Hawkesbury cricketer Peter Forrest has established the Peter Forrest Institute of Cricket (PFIC) which will provide a way for him to pass on his expertise and experience in the game.
“It is my passion project,” said Forrest, who returned to the Hawkesbury in 2018 after growing up here.
He is currently a member of Hawkesbury Cricket Club where he is First Grade captain and co-coach of the Club.
Forrest has spent 15 years playing First Class Cricket and has a wide variety of skills that he wishes to pass on.
He has the experience of playing in 15 One Day Internationals for Australia where he scored three half centuries, one century and took four catches.
Forrest said that the PFIC, “is an opportunity for budding cricketers to have private coaching in all facets of the game.”
PFIC offers not just training but also mentoring, where Forrest will have a phone or skype call with his students.
He understands that there is a mental side involved in the game and he wants to be able to help develop that for his players.
The PFIC is for anyone playing cricket.
Currently young locals have taken to the opportunity and his sessions have quickly filled up.
Forrest offers training in batting, bowling, fielding and wicketkeeping.
But he said “batting is my expertise, it is my number one skill.”
He runs sessions on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 4 pm to 7:30 pm.
“I am looking to expand… but I am waiting for the right person. I don’t want to do it too quickly,” said Forrest.
He found that he has always had a knack for coaching and mentoring.
In 2017 Forrest was the veteran on the First Class Queensland squad and found that he slipped right into the mentoring role very easily.
Often finding himself apart of the coaching for the squad.
Forrest said, “I found I was a natural teacher … I was a really nice fit for the role.”
“I feel like the end of my time with the Queensland squad was a good coaching pathway.
“Being in leadership roles all through my career taught me a lot and now I’m ready to pass that on.
“Mentoring has always been really important for me and the progression of my career… now I have the chance to do the same for young players I coach and play with.”
Forrest has wanted to start up something like the PFIC but never really had the time until now.
He said, “I’ve always naturally just passed on my skills, as others had with me.”
“With not many people doing it [institute] in Western Sydney and the Hawkesbury, I felt like it was a good opportunity to give back.”
