ACB wins information technology innovation award

The Australian Cricket Board's (ACB) approach to e-learning for cricket coaches has won a major, national innovation award.

The ACB's award-winning project - an e-learning training solution for cricket coaches - was developed in conjunction with leading consulting firm Accenture. The award was presented by the Australian Information Industry Association (AIIA).

Created as a CD-ROM, the project is the first step in developing an on-line training system that provides coaches in remote areas with better access to participate in the ACB's coaching programs.

The resource focuses on teaching coaching skills via a self-paced competency model, rather than learning basic cricket skills alone. It also covers interpersonal communication, planning and strategies.

The CD-ROM features instructions and tips from Australian one-day international captain Ricky Ponting, Australian coach John Buchanan, Australian women's captain Belinda Clark, and former Australian captains Greg Chappell and Mark Taylor.

ACB Chief Executive Officer James Sutherland said the AIIA award recognised the ACB's innovative approach to coach education.

"The move toward developing an online training system has involved more than 12 months of extensive planning and consultation by the ACB's Game Development department and Accenture," said Mr Sutherland.

"The result is a terrific innovation for Australian cricket, which will help to build and strengthen the quality of cricket coaches and educators across the country.

"To win the award in such an advanced and competitive field of innovative organisations reaffirms the ACB's commitment to invest in developing quality training programs for coaches."

The CD-ROM, officially released later this month, will be available to the 9,000 registered level one and prospective coaches as part of the coaching course materials.

"The ACB has a formal strategic objective to harness technology to communicate and support the delivery of game development programs to the community," added Mr Sutherland.

Children registered in the ACB's MILO Have-A-Go program have also benefited from the move to using high technology, with a CD-ROM developed for junior cricketers in October last year. Work continues on refining an e-learning application to aid umpire development.

Accredited coaches can obtain a copy of the coaching CD-ROM by contacting the ACB.

The AIIA awards are sponsored by the Australian Financial Review. Other AIIA award winners included Nortel Networks, Sienna Technologies and NSW TAFE.