Player Fitness Self-Assessment

In this lesson you will learn how this self-assessment works. It has two parts. The first is a personal fitness self-review, a set of simple, optional activities and reflections to help you understand where you are now. The second is a knowledge assessment of twenty questions drawn from across the WFA800 series, with a thirty-minute time limit and up to three attempts. The assessment recognises what you know. It is not a medical check and does not confirm that you are fit to play. Take your time with the review lessons that follow, revisit any earlier modules you feel less confident about, and attempt the questions when you feel ready.

• Part one: an optional personal fitness self-review
• Part two: twenty questions, thirty minutes
• Up to three attempts
• Recognises knowledge, not medical clearance

In this lesson you will review the foundations from WFA801 and WFA802. Cricket is a game of short, explosive efforts with recovery in between, so training should reflect that pattern. The key principles are specificity, progressive overload, recovery, consistency, individuality and reversibility. Always start safely: speak to a GP if you have health concerns, build gradually and stop for chest pain, dizziness or faintness. Every session begins with a warm-up using the RAMP framework of Raise, Activate, Mobilise and Potentiate, with dynamic movements before play and gentle static stretches in the cool-down. Bowlers build gradually to full pace, and everyone re-warms after a long delay.

• Train for short, explosive efforts
• Specificity, overload, recovery and consistency
• RAMP: Raise, Activate, Mobilise, Potentiate
• Dynamic before play, static in the cool-down

In this lesson you will review WFA803, WFA804 and WFA805. Most cricket sprints are under twenty metres, so acceleration matters most: lean from the ankles, drive the arms and take short, powerful first steps. Run the first run hard, carry the bat in one hand, call clearly and turn facing the ball. Agility starts with safe deceleration, with knees tracking over toes, and a well-timed ready position or split step. Most agility in matches is reactive. Strength training covers the squat, hinge, lunge, push, pull, carry and rotation, with technique before load and a couple of repetitions in reserve. Junior strength work is always supervised and technique-first.

• Acceleration: lean from ankles, drive arms
• Run the first hard; turn facing the ball
• Decelerate safely; most agility is reactive
• Technique before load; juniors supervised

In this lesson you will review WFA806 and WFA807. A T20 fielding innings lasts around ninety minutes, and cricket endurance means repeating short efforts and recovering quickly. Build an aerobic base at talking pace, then add repeated sprint and interval work gradually, around once a week. Fatigue reduces accuracy and concentration, so fitter players stay sharp later. Watch for signs of heat illness and drink regularly. Mobility is active, controlled range of movement, while flexibility is how far a joint can be stretched. Key areas are the hips, upper back, shoulders, hamstrings and ankles. Little and often works best, and sharp pain, numbness or joint pain mean stop.

• Endurance: repeat efforts and recover quickly
• Aerobic base, then gradual interval work
• Mobility is active, controlled range
• Little and often; stop for sharp pain

In this lesson you will review WFA808 and WFA809. Start matches well hydrated, aim for pale straw coloured urine, and sip regularly rather than waiting for thirst. Eat a balanced, carbohydrate-based meal three to four hours before play, avoid new foods on matchday, and refuel with carbohydrate and protein afterwards. Supplements are usually unnecessary, energy drinks are not suitable for young people, and restrictive diets are never appropriate for juniors. Recovery is where fitness is built. Most adults need seven to nine hours of sleep and teenagers around eight to ten. Plan rest days, use active recovery, understand normal muscle soreness, and watch for signs you are doing too much.

• Pale straw urine; sip regularly
• Carbohydrate meal three to four hours before
• Refuel with carbohydrate and protein
• Sleep: adults seven to nine, teens eight to ten

In this lesson you will review WFA810. Many injuries can be made less likely through good warm-ups, conditioning, gradual increases in workload, correct protective equipment and checking the ground for hazards. Young fast bowlers face higher back injury risk, so follow the ECB fast bowling directives and the WFA competition regulations. Your role is to notice, stop and report, not to diagnose. Stop and seek assessment for sharp pain, swelling, deformity, numbness or inability to bear weight. After any blow to the head, if in doubt, sit them out, with no return to play that day. Chest pain, collapse or fainting during exercise are emergencies, so call 999.

• Warm-ups, conditioning and gradual workloads
• Follow ECB fast bowling directives for juniors
• Notice, stop and report; do not diagnose
• If in doubt, sit them out; emergencies call 999

In this lesson you will review WFA811 to WFA814. Switch on for each ball and off in between, focus on what you can control, use slow breathing and short instructional cue words, and reset quickly after mistakes. Build confidence through preparation and a confidence bank, use imagery at real speed, keep positive body language and use short, consistent pre-ball routines. Set linked outcome, performance and process goals, make them SMART, and build a one-page development plan reviewed every four to six weeks. Keep a simple log, calculate session load by multiplying effort rating by minutes, track wellbeing, and watch for sudden spikes in load.

• Switch on and off; control the controllables
• Confidence bank, imagery and routines
• SMART goals in a one-page plan
• Session load equals effort rating times minutes

In this lesson you will learn how to complete an optional personal fitness self-review safely. Only take part if you are healthy, free from injury, and have no medical reason to avoid exercise; if in doubt, ask your GP first. Always complete a full warm-up. Simple activities might include timing a run-a-three between the wickets, recording how many good-quality press-ups or bodyweight squats you can complete, checking a knee-to-wall ankle movement, or noting how you feel after a set of shuttles. Juniors should only take part with appropriate adult supervision. Record the results in your log as a personal baseline, not to compare with others. Stop immediately if you feel pain, dizziness or unwell.

• Only when healthy; if in doubt, ask a GP
• Full warm-up first; juniors supervised
• Simple activities like a timed run-a-three
• Record a personal baseline; stop if unwell

In this lesson you will learn how to use your self-review and assessment results. Compare your baseline with your goals and development plan, and choose one or two areas to focus on next. Repeat the same self-review activities in the same way every couple of months, so the comparison is fair. Celebrate improvements and adjust your plan where progress is slow. Share your findings with a coach or captain if you would like support. Remember that this award recognises your knowledge, not your fitness level or medical status. Keep learning, keep enjoying your cricket, and keep looking after yourself and your teammates across the Winn Family T-20 League.

• Compare your baseline with your plan
• Repeat the same activities every couple of months
• Celebrate progress and adjust the plan
• The award recognises knowledge, not fitness status