PCA PRESS RELEASE
Past and present members part-take in 60-day certificate leadership course.
To see more articles, click here
A host of PCA members have completed the NextGen Leadership – Learn, Lead, Grow course organised by FEED Consulting.
The 60-day certificate helped the players gain valuable skills and knowledge on their respective roads to becoming leaders, both on and off the field.
As many as 20 PCA members, both past and present enhanced their personal development journeys by enrolling on the course. These include the Association’s newly-elected Chair Olly Hannon-Dalby, Hampshire’s PCA Rep Joe Weatherley, former Warwickshire batter Jonathan Webb, Essex star Eva Gray, Scotland international Olivia Bell and Gloucestershire all-rounder Tom Price.
The Learn, Lead, Grow course offered members nine modules divided into three phases. Each module consisted of short video tutorials, downloadable resources, worksheets and self-reflection modules for their learning. The course is accredited by The Institute of Leadership from which students receive a certificate of achievement and a year’s membership on completion.
"I'm at a point of my career where I’m eager to seek leadership opportunities, be it managing more people, taking charge of a team or having more responsibilities."
JONATHAN WEBB
The first phase, named Foundational Skills, helped attendees learn about setting their ambitions for the future and gaining crucial communication skills as leaders. The second phase covered Relationship Building where they were taught how to delegate work, motivate and influence their team and learn effective time management. The final phase focused on Mastery and Change which helped gain clarity on their decision-making process and use their leaderships skills in a more assertive manner.
The final part of the course included a webinar and a question and answer session with ECB CEO Richard Gould.
Members at different stages in their careers attended the leadership programme. Essex all-rounder Gray was one of the women’s players who enjoyed the course. Despite her young age, she already has vast experience in the game and aims to combine that with her learnings from the course to her benefit, both on and off the field.
Speaking about the reasonings behind her motivation to pursue the leadership course, Gray said, “I wanted to expand my knowledge in terms of leadership. I have got an eye on the future around what I want to do after cricket. Doing a course like this could benefit me on the pitch with the leadership roles I have got but also after my career is finished, I am looking to go into sports business or governance so I thought it would be really helpful from both of those viewpoints.
“I’m also the vice captain at Essex, meaning I’m in a leadership role currently, so captaincy is an ambition in the long run.”
The leadership course was also beneficial to members who are no longer playing professionally. Webb identified the course as a way to improve his understanding of leadership, seeking more responsibilities in his career in sports marketing.
The former ECB employee said, “After I finished playing cricket, I moved into marketing. I currently work for Major League Baseball as Senior Marketing Manager in the MLB Europe office. I’ve been exposed to a lot of different types of leadership, I’m at a point of my career where I’m eager to seek leadership opportunities, be it managing more people, taking charge of a team or having more responsibilities, so I was really keen on having some practical theories behind me for when that arises.”
Hannon-Dalby enters a new phase in his affiliation with the PCA after being elected as the new Chair, officially starting the role from March 2025. For the current Warwickshire Rep, the course proved to be a blessing in disguise ahead of starting his new position.
The 36-year-old seam bowler feels that the syllabus has provided him with valuable lessons to be successful as Chair, “When I enrolled back in September, the Chair role might have been up for renewal, but I certainly had not thought about applying for it yet. It was just coincidental, but it’s been a great help.
Hannon-Dalby added, “I thought the leadership course was an interesting thing to do anyway, and then, lo and behold, I applied for the Chair role, and it all fell in place. I’m glad I’ve done this leadership course before starting my new role.”
“I genuinely loved it. They have all engaged with the course really well and the feedback has been great."
DARRELL MCLENNAN FORDYCE
The Learn, Lead, Grow initiative helped PCA members ahead of the start of the new domestic season as they take up new responsibilities for the betterment of their team.
Due to the remote nature of this leadership course, Kent seamer George Garrett was able to undertake the modules whilst playing in Australia.
Hampshire Rep Weatherley was a huge advocate of wanting his cricketing peers to take up such courses to improve their prospects once they finish playing.
“The leadership of a team affects everyone, and everyone can be a better leader. The skills that were developed on this course would positively affect anyone that is still in the game by improving the changing room that they are in and in their day-to-day life, but also in their post cricketing careers.”
FEED Consulting founder Darrell McLennan Fordyce was highly impressed by the PCA contingent who enrolled in the Learn, Lead, Grow programme. He was encouraged by the members’ engagement and enthusiasm over the course of the 60 days. McLennan Fordyce said, “I genuinely loved it. They have all engaged with the course really well and the feedback has been great.
“It was a joy having a cohort that engaged in the course, they enjoyed it because it was tailored to their needs. It was us creating specific content that was relevant to them, so they felt like they were connecting with a real person who was invested in their development.”
Find out more about PCA’s Personal Development and Welfare Programme (PDWP) here.
