICC Kredo platform, where their progress and certifications are recorded.
At the conclusion of the course, ICC representative Sam Averill presented each participant with a cricket bag containing plastic cricket equipment. The newly trained coaches will now return to their respective schools with the equipment, coaching materials and knowledge gained from the course to deliver cricket programs and grow cricket among their students.
Vanuatu Cricket believes this school-based coaching network will help more children access the sport while improving the quality and consistency of cricket programs across the country.
“We are constantly looking to produce the next national representative, and we know that developing coaches, teachers and leaders who can grow cricket within their own schools and communities will create a stronger participation pathway from grassroot cricket to high-performance selections. This requires capable people at every level, and we would like to thank and congratulate all the new coaches that will be helping us grow the game,” Loughman said.
Vanuatu Cricket plans to deliver another ICC Foundation and Level 1 Coaching Course in early 2027 as it continues to expand the number of qualified coaches across the country.
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