Glamorgan County Cricket Club coaching staff; – Head of Talent Development Richard Almond (Back Row Second Right), Coach Robert Croft (Back Row First Right), Physiotherapist Mark Rausa (Front Row Third Right) Strength & Conditioning Coach Tom Turner (Front Row Fifth Right) and Performance Analyst David Harrison (Front Row Sixth Right) with players attending the Pre-Season Training Camp
Glamorgan County Cricket Club players are now back in England having completed a successful nine (9) days of warm weather pre-season cricket and fitness training between Thursday 3rd – Saturday 12th March at Desert Springs Resort, Europe’s only international award-winning luxury family resort and championship desert golf course with its very own dedicated Cricket Academy, in the Almanzora region of Almeria, Andalucía in south-east Spain.
Robert Croft, Glamorgan CCC Head Coach and his team of four staff accompanied fifteen (15) players who completed bowling, batting and fielding practice as well as strength and conditioning training sessions as they stepped up their physical preparations for the upcoming 2016 season.
Robert Croft MBE, a former Welsh cricketer who played international cricket for England and as an off-spin bowler for Glamorgan and captained the county from 2003 to 2006, who retired from first class cricket at the end of the 2012 season, having played county cricket for 23 seasons commented:
“The Accommodation and food at the Resort was great and the service and helpfulness excellent.”
‘Nets Practice Session’ at the Desert Springs Cricket Academy
‘Batsman Runs Practice Session’ at the Desert Springs Cricket Academy
The training camp worked on a specific and carefully planned programme covering technical skills, strength and conditioning and both individual and group activity.
Richard Almond, Glamorgan CCC Head of Talent Development commented:
“Desert Springs provides a great environment and climate for a positive pre-season experience with great accommodation and great food.”
Tom Turner, Glamorgan CCC Strength & Conditioning Coach remarked:
“Desert Springs provides excellent facilities for gym work with good strength equipment for professional sport and the accommodation and food are both great.”
Mark Rausa, Glamorgan CCC Physiotherapist commented:
“This has been a great experience overall. I feel that the team got what they needed to out of the trip.”
Glamorgan CCC players said of their pre-season training experience at Desert Springs Resort:
“Excellent food and gym with very friendly staff, a special mention to the groundsman!” Jeremy Lawlor
“Awesome cricket facilities, great accommodation and food.” Dewi Penrhyn-Jones
“The training facilities were excellent and the food and accommodation both great, and all of the staff are so friendly and helpful.” Nick Selman
“The hospitality we received was just brilliant, good food and fantastic training facilities.” Ruaidhri Smith
“Lovely accommodation, good food, friendly staff and great cricket facilities.” Aneurin Donald
“Great place, great training facilities and excellent food.” David Lloyd
To view a video of the Desert Springs Cricket Academy view: – Desert Springs Cricket Academy
The players and coaches were accommodated in some of the privately owned Apartments normally reserved for holidays and short breaks at Desert Springs and the resort’s executive chef was on hand to cater for the special dietary requirements of individual players dining in El Torrente Restaurant.
