In early June, in what can only be termed as a turning point in women’s cricket coaching history, Cricket Central hosted a groundbreaking all-female Level 2 Representative Coach Accreditation Course. Such an all-female coaching course, in addition to being conducted for the first time NSW’s cricketing history, also marked a significant milestone in Australian cricket.
This pioneering program was made possible through the federal government's Play Our Way initiative. The Play Our Way program is a $200 million Australian Government initiative aimed at providing women and girls with greater opportunities to access, participate in, and remain involved in sport and physical activity. It focuses on overcoming barriers to participation and fostering a culture of equality and inclusion in sports.
Fifteen women from across the state participated in this three-day intensive workshop, including Cricket NSW staff members Nechal Dillon, Tighan Tosen, and Leya Wilson. The course, led by Cricket NSW Coach Education Specialist Jay Lenton, included practical assessments and covered essential topics such as effective coaching, mental skills, child safety, and self-reflection. Participants had already completed online modules in areas like fast bowling safety and representative coaching.
The course was supported by a team of exceptional female cricket coaches: Sarah Aley, Sam Bates, Jenny Gunn, and Hannah Trethewy, who shared their expertise to benefit the participants. Their involvement underscored Cricket NSW's commitment to developing a diverse and skilled coaching workforce.
Nechal Dhillon, an avid cricketer who participated in the course and who is also Cricket NSW’s Head of Community Experience said: “This is one of the most wonderful experiences of my cricketing life. My biggest takeaway from the course was the variety of skills that I learnt from the accomplished coaches. With each coach leading a particular area of cricket coaching, such as fielding, bowling, wicket-keeping and so on, we could concentrate on a particular aspect of cricket coaching with each session and master that area.”
Each participant also received a coach’s kit bag to continue their coaching journey. This initiative aligns with Cricket NSW's broader goal of increasing female representation in coaching roles, thereby enhancing the experience for girls and women in cricket.
The Play Our Way grant that made the workshop possible was secured earlier this year by Julie Stafford, Cricket NSW's Female Engagement and Diversity & Inclusion Manager. Stafford is hopeful that Cricket NSW will be able to conduct many more of these coaching courses.
She expressed her enthusiasm, saying, "We were lucky enough to receive funding from the Play Our Way Grant for the next three years. We wrote the grant to deliver 10 different initiatives to increase girls' participation in cricket, and one of these initiatives was to increase the number of women who hold the REP level certificate." She emphasized the importance of having more female coaches to inspire and support the next generation of players.
Darren Goodger, Chief Premier Cricket & Country Cricket Officer, thanked the coaches who led the program, saying, “We appreciate their time in committing to this program, the sharing of their expertise and experience to benefit our participants. Thanks to our coaches for delivering the course, it wouldn’t have been possible without them.”
This course represents a significant step forward in creating a more inclusive and equitable environment in Australian cricket.