Ian recognised Matt had talent that exceeded his own. Finding ways to nurture it became a sort of education for him as a father and a coach. “I learnt very early that it’s his game,” he says. “He sees the world very differently to what I do, which is a very good thing because he’s a better player than I was. There’s a tendency early on to go (as a coach), ‘You can’t do that’, because of your limitations. “You have to say, ‘Here are the options – this is what could happen’, and then let him go and explore. Then he works it out for himself. But it’s about that exploration.”
The creation of ‘Matt Renshaw, Test opener’ has been a deliberate, decade-long project. Through it all, his love for the game – and his relationship with his dad – has never wavered.
This is an interesting read from the perspective of a growth mindset and coaching. It is a great insight into the reality that ‘it takes a village’. It can be easy to see the ‘talent’ and overlook the years of time and support before that moment.