Trist heads back to grassroots with Old Collegians

Old international coaches don't die, they find someone else to coach.

Steve Rixon's looking after New South Wales in Australian domestic cricket, Glenn Turner is coaching Otago in New Zealand domestic cricket and David Trist is going to be coaching director of Christchurch's Old Collegians Cricket Club.

The club is very excited about snaring Trist for the job of ensuring the club's strength in junior grades is transferred successfully into the senior sides.

Club spokesman John Hammond said: "This is an absolute coup for Old Collegians.

"As soon as we heard that David was finishing his role with the CLEAR Black Caps we aimed to snare him for our club.

"We are so excited to have a person with his profile, expertise and experience playing a leading role in the club.

"It will be inspirational for our players, coaches, and administrators to have him leading the club's coaching and recruitment programmes," he said.

As well as providing coaching guidance and advice to the club's coaches, he will work with players and be expected to establish strong links between schools and the club.

Trist said of his appointment: "Returning to the grassroots of cricket will be very exciting, allowing me to spot talented youngsters, and be involved in their on-going development. It will be a great new challenge and I am really looking forward to being part of the Old Collegians set-up."

Hitting the drop-out phase in the immediate post-secondary school years is a key target area for the club.

Hammond said when players left the school environment they were lured to other clubs or sports but another significant factor was the fact they received less coaching while training and playing conditions deteriorated.

Assisting Trist will be former senior cricketer Mike Hamel.

Among other initiatives undertaken by the club is the consultancy the club has entered into with former Jade Stadium groundsman Russell Wylie over the preparation of the pitch at Elmwood Park. He will worked with Richard Kain, the new Old Collegians groundsman.

"A great deal of winter work has been done to bring the No 1 wicket block up to its former glory," Wylie said.

Funding has also been found for new training facilities at Elmwood and these should be completed by the start of the new season.