Australian Simon Helmot took up the reins of coach of the T&T Red Steel and two years after the players are reporting that he has been excellent in the position.The 43 year old forged a relationship with Red Steel captain Dwayne Bravo, when the West Indies player represented the Melbourne Renegades in the Australian Big Bash a couple seasons ago.
Bravo was so impressed with what he saw of Helmot that he was very happy to have him come to the Caribbean and work with his team in the Caribbean Premier League (CPL).Manager of the T&T Red Steel Colin Borde says that he has seen the players benefit tremendously and hopes that Helmot takes charge of them every CPL season.
"He brings a serious level of professionalism to the table coming from his set-up back home in Australia. Everytime he works with the players around CPL he does exactly that–work! He is not here on a holiday. He wants to leave a legacy every time he goes back home and that legacy is leaving the players under his charge all the more richer in their game.
"He has gotten the respect of the players and this is something that came about because of his ability as a coach. He is technically very sound as a coach and the players work nicely with him, even the young ones now coming into the team."One of the youngest members of the team Mark Deyal says he has learned a lot under Helmot.
"He is an amazing coach to work with as he really knows his stuff and more importantly he knows how to pass on the knowledge. Some people may have great knowledge as coaches but as a young player, you get confused because they can't transfer it very well. Coach Helmot is a different man, he brings things across in a way that you understand and of course he is well qualified as a coach. I consider it a great opportunity to just be around him and to hear him talk cricket as well, he is very knowledgeable I can definitely say."
Helmot began his coaching career early, taking the reins of the Hawthorn-Waverly club in Melbourne at 25, while he was still a player. After retiring he took charge of the Under-19s at the Victorian Institute of Sport and then spent two years coaching the ACT Comets in the Cricket Australia Cup.
He returned to Melbourne in 2007 to take up a role as Victoria's High Performance manager and coached the Australia 'A' side that visited India in 2008. He then became an assistant coach under Greg Shipperd at Victoria for the 2008-09 season. He also works as the Melbourne Renegades coach and is also an assistant coach with the Sunrisers Hyderabad.
PROFILE
Melbourne Renegades Head Coach 2011-2015.
Victoria Bushrangers One Day Coach 2010-1014.
Victoria Bushrangers Sheffield Shield Assistant coach 2008-2014.
Victoria Bushrangers T20 Assistant coach 2008-2011.
Australia A Head Coach 2011 and 2008
Assistant Coach to the Australian Cricket Team 2009
Head Coach Victorian High Performance Cricket Academy 2007-08
Head Coach ACT Comets 2005-2007