Cricket Academy coaches at the Andrew Flintoff Cricket Academy

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Rupes Kitzinger – Head Coach and Academy Manager

Rupes is the tallest member of our coaching team at 6’8” and has been involved since the very first Academy. He also manages all Academies and is involved in setting up new venues.

‘Being part of bringing Fred’s vision to life has been great to be involved in. To see so many children be inspired to play cricket and hear the reports of improvements as a result of attending the Academy makes all the hard work worthwhile! I love it when I get emails or phone calls to say how well a player has done since being with us. I had been involved in several courses as a coach before AFCA and I felt restricted as a coach working in a stale environment. AFCA is the complete opposite to this and it gets the best from the coaches which gets the best from the players.’

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Mark Potter – Head Coach

‘Pottsy’ is a PE teacher with a passion for anything and everything cricket.

He has great energy and drive and Fred is convinced that he should be a TV gameshow host if his teaching and coaching career changes. Mark says: ‘I love the opportunity to coach that AFCA gives me. It is a great atmosphere to work in and to see the smiles and progress that the children make each day is really rewarding’.

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Paul Atkins – Head Coach

Paul is a former first class cricketer from Surrey and Northamptonshire who even played against Fred before embarking on his successful coaching career.

He is now a leading Coach for Kwazulu Natal in South Africa and has been an AFCA Head Coach since inception in 2008.

Paul loves being involved with Fred’s Academy; ‘Everything AFCA is professional and great to be involved with. From the quality of the kit to the detail of the coaching programme you know that you are providing a great service to parents and players.’

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Caroline Atkins – Coach

Caroline is an opening bat who has played 8 tests and 58 ODIs for England. She was an integral part of the successful England side who won the World Cup and T20 World Cup and she is also an AFCA Coach.

‘Using my coaching and Strength & Conditioning Qualifications, as well as my international experience, has allowed me to add some dynamic and different coaching sessions to the AFCA programme. Many young players have not experienced this type of session and approach before and as well as being new and exciting to them it is also great to see them enjoy something which will help them in their cricket and sporting life’.

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Natalie Watkins – Pastoral Manager

Natalie is a teacher who has a wonderful manner with both parents and children.

She has worked as both a Manager and Pastoral Manager of our Residential Academies.

‘It is so important for parents to know how well their children will be looked after and feel comfortable leaving them away from home for a few days. We have a great timetable of activities and the facilities at AFCA venues are superb. We are definitely spoilt – in particular at meal times! The AFCA menus are always second to none!’