I thought I was going to be relaxing on the beach this summer, but, my, how things have changed for the better.

The challenge of working as head coach of Cleveland County has got me bubbling with anticipation of things to come.

One thing is for sure, I will not sacrifice having a structured, respected, professional programme for the sake of winning.

Hence the reason I was so impressed with Somerset Cricket Club last weekend. The start of the game was delayed because of rain, however when I arrived at Lord’s, Somerset’s players were coming off the field having already completed their warm-up.

The St David’s players, however, were dragging their feet, coming out in ones and twos. This speaks volumes for the level of dedication, focus and commitment of the Somerset players and coaches.

I applaud Jeff Richardson and Michael Corday for the hard work they are doing to put a structured programme in place at Somerset.

Earlier in the year, I predicted that they would get relegated and they just may, but they are on the right path to success.

After watching Somerset, it will not surprise me if they shock one or two teams this summer. They are organised and very energetic in the field.

St David’s, on the other hand, have to be mindful that complacency does not creep in.

They are a very talented bunch of players, but if they really want to be the team to watch in Bermuda, they must start doing the little things right, like warming up as a unit. Some may say this is petty, but it shows the professionalism of the team and it also helps to prevent injury.

The big three, Willow Cuts, St David’s and Southampton Rangers, should be the sort of teams who get to the ground an hour early eager to play. We have to remember that we all have a part to play in the future of Bermuda cricket. If young cricketers see positive things from our top players, whom they may aspire to be like, then we are setting good examples for them to follow.

So I challenge all the clubs and coaches to raise the bar at your clubs. Hold players accountable for making time to games and training.

My players at Cleveland already know that if they are not at the ground at 10.30am, when my captain is going to toss, they will not be playing.

Obviously, there are certain circumstances such as work or a family emergency that you have to be flexible with, but just to turn up late is unacceptable.

This is the one question I ask myself and would like to ask all coaches. Which of these scenarios would you prefer? To win the league with an unorganised, non-structured programme, whereby players train sporadically and turn up late for games? Or would you prefer to finish third with a professional environment, everybody making training, with players turning up on time for games? How important is winning?

I don’t know about the other coaches, but if I have to decide between two players in my team, I will always select the player who is the more focused and committed.

Talent is one thing, but talent without commitment is useless because eventually you will get found out.

If Bermuda cricket is to improve we must set higher standards and expectations of our club teams.

When you work hard in training and win on a Sunday, the feeling is that much better because you know you deserve all the accolades for your success.

Quote of the week: I don’t do things half-heartedly because I know if I do, then I can expect half-hearted results — Michael Jordan