The role of mentorship in the progression of South African under 19 cricketers to professional cricket

Abstract

This study proposed that mentorship could play a positive role in the progression of South African (SA) under 19 cricketers to a professional cricket (franchise) level. The unique South African environment provided this study with the opportunity to determine how mentorship plays a role in the lives of SA under 19 cricketers. The study examined successful cricketers who progressed to the professional level and unsuccessful cricketers who did not progress from the SA under 19-cricket team to play more than 20 games at professional cricket level. Many school-age cricketers in South Africa play competitive cricket, however, it is mainly assumed that only a small minority of these cricketers progress to the professional arena after school. While this is partly due to the demanding competitive environment in elite and professional sport, there is concern as to why those who achieve age-group recognition at provincial or national level do not progress to a higher level of play. Therefore, this study aimed to establish the role of mentorship in SA under 19 cricketers’ progression and to determine if there were any differences in the mentorship experienced between successful and unsuccessful cricketers. Fifteen participants took part in the research study - nine successful and six unsuccessful. A qualitative research paradigm and method was used to explore the experiences of mentorship in the participants' cricketing progression and development. The study used a semi-structured interview data collection method to gain an in-depth understanding of the participants' experiences. These findings showed that all participants identified mentorship as essential in their progression and development and further highlighted that mentorship played a role in assisting the players in achieving a holistic life balance. The study concluded that successful and unsuccessful cricketers experienced the same attributes of a mentor, such as having good people skills, communication skills and showed a general interest. Further the participants had a good understanding what mentorship means, the role the mentors played in their life, and the impact mentorship had on their career progression and development. This study contributes to understanding the impact of mentorship in South African cricketers' career progression and development.