“You can’t say to people: ‘do this and you’ll be mentally tougher’. What I’m trying to do [as a coach] is simulate situations,” said Prince during episode 5 of the On Lockdown Series.
In our recent feature with Vincent Barnes, ‘Traits Of The Greats’, the very first thing he said that separated the greats from the rest was “how they deal with the game mentally.”
So, the question is can mental toughness be coached? Or is it something a person is born with?
“It is more intrinsic in some people but in my coaching style I like to challenge people”, said Prince exclusively to Cricket Fanatics Magazine.
“Even when I have a stick in my hand and I’m just throwing, I challenge because I would say certain things to them. All I’m tryin to do is simulate what you’re going to find in the match.
“If a bowler is bowling well maybe he won’t be saying something but two or three guys behind the stumps will be saying something.
“I see my job as preparing people for the worst, what I mean the ‘worst’- I mean the toughest conditions that you might face, the toughest situations.
“I would say: ‘this is the score, you’re going in at this score and you’ve got to play accordingly.’
“You’ve got to deal with that situation, you’ve got to absorb pressure, you’ve got to see the bowler off, you’ve got to get the ball older and softer and then you can start applying pressure back onto the bowlers.”
Ashwell has worked with a lot of youngsters at the Cobras since he was pointed head coach.
He explains the working relationship he has with one of the youngsters, Kyle Verreynne, in trying to challenge him to be mentally tougher.
“Some people might see it as arrogant and cocky but when I challenge Kyle in the nets his response will always be – I will never get him out. I might get the other guys out but I will never get him out. That’s his approach because he has that confidence in his ability,” said Prince
“You can’t say to people – ‘do this and you’ll be mentally tougher’. What I’m trying to do [as a coach] is simulate situations.
“I was only the mentally tough person that people talk about because of situations that I had to deal with. It’s situations that make you tougher. It’s succeeding in situations.
“There’s a challenge, it’s quite tough – ‘oh but I got through it, I handled it’ so then it gives you more belief, it makes you stronger.” he concluded.
Mental toughness is the recipe for success and this is what every coach is looking for in cricketers.
