The United States Cricket Association (USACA) announced a further development in the current re-structure of its human resources with the appointment of a High Performance Manager. Andy Pick has been appointed to the role which will be based at USACA head office in Lake Worth, Florida.
Andy Pick
Mr. Pick is well known to cricket in the North American Region having worked with the ICC America’s office for the past four (4) years as their High Performance Manager. The new arrangement will see Mr. Pick spend half his time as the USACA High Performance Manager and the other half in his current role with the ICC America’s office.
Speaking from St Kitts today, Mr. Pick was very excited about the new combined role;
“There is a lot of natural talent in the USA. In the past, the pathway from talent discovery through to players becoming established International cricketers has not always been clear. Having been involved in High Performance planning and delivery for the last 14 years, I hope I can make that pathway more accessible and transparent.”
Pick played cricket in the UK for Nottinghamshire CCC for 15 years, taking over 750 wickets in all competitions and winning all the domestic honors in the English game as well as playing first class cricket in New Zealand. He went on two England A tours and played for England in the “Hong Kong Sixes” competition.
Mr. Pick is an English Cricket Board (ECB) Level 4 accredited coach and took the England U/19’s to three ICC World Cups. He also coached Canada to the 2007 ICC World Cup in the West Indies. A number of the current England team came through programmes overseen by Mr. Pick in his time at the ECB.
USACA CEO, Mr. Darren Beazley explained the High Performance Manager role in the broader context of the current USACA organizational re-structure that is underway;
“The past six months have provided USACA with the opportunity to assess where we need to focus our energy for the future. The two areas that we have identified are junior development and growth in participation and improving the US high performance programme.
USACA is extremely pleased to have the support of an experienced cricket administrator such as Andy Pick to provide a dedicated focus on establishing the correct structures and processes to ensure that USACA identifies and develops talent, wherever talented men and women reside across the country. His intimate knowledge of cricket in the USA and of our playing lists will be very important, particularly as our men’s team commences preparation for the ICC T20Q in Dubai in November.
It is important that as we increase the number of children playing the game over the next few years, those with talent have a clear, accessible pathway to follow. In addition, our hope is to strengthen our international performances and establish some “US cricket heroes” for our young cricketer’s to look up to. The High Performance Manager will also play a major role in achieving that objective” Mr. Beazley said.
The High Performance Manager role will focus on working with the USA men’s, women’s and Under 19 teams, as well as clearly defining the ‘USACA Talented Player Pathway’ for 2014 and beyond.
USACA will continue to update its re-structuring programme in the coming months and hopes to be able to announce a Participation Project Manager role to focus on junior cricket growth in the coming weeks.