During my Education studies, I was introduced to the seminal theory of learning and development of Belarussian Psychologist, Lev Vygotsky. Vygotsky’s Zone of Proximal Development is typically defined as the space between what a learner can do without assistance and what a learner can do with expert guidance or in collaboration with more capable peers.
As Aussie Cricket Season 2023/24 approaches, I thought Vygotsky’s ideas might be helpful to players, parents, and coaches as they grapple with a common, perennial cricket development issue: which age group should a youngster play in?
Before jumping into our issue, for our purposes we can interpret Vygotsky’s Zone of Proximal Development as having two main recognisable elements: masterful coaching and stretching players by training at the edge of their capabilities.
