Former baseball coach Brett Ettridge develops online sports development program

A LACK of equality in grassroots sports coaching led Brett Ettridge to produce an online development program which is unearthing future cricket stars.

Local coach and IT specialist Brett Ettridge has developed an online sports training programs which has been used by SACA. The program allows players to follow training routines and chart their progress regardless of location. Cricket New Zealand is also looking to use the system. Brett Ettridge with Neil Polton, Umpiring manager SACA and CEO of NZ Sport Solutions David Leonard. Photo Sarah Reed.

A LACK of equality in grassroots sports coaching led former baseball mentor Brett Ettridge on a search for a solution.

A decade on, the Marino resident has produced an online development program which is being used to unearth the next generation of cricket stars in SA and overseas.

“I saw the need for allowing all young people the opportunity that is there for the elite,” Ettridge sad.

“There are restraints in some kids developing in their sport, ranging from demographic to affordability.

“(That has been overcome) by developing a program where young people in their chosen sport have the same access to resources and high-performance coaching.”

The Isourceit Sport website allows players to keep a record of their statistics and performances, upload videos of themselves playing and receive one-on one feedback from elite coaches.

Users can also communicate with mentors and set goals to assist their development.

Ettridge, the inaugural SA Bite coach, originally designed the platform for baseball.

But after interest from the South Australian Cricket Association, he adapted it to suit other sports.

SACA has been using the system for player and umpire development since 2011, and the number of registered users has risen to more than 1000.

The program went global last month when it was adopted by the New Zealand Cricket Academy.

NZ Sports Solutions CEO David Leonard said the platform, which would be rolled out at cricket clubs and schools across the Tasman next month, would help young cricketers progress.

“(It has) the ability to provide high quality resources to any player or coach in any city, at any skill level and at any time,” Leonard said.

“It is able to take cricket into the now.”