WEBVTT 00:00:02.329 --> 00:00:05.150 In this episode of The icoachcricket Podcast, 00:00:05.650 --> 00:00:08.070 Charlotte Edwards is head coach of the England 00:00:08.070 --> 00:00:10.650 women's team for the first time this summer. 00:00:10.910 --> 00:00:13.609 She's no stranger to the set -up though, having 00:00:13.609 --> 00:00:16.170 played more than 300 games for England across 00:00:16.170 --> 00:00:19.379 different formats. As captain, she won everything 00:00:19.379 --> 00:00:22.000 there was to win in the game. Since retiring 00:00:22.000 --> 00:00:25.300 as a player in 2017, she's been busy coaching 00:00:25.300 --> 00:00:28.359 at Hampshire and then the Southern Vipers, in 00:00:28.359 --> 00:00:30.899 Australia and India, and at all the other big 00:00:30.899 --> 00:00:33.740 franchise tournaments. And she's been busy working 00:00:33.740 --> 00:00:36.520 as a commentator as well. Before her first game 00:00:36.520 --> 00:00:38.719 in charge this summer, she sat down with Tim 00:00:38.719 --> 00:00:41.320 Dellor to chat about her coaching journey and 00:00:41.320 --> 00:00:43.719 what she's learned during the last eight years. 00:00:44.020 --> 00:00:46.100 Here we are in Wokingham in the sunshine. It's 00:00:46.100 --> 00:00:48.469 a good club here. it must feel like home for 00:00:48.469 --> 00:00:50.789 you doesn't it coming back here yeah i lived 00:00:50.789 --> 00:00:53.270 not too far away and throughout my playing days 00:00:53.270 --> 00:00:56.329 um i spent many an hour up here in those nets 00:00:56.329 --> 00:00:59.530 so um yeah it's a really nice venue it's developed 00:00:59.530 --> 00:01:01.490 quite a lot in the last eight or nine years so 00:01:01.490 --> 00:01:03.350 yeah it's been um nice to come back good great 00:01:03.350 --> 00:01:05.730 to see you back here and eight years ago since 00:01:05.730 --> 00:01:09.129 you september 2017 i remember when you finished 00:01:09.129 --> 00:01:12.069 playing and that's well it seems quite a long 00:01:12.069 --> 00:01:14.760 time ago to me does it go quickly for you Some 00:01:14.760 --> 00:01:17.379 days it's gone quickly. Yeah, I mean, it doesn't, 00:01:17.379 --> 00:01:19.019 when you think eight years and what's happened 00:01:19.019 --> 00:01:21.200 in that time, a lot's happened. But yeah, it's 00:01:21.200 --> 00:01:23.739 been obviously brilliant to have a career after 00:01:23.739 --> 00:01:26.400 playing really. And I've thoroughly enjoyed that. 00:01:26.500 --> 00:01:28.560 Yeah, like I say, there's been so many things 00:01:28.560 --> 00:01:30.599 that have happened in the last eight years. Do 00:01:30.599 --> 00:01:34.819 you in any way miss playing still? I get asked 00:01:34.819 --> 00:01:37.599 that question quite a lot. No, I don't. I think 00:01:37.599 --> 00:01:39.680 the only thing I miss is captaining. So being 00:01:39.680 --> 00:01:41.140 out there, if I didn't have to field, it'd be 00:01:41.140 --> 00:01:44.219 perfect. So, yeah, I don't. I think you retire 00:01:44.219 --> 00:01:45.739 for a reason, probably because you don't want 00:01:45.739 --> 00:01:47.659 to do it anymore. And I actually thought it was 00:01:47.659 --> 00:01:50.000 going to be the hardest decision of my... sort 00:01:50.000 --> 00:01:51.879 of cricketing career really was giving up but 00:01:51.879 --> 00:01:53.459 it actually became quite easy in the end because 00:01:53.459 --> 00:01:55.340 I didn't want to go out to bat so I thought if 00:01:55.340 --> 00:01:56.599 I don't want to go out to bat this is probably 00:01:56.599 --> 00:01:59.159 not going to bode well for me so you know it 00:01:59.159 --> 00:02:01.640 was an easy decision in the end and now obviously 00:02:01.640 --> 00:02:03.519 I'm sat here today. And it's interesting you 00:02:03.519 --> 00:02:05.400 mentioned the captaincy element because well 00:02:05.400 --> 00:02:06.840 you won't remember this but the last time we 00:02:06.840 --> 00:02:09.400 met at Wokingham Cricket Club was to talk about 00:02:09.400 --> 00:02:11.840 captaincy because you were actually captaining 00:02:11.840 --> 00:02:14.039 England at the time so that well that must have 00:02:14.039 --> 00:02:16.520 been 10 years ago or so I can't remember exactly 00:02:16.520 --> 00:02:20.439 when it was and the transition from being a captain 00:02:20.439 --> 00:02:23.620 to being a coach is probably far easier than 00:02:23.620 --> 00:02:26.620 being a non -captain to a coach because some 00:02:26.620 --> 00:02:28.680 of the skills a lot of the skills are overlapping 00:02:28.680 --> 00:02:31.340 aren't they yeah i definitely it's made that 00:02:31.340 --> 00:02:34.340 transition easier i think having done the captaincy 00:02:34.340 --> 00:02:35.800 and i think understanding the responsibilities 00:02:35.800 --> 00:02:38.500 and i think you understand what the coach actually 00:02:38.500 --> 00:02:41.120 does in those situations and obviously because 00:02:41.120 --> 00:02:43.139 you work very closely with the coach you understand 00:02:43.139 --> 00:02:45.199 how important that relationship is well so it's 00:02:45.199 --> 00:02:48.590 something i've really valued is the coach -captain 00:02:48.590 --> 00:02:50.830 relationship throughout my coaching career and 00:02:50.830 --> 00:02:54.370 how important that is to driving the team forward. 00:02:54.550 --> 00:02:56.469 Yeah, I think it's definitely helped. I think 00:02:56.469 --> 00:02:59.069 I've learned a lot from captaincy that I've not 00:02:59.069 --> 00:03:01.909 done into coaching and I think that's for different 00:03:01.909 --> 00:03:04.389 reasons. I think as a player you, and I've quite 00:03:04.389 --> 00:03:06.750 publicly said this probably even over the last 00:03:06.750 --> 00:03:10.330 month or so, I felt like I'm a much better coach 00:03:10.330 --> 00:03:12.759 than I was captain. But I think only because, 00:03:12.860 --> 00:03:15.460 you know, when you're captain, you get with playing, 00:03:15.599 --> 00:03:17.819 you get that side of it. So there's a certain 00:03:17.819 --> 00:03:19.620 way you think you need to be. And I wish I would 00:03:19.620 --> 00:03:21.520 have probably taken more of my coaching attributes 00:03:21.520 --> 00:03:23.960 into my captaincy. But who knows? I might not 00:03:23.960 --> 00:03:27.259 have scored as many runs. So you just never know, 00:03:27.319 --> 00:03:29.340 do you? Because that's a big part with playing 00:03:29.340 --> 00:03:31.120 and captaining, obviously, isn't it? That you 00:03:31.120 --> 00:03:33.819 have to look after your own game, arguably first 00:03:33.819 --> 00:03:35.900 and foremost, because if your own game is not 00:03:35.900 --> 00:03:37.400 in good order, you're not going to be a very 00:03:37.400 --> 00:03:38.719 effective captain. Your team's not going to be 00:03:38.719 --> 00:03:40.900 doing very well. And then... I suppose the other 00:03:40.900 --> 00:03:43.719 elements to it, the tactical side, which over 00:03:43.719 --> 00:03:46.719 time you get an understanding and a grasp of. 00:03:46.759 --> 00:03:48.919 And then the management side, the leadership 00:03:48.919 --> 00:03:51.020 side. So there are quite a lot of different elements 00:03:51.020 --> 00:03:53.900 to captaincy. Yeah, there are. And that's what 00:03:53.900 --> 00:03:56.439 I loved about the role. I think the difference 00:03:56.439 --> 00:03:59.330 for me, I think going into coaching. I said this 00:03:59.330 --> 00:04:01.210 the other day to some players, I think I've got 00:04:01.210 --> 00:04:03.449 far more patience as a coach, which I never had 00:04:03.449 --> 00:04:06.370 as a captain. I think I didn't have much patience. 00:04:06.610 --> 00:04:08.449 But you bottled it up quite well, didn't you? 00:04:08.449 --> 00:04:10.409 I mean, you might have been getting stinged up 00:04:10.409 --> 00:04:12.289 inside, but you didn't, either, well, not that 00:04:12.289 --> 00:04:15.949 I saw anyway. Yeah, I was probably, I wasn't, 00:04:15.949 --> 00:04:18.810 when I look back, I was probably, I could be 00:04:18.810 --> 00:04:22.209 quite aggressive, sort of type, or maybe not 00:04:22.209 --> 00:04:24.310 particularly approachable sometimes, maybe for 00:04:24.310 --> 00:04:25.829 younger players, which I think that's something 00:04:25.829 --> 00:04:28.519 I do really well as a coach. And I think, I think 00:04:28.519 --> 00:04:30.920 the important thing about any career is that 00:04:30.920 --> 00:04:34.339 you've got to learn from your mistakes. I think 00:04:34.339 --> 00:04:38.519 I'm pretty self -aware and aware of others, so 00:04:38.519 --> 00:04:40.660 I think that's a big part of going into coaching 00:04:40.660 --> 00:04:43.779 has really helped me. I maybe saw my downfalls 00:04:43.779 --> 00:04:45.879 and I realised where I needed to improve as a 00:04:45.879 --> 00:04:48.060 coach because you get away with it as a captain 00:04:48.060 --> 00:04:51.279 because if you go and perform, everyone's happy, 00:04:51.459 --> 00:04:54.600 aren't they? But you have to... you do have to 00:04:54.600 --> 00:04:56.939 change your style. And I've managed to do that 00:04:56.939 --> 00:04:59.399 through, you know, maybe learning from some errors 00:04:59.399 --> 00:05:02.439 I've made as a captain. And I think the other 00:05:02.439 --> 00:05:05.120 thing was more empathy. And I think the way my 00:05:05.120 --> 00:05:07.779 England career ended was really good for me into 00:05:07.779 --> 00:05:10.399 going into coaching because, you know, I effectively 00:05:10.399 --> 00:05:12.740 got dropped and hadn't been dropped my whole 00:05:12.740 --> 00:05:15.199 England career or probably my whole career. Whereas 00:05:15.199 --> 00:05:18.000 now I've got so much empathy with people who 00:05:18.000 --> 00:05:20.279 miss out and how you deliver those messages. 00:05:20.339 --> 00:05:23.430 And so... You know, my mum said at the time, 00:05:23.430 --> 00:05:26.470 you know, things happen for a reason. And I think 00:05:26.470 --> 00:05:29.389 that happened maybe to help me when I became 00:05:29.389 --> 00:05:31.550 a coach, which, you know, I think empathy and 00:05:31.550 --> 00:05:34.250 patience, you need quite a lot of it. Yeah, I'm 00:05:34.250 --> 00:05:37.529 sure in any coaching role, really. And that you 00:05:37.529 --> 00:05:40.509 talk about aggressive. And I mean, for some people, 00:05:40.509 --> 00:05:43.329 that's clear leadership, isn't it? I get up to 00:05:43.329 --> 00:05:45.509 you, I suppose, how you reflect on your time 00:05:45.509 --> 00:05:47.889 as a captain. And you're no better than anybody. 00:05:48.009 --> 00:05:50.509 But a lot of people have said what a clear thinking 00:05:50.509 --> 00:05:53.639 leader you were. and that there's quite a fine 00:05:53.639 --> 00:05:56.240 line isn't there between being clear thinking 00:05:56.240 --> 00:05:59.329 authoritative And, you know, you use the word 00:05:59.329 --> 00:06:01.490 aggressive, but that can be a good thing, really. 00:06:01.689 --> 00:06:03.569 Yeah, I was passionate. I think that's probably 00:06:03.569 --> 00:06:05.769 the best way of, you know, I was hugely passionate 00:06:05.769 --> 00:06:09.189 about the game, the team I was in. And I love 00:06:09.189 --> 00:06:11.370 winning, you know, and I think sometimes that 00:06:11.370 --> 00:06:14.170 does boil over. You know, you want you. But when 00:06:14.170 --> 00:06:16.850 I got off the pitch and, you know, I think I, 00:06:16.850 --> 00:06:19.350 you know, I didn't hold anything with. I used 00:06:19.350 --> 00:06:21.649 to just go and sit. But, you know, I was hugely 00:06:21.649 --> 00:06:23.110 competitive on the pitch. And that's how I'd 00:06:23.110 --> 00:06:25.730 want any team that I'm involved in now to play 00:06:25.730 --> 00:06:28.509 because. You know, it means something. And do 00:06:28.509 --> 00:06:31.149 you love the game as much as you did? You have 00:06:31.149 --> 00:06:32.709 to, don't you, as a coach, really? Because if 00:06:32.709 --> 00:06:35.230 you fall out of love with it, it becomes very 00:06:35.230 --> 00:06:37.949 hard work. I love the game more than I ever have, 00:06:38.069 --> 00:06:40.170 you know. And I think you're absolutely right. 00:06:40.209 --> 00:06:42.810 You have to in a role like a coach because you 00:06:42.810 --> 00:06:44.569 don't get the playing element anymore or the 00:06:44.569 --> 00:06:47.069 competitive element. And there's quite a lot 00:06:47.069 --> 00:06:49.250 of the time you're sort of sat there watching 00:06:49.250 --> 00:06:52.230 things unfold and you can't do anything about 00:06:52.230 --> 00:06:54.069 it. So you've got to love it. I think I just 00:06:54.069 --> 00:06:58.079 love watching people. get better, achieve their 00:06:58.079 --> 00:07:01.959 goals. And that's quite rewarding. And that isn't 00:07:01.959 --> 00:07:03.800 about winning or losing. That's about people, 00:07:03.879 --> 00:07:07.100 I guess, developing. And I think a big part of 00:07:07.100 --> 00:07:09.879 my role down at Hampshire and the success we 00:07:09.879 --> 00:07:12.220 had there with the Southern Vipers was watching 00:07:12.220 --> 00:07:14.680 players develop. And going to franchise cricket, 00:07:14.779 --> 00:07:17.079 like when you go abroad, you probably don't... 00:07:17.310 --> 00:07:19.850 get that element of coaching because it's all 00:07:19.850 --> 00:07:22.209 about player management you know a month with 00:07:22.209 --> 00:07:25.509 a team and you've got to win or lose so yeah 00:07:25.509 --> 00:07:28.310 so I and I'm loving this you know going into 00:07:28.310 --> 00:07:30.870 my my role with England now I feel like I'm back 00:07:30.870 --> 00:07:33.490 into that sort of there's part of my role that 00:07:33.490 --> 00:07:35.370 is going to be about development about getting 00:07:35.370 --> 00:07:37.839 the next players through and I guess I'm really 00:07:37.839 --> 00:07:39.920 really excited about that and you know looking 00:07:39.920 --> 00:07:42.100 forward to the next challenge. So eight years 00:07:42.100 --> 00:07:44.060 I mean yeah it's not that long since you were 00:07:44.060 --> 00:07:46.220 playing but long enough for you to have got some 00:07:46.220 --> 00:07:49.500 clear distance between playing and coaching which 00:07:49.500 --> 00:07:51.000 is important isn't it because you sometimes see 00:07:51.000 --> 00:07:53.959 people I think getting dropped into big coaching 00:07:53.959 --> 00:07:56.319 roles too quickly after playing but you know 00:07:56.319 --> 00:07:58.829 you're clearly you've... done the hard graft 00:07:58.829 --> 00:08:01.209 to to get to where you've got to which is important 00:08:01.209 --> 00:08:03.189 yeah and I think I've been quite deliberate in 00:08:03.189 --> 00:08:04.829 the way I've gone about it I've had some really 00:08:04.829 --> 00:08:08.189 good sort of advice from from coaches when I 00:08:08.189 --> 00:08:10.149 stopped playing they said don't do a head coach 00:08:10.149 --> 00:08:13.069 role too quickly and I probably took three three 00:08:13.069 --> 00:08:15.649 years to whether I wanted and there was plenty 00:08:15.649 --> 00:08:18.779 of roles there for me to do but I I didn't want 00:08:18.779 --> 00:08:20.579 to jump into something like that having just 00:08:20.579 --> 00:08:22.939 played for 20 years I didn't want that pressure 00:08:22.939 --> 00:08:25.759 I wanted to understand coaching and I was really 00:08:25.759 --> 00:08:27.899 lucky to get some opportunity at the Adelaide 00:08:27.899 --> 00:08:32.519 Strikers as an assistant coach and Tim Nilsen 00:08:32.519 --> 00:08:35.320 was the head of performance there and he was 00:08:35.320 --> 00:08:37.559 really good and advising me about what to do 00:08:37.559 --> 00:08:40.679 and yeah so I really value his input he had when 00:08:40.679 --> 00:08:43.500 I stopped so I think I think I've had a really 00:08:43.500 --> 00:08:47.159 nice pathway into coaching and obviously the 00:08:47.159 --> 00:08:49.379 opportunities that came off at Hampshire with 00:08:49.379 --> 00:08:51.860 the Southern Vipers and then obviously I've gone 00:08:51.860 --> 00:08:54.019 on to do franchise gigs around the world. So 00:08:54.019 --> 00:08:56.639 it's been a nice, it's been a progressive sort 00:08:56.639 --> 00:08:59.399 of coaching, I guess, few years really. And the 00:08:59.399 --> 00:09:01.740 Adelaide Strikers bit and the franchise coaching 00:09:01.740 --> 00:09:04.879 around the world, that's really, I think, important, 00:09:04.899 --> 00:09:08.129 isn't it, for coaches who are... at the top end 00:09:08.129 --> 00:09:10.230 of the game to get that international experience 00:09:10.230 --> 00:09:12.029 I'm not sure I mean at the moment I think about 00:09:12.029 --> 00:09:14.350 football actually more than cricket here but 00:09:14.350 --> 00:09:17.909 other sports how willing English coaches are 00:09:17.909 --> 00:09:21.429 to go abroad relative to how many Australian 00:09:21.429 --> 00:09:23.669 South African coaches I see who are willing to 00:09:23.669 --> 00:09:25.870 come over here you know I mean it's it's not 00:09:25.870 --> 00:09:27.690 for everyone is it because you have to up sticks 00:09:27.690 --> 00:09:30.230 and go and spend a lot of time away from Wokingham 00:09:30.230 --> 00:09:32.809 Cricket Club but but the regard that you know 00:09:32.809 --> 00:09:35.909 it's a it's an important part of any coach's 00:09:35.909 --> 00:09:37.789 development isn't it to spend a bit of time abroad 00:09:37.789 --> 00:09:39.570 looking at cricket in different cultures and 00:09:39.570 --> 00:09:41.830 different conditions yeah and I just feel like 00:09:41.830 --> 00:09:44.210 I've been incredibly lucky to get some really 00:09:44.210 --> 00:09:46.149 good opportunities like when I stopped playing 00:09:46.190 --> 00:09:48.570 at Adelaide Strikers but then equally three years 00:09:48.570 --> 00:09:50.889 ago getting the head coach role at the Sydney 00:09:50.889 --> 00:09:54.169 Sixes and then Mumbai Indians you know the last 00:09:54.169 --> 00:09:57.029 three years I've developed so much as a coach 00:09:57.029 --> 00:09:59.490 through that international experience, just dealing 00:09:59.490 --> 00:10:03.210 with best players, but equally auctions, drafts, 00:10:03.210 --> 00:10:05.210 and going through all that process, I think, 00:10:05.210 --> 00:10:08.909 has been really good. So, yeah, I feel like every 00:10:08.909 --> 00:10:11.590 step I've kind of been ready for, and, yeah, 00:10:11.669 --> 00:10:14.889 I guess it's obviously ended in, obviously, me 00:10:14.889 --> 00:10:17.230 becoming the England women's head coach, which 00:10:17.230 --> 00:10:19.009 probably three years ago I wasn't ready to do 00:10:19.009 --> 00:10:20.509 that, but that experience I've had in the last 00:10:20.509 --> 00:10:22.389 three years set me up. Do you like travelling? 00:10:22.590 --> 00:10:25.250 I mean, because not everybody does. Do you like 00:10:25.250 --> 00:10:27.350 getting on planes and seeing new places? It's 00:10:27.350 --> 00:10:30.730 been my life, if I'm honest. So you do get used 00:10:30.730 --> 00:10:33.309 to being away in the winter. I think if I was 00:10:33.309 --> 00:10:35.690 to spend a winter in England, it would probably 00:10:35.690 --> 00:10:38.350 be quite tough now. Drag on a bit. Yeah. However 00:10:38.350 --> 00:10:40.929 much I do love coming home. And I think England 00:10:40.929 --> 00:10:43.230 will always be my home. And I've always said 00:10:43.230 --> 00:10:46.289 that. But I do love... going away and I've loved 00:10:46.289 --> 00:10:48.929 I've loved the WPL as well there's been so many 00:10:48.929 --> 00:10:51.330 elements to that in terms of the cultural stuff 00:10:51.330 --> 00:10:53.690 and working with different players out there 00:10:53.690 --> 00:10:56.269 and some of them didn't even understand me so 00:10:56.269 --> 00:10:59.210 I've had to work in slightly different ways so 00:10:59.210 --> 00:11:01.929 all of this stuff is has really helped me develop 00:11:01.929 --> 00:11:04.509 as a coach and different styles because different 00:11:04.509 --> 00:11:06.750 teams require different styles and I think that's 00:11:06.750 --> 00:11:09.429 what you have to adapt to as a coach as well 00:11:09.429 --> 00:11:12.740 that you have to be slightly different in with 00:11:12.740 --> 00:11:15.179 the same values and what have you but i think 00:11:15.179 --> 00:11:17.340 um that's one thing i've really enjoyed actually 00:11:17.340 --> 00:11:19.700 is i can be slightly different in each of the 00:11:19.700 --> 00:11:22.340 teams i've Worked in. I was going to ask you, 00:11:22.360 --> 00:11:24.279 actually, because if you are travelling around, 00:11:24.399 --> 00:11:25.860 which you have been for the last few years, you've 00:11:25.860 --> 00:11:28.120 spent winters away and time here, do you get 00:11:28.120 --> 00:11:31.279 time to pursue other hobbies outside of cricket? 00:11:31.480 --> 00:11:33.840 Because, I mean, I've known you for quite a few 00:11:33.840 --> 00:11:36.639 years now, not especially well, but we go back 00:11:36.639 --> 00:11:39.620 a few years, and I only know you as a cricketer, 00:11:39.639 --> 00:11:42.080 captain, coach, leader, all that side of it. 00:11:42.100 --> 00:11:45.480 Are you a prolific reader or the travel element? 00:11:45.700 --> 00:11:48.580 Do you get time to do much else outside of cricket 00:11:48.580 --> 00:11:50.990 that you're interested in? it's the last three 00:11:50.990 --> 00:11:54.509 years it's just been back to back cricket I think 00:11:54.509 --> 00:11:58.070 I was saying the other day that I pretty much 00:11:58.070 --> 00:12:00.809 had December and a bit of January off so I think 00:12:00.809 --> 00:12:04.830 I had six weeks off like preparing a team competitively 00:12:04.830 --> 00:12:07.889 to play and actually that became quite hard in 00:12:07.889 --> 00:12:10.440 the end because you are you are on for literally 00:12:10.440 --> 00:12:13.240 10 months of the year yes and and i don't think 00:12:13.240 --> 00:12:15.320 people quite understand and sometimes i don't 00:12:15.320 --> 00:12:17.480 think players quite understand you know you're 00:12:17.480 --> 00:12:19.940 constantly preparing you're having to pick a 00:12:19.940 --> 00:12:22.399 team you're having to then review a game you're 00:12:22.399 --> 00:12:24.320 having to then prepare for the next one and i 00:12:24.320 --> 00:12:27.080 mean it's so full -on it's it's really full -on 00:12:27.080 --> 00:12:29.740 and it's probably towards the end of this sort 00:12:29.740 --> 00:12:32.220 of three -year block i was you could you could 00:12:32.220 --> 00:12:34.840 start to feel the fatigue and i think one of 00:12:34.840 --> 00:12:37.120 my big things as a coach was i always wanted 00:12:37.120 --> 00:12:39.759 to bring energy and i i probably was but i was 00:12:39.759 --> 00:12:42.580 i it felt like it was properly starting to drain 00:12:42.580 --> 00:12:45.259 me because um because when you're working for 00:12:45.259 --> 00:12:47.539 10 months a year and you know the highs and lows 00:12:47.539 --> 00:12:51.039 of of cricket you know last year wasn't a particularly 00:12:51.039 --> 00:12:54.940 great year like i'd had the success of 2023 we 00:12:54.940 --> 00:12:58.179 won double and i won the wpl and then last year 00:12:58.179 --> 00:13:02.000 was a pretty tough year if i'm honest but I stayed 00:13:02.000 --> 00:13:04.159 the same throughout. And then, you know, to go 00:13:04.159 --> 00:13:06.679 over to the WPL this year and obviously achieve, 00:13:06.840 --> 00:13:09.379 you know, that success again. What it made me 00:13:09.379 --> 00:13:11.399 realise was you've got to enjoy those moments 00:13:11.399 --> 00:13:14.659 because I didn't have a very good 2024. And I 00:13:14.659 --> 00:13:16.500 was like, oh, God, this is tough. But it was 00:13:16.500 --> 00:13:18.399 really good for me, you know, because I've had 00:13:18.399 --> 00:13:20.259 quite a lot of success in my coaching career 00:13:20.259 --> 00:13:22.720 up until then. And last year, you know, came 00:13:22.720 --> 00:13:25.600 last in the hundred. But it's all part of this 00:13:25.600 --> 00:13:28.080 development piece, I think, as I'm growing as 00:13:28.080 --> 00:13:29.980 a coach constantly. And I don't think you're 00:13:29.980 --> 00:13:31.659 ever the finished article. cool how do you find 00:13:31.659 --> 00:13:33.500 managing the emotions because you say about having 00:13:33.500 --> 00:13:36.039 successful periods and then periods where it 00:13:36.039 --> 00:13:37.860 doesn't go quite so well and you know one of 00:13:37.860 --> 00:13:39.419 the things we talk about a lot in coaching isn't 00:13:39.419 --> 00:13:42.100 it is even keel and just staying level and it's 00:13:42.100 --> 00:13:44.279 all very easy to say but actually it takes a 00:13:44.279 --> 00:13:46.679 hell of a lot of energy and self -awareness actually 00:13:46.679 --> 00:13:48.620 you mentioned already to sort of manage your 00:13:48.620 --> 00:13:50.600 way through that do you find that natural and 00:13:50.600 --> 00:13:52.539 easy or is that still something you have to work 00:13:52.539 --> 00:13:56.980 at no I if anything I found that part of it quite 00:13:56.980 --> 00:13:59.980 easy because I I think you understand the impact 00:13:59.980 --> 00:14:02.480 you can have on a player through your emotions 00:14:02.480 --> 00:14:05.820 and your behaviours. And you're absolutely right. 00:14:05.879 --> 00:14:08.200 One of my coaching principles is being consistent 00:14:08.200 --> 00:14:11.659 and staying really level because the last thing 00:14:11.659 --> 00:14:15.139 I would want is a player to feel pressure from 00:14:15.139 --> 00:14:17.639 me because our job is to take the pressure off 00:14:17.639 --> 00:14:19.139 the players. Trevor Bates always said that. That 00:14:19.139 --> 00:14:21.440 was his number one thing was take pressure away 00:14:21.440 --> 00:14:24.179 from the players rather than in any way add to 00:14:24.179 --> 00:14:26.379 that. You know, you can't remove everything because... 00:14:26.799 --> 00:14:29.059 The game is about performance, but equally some 00:14:29.059 --> 00:14:31.659 stuff that you can remove or certainly how I 00:14:31.659 --> 00:14:33.940 behave around the players. I would hate that 00:14:33.940 --> 00:14:36.519 to be a factor to them not being successful on 00:14:36.519 --> 00:14:39.200 the pitch. So I find that quite easy because 00:14:39.200 --> 00:14:41.820 that's my competitive side because I want them 00:14:41.820 --> 00:14:45.440 to do really well. So I've got to manage my behaviours 00:14:45.440 --> 00:14:47.940 to make sure they're in the best possible place 00:14:47.940 --> 00:14:50.039 to perform. In all of this stuff, you're just 00:14:50.039 --> 00:14:52.539 learning constantly. And I mean, I'm certainly 00:14:52.539 --> 00:14:55.669 not the finished article, but... I think what 00:14:55.669 --> 00:14:58.070 I have done is learnt a lot. I reflect really 00:14:58.070 --> 00:15:00.169 well. I think that's really important. You've 00:15:00.169 --> 00:15:02.990 got good people around you who are always mentoring 00:15:02.990 --> 00:15:04.929 and supporting you, which I think, again, is 00:15:04.929 --> 00:15:07.009 so important. When I was driving over here today, 00:15:07.129 --> 00:15:08.509 I was wondering what I was going to ask you. 00:15:08.529 --> 00:15:10.789 I thought I wanted role models and you were talking 00:15:10.789 --> 00:15:12.490 about having good people around you. And just 00:15:12.490 --> 00:15:14.529 when you were talking there about taking pressure 00:15:14.529 --> 00:15:17.370 off, perhaps you experienced as a player times 00:15:17.370 --> 00:15:20.139 where... you felt pressure was being heaped upon 00:15:20.139 --> 00:15:22.519 you by coaches rather than taken off you I don't 00:15:22.519 --> 00:15:26.720 know but have you got role models who you sort 00:15:26.720 --> 00:15:28.899 of look back on who you think yeah that or some 00:15:28.899 --> 00:15:31.519 of what they did you want to emulate and sort 00:15:31.519 --> 00:15:33.980 of picked up bits along the way from having worked 00:15:33.980 --> 00:15:36.919 under coaches yeah I think that's something I 00:15:36.919 --> 00:15:39.279 was at the time I probably didn't realize I was 00:15:39.279 --> 00:15:41.200 doing it but I was quite inquisitive as a player 00:15:41.200 --> 00:15:44.840 and curious yeah and I think I worked with so 00:15:44.840 --> 00:15:48.440 many coaches and I tried to just take bits and 00:15:48.440 --> 00:15:51.159 bobs from all of them because i think every coach 00:15:51.159 --> 00:15:52.940 has got strengths and weaknesses and i always 00:15:52.940 --> 00:15:55.580 just tried to to see the strengths and i think 00:15:55.580 --> 00:15:57.620 over covid was when i decided i was going to 00:15:57.620 --> 00:16:00.340 take on this hampshire role as head coach and 00:16:00.340 --> 00:16:03.100 i kind of wrote down a lot of things about all 00:16:03.100 --> 00:16:05.519 the coaches that i'd worked with that i kind 00:16:05.519 --> 00:16:07.659 of yeah i like that i didn't like that as much 00:16:07.659 --> 00:16:10.480 so you kind of went through and thought yeah 00:16:10.480 --> 00:16:13.500 that's that's what i would like to be like as 00:16:13.500 --> 00:16:16.379 a coach so that covid time was i think a really 00:16:16.379 --> 00:16:19.929 good time for me to just assess what kind of 00:16:19.929 --> 00:16:23.269 coach i wanted to be and there's a lot of strands 00:16:23.269 --> 00:16:25.990 to it which i realized but but going back to 00:16:25.990 --> 00:16:27.669 your point you know i was i was really lucky 00:16:27.669 --> 00:16:30.529 obviously mark lane i worked with with england 00:16:30.529 --> 00:16:34.110 2009 he was you know he was someone that you 00:16:34.110 --> 00:16:36.210 know i had a really good a bond with in terms 00:16:36.210 --> 00:16:38.370 of captain the coach relationship and i just 00:16:38.370 --> 00:16:41.649 he bought a lot of fun um but a serious side 00:16:41.649 --> 00:16:44.570 to him as well which I I really enjoyed and Paul 00:16:44.570 --> 00:16:47.309 Shaw he was he was coaching England and you know 00:16:47.309 --> 00:16:49.190 I liked the way he brought the team together 00:16:49.190 --> 00:16:51.590 the cultural stuff which was really good David 00:16:51.590 --> 00:16:53.470 Capel was an assistant at the time he's someone 00:16:53.470 --> 00:16:55.429 who'd mentored me for a long time as a player 00:16:55.429 --> 00:16:58.230 so I had someone I really trusted so then you 00:16:58.230 --> 00:16:59.950 start to realize you need people around you really 00:16:59.950 --> 00:17:02.669 trust as well so I knew when I got a coaching 00:17:02.669 --> 00:17:05.220 role I'd want you know, good people around me 00:17:05.220 --> 00:17:06.680 who challenge, I think you've got to have people 00:17:06.680 --> 00:17:08.559 who challenge you as well. I don't want people 00:17:08.559 --> 00:17:09.980 just sitting there going, yes, Charlotte, yeah, 00:17:10.000 --> 00:17:12.200 I agree with you. I actually really, I really, 00:17:12.259 --> 00:17:14.720 and Paul Pritchard, who I, who's now taken over 00:17:14.720 --> 00:17:17.319 from, for me from Hampshire, he was someone I 00:17:17.319 --> 00:17:19.619 really always valued in, in the Hampshire set 00:17:19.619 --> 00:17:21.839 up because he would always ring me up, give me 00:17:21.839 --> 00:17:24.400 his point of view and it wouldn't be the same 00:17:24.400 --> 00:17:26.539 as mine, but he totally respects that it was 00:17:26.539 --> 00:17:29.980 my decision, but he wanted to, yeah, but he would 00:17:29.980 --> 00:17:32.599 always make me think of something. I'd go, Yeah, 00:17:32.619 --> 00:17:34.339 that's a really good point. They're the best 00:17:34.339 --> 00:17:36.299 assistants, aren't they? The people that you 00:17:36.299 --> 00:17:38.579 want around you. Because if they just nod, say 00:17:38.579 --> 00:17:40.299 yes and agree with everything, then you're not 00:17:40.299 --> 00:17:41.920 adding anything, are you? Yeah, and that's one 00:17:41.920 --> 00:17:44.359 thing, I think one of my probably strengths as 00:17:44.359 --> 00:17:47.220 a coach, I really like asking people their opinions. 00:17:47.759 --> 00:17:51.460 But I know that I will always go with what I 00:17:51.460 --> 00:17:54.200 think. But their opinions really count because 00:17:54.200 --> 00:17:57.039 they've probably made me think slightly differently. 00:17:57.240 --> 00:17:59.339 But ultimately, I always say in coaching, I've 00:17:59.339 --> 00:18:01.019 got to be the one that delivers the decision. 00:18:02.009 --> 00:18:03.329 And I've got to be really comfortable with that 00:18:03.329 --> 00:18:05.690 decision. And I've got to tell that player why 00:18:05.690 --> 00:18:07.750 they're not playing. And it's something I really, 00:18:07.809 --> 00:18:11.150 I think I really respect that. And I've respected 00:18:11.150 --> 00:18:13.269 that, obviously, from playing days until now, 00:18:13.470 --> 00:18:16.630 that that's a big call to make. So you've got 00:18:16.630 --> 00:18:19.549 to be as prepared as you possibly can and deliver 00:18:19.549 --> 00:18:21.329 it in the best possible way you can. And I was 00:18:21.329 --> 00:18:23.049 interested in those names that you've thrown 00:18:23.049 --> 00:18:26.710 out there. Coaches are well known and have been 00:18:26.710 --> 00:18:30.140 very successful at different times. I always 00:18:30.140 --> 00:18:32.259 thought your generation was the first that would 00:18:32.259 --> 00:18:35.460 have a whole batch of really top female coaches. 00:18:35.720 --> 00:18:38.940 And you've proved that, but you're not alone. 00:18:39.079 --> 00:18:41.160 You've got lots of others from your generation. 00:18:41.299 --> 00:18:43.539 There weren't many before you were there and 00:18:43.539 --> 00:18:45.819 the whole got to see it to be it. I don't know 00:18:45.819 --> 00:18:47.960 if that ever made you sort of nervous about the 00:18:47.960 --> 00:18:51.660 future of coaching for you or whether you realised 00:18:51.660 --> 00:18:54.059 and had the understanding, confidence that... 00:18:54.299 --> 00:18:55.660 It was going to be different for your generation. 00:18:56.000 --> 00:18:58.660 I did. I never thought I'd be in this position 00:18:58.660 --> 00:19:01.599 where I'd be, you know, probably a full -time 00:19:01.599 --> 00:19:04.400 coach of, well, certainly the England team. You 00:19:04.400 --> 00:19:06.619 didn't think that? No. I was absolutely sure 00:19:06.619 --> 00:19:08.539 you were going to be doing it. Honestly, 10 years 00:19:08.539 --> 00:19:11.200 ago, I was convinced that was your future. Well, 00:19:11.299 --> 00:19:14.259 I think probably more the domestic set -up being 00:19:14.259 --> 00:19:17.319 a full -time head coach. You know, that seemed 00:19:17.319 --> 00:19:19.740 a long way off probably six or seven years ago. 00:19:20.000 --> 00:19:21.359 Just because of where the game was. Yeah, and 00:19:21.359 --> 00:19:23.079 the franchise stuff that I've managed to do in 00:19:23.079 --> 00:19:25.769 the last... little bit as well I think that's 00:19:25.769 --> 00:19:28.289 really surprised me I look I've always had ambition 00:19:28.289 --> 00:19:31.250 to coach England I think once I decided coaching 00:19:31.250 --> 00:19:33.809 was the path for me you want to coach at the 00:19:33.809 --> 00:19:36.509 highest level and you know you you want to coach 00:19:36.509 --> 00:19:38.589 internationally but it was all about timing and 00:19:38.589 --> 00:19:41.490 the right time for that and this just felt completely 00:19:42.250 --> 00:19:44.509 the right time for me, having had the experiences 00:19:44.509 --> 00:19:46.329 I've had and the opportunities I've had over 00:19:46.329 --> 00:19:49.269 the last few years. I mean, life is so much about 00:19:49.269 --> 00:19:52.269 timing, isn't it? You need the right things to 00:19:52.269 --> 00:19:54.970 come up at the right time and to all fit together. 00:19:55.529 --> 00:19:59.700 You do. And it felt, you know, this was just 00:19:59.700 --> 00:20:02.119 fitting together really nicely because I think 00:20:02.119 --> 00:20:04.920 I had come to a point at Hampshire where potentially, 00:20:04.980 --> 00:20:06.700 you know, I'd coached that team for five years. 00:20:06.779 --> 00:20:09.759 You feel like how much more can you give to that 00:20:09.759 --> 00:20:11.940 group? We've done most of the franchise teams 00:20:11.940 --> 00:20:15.240 for three or four years, which feels like a good 00:20:15.240 --> 00:20:19.059 chunk of time as well. So it did feel like it 00:20:19.059 --> 00:20:22.319 was... the time but yeah you never know when 00:20:22.319 --> 00:20:24.240 that's going to be i couldn't have predicted 00:20:24.240 --> 00:20:26.460 at christmas that i'd be sat here now whether 00:20:26.460 --> 00:20:28.759 a vacancy comes up at the right time all those 00:20:28.759 --> 00:20:31.720 sorts of things yeah and so from now so for the 00:20:31.720 --> 00:20:33.799 next month or so i'm always interested when you're 00:20:33.799 --> 00:20:35.539 starting i mean you must know all the players 00:20:35.539 --> 00:20:38.759 so well anyway presumably some better than others 00:20:38.759 --> 00:20:41.240 but all of them well you'll you'll know your 00:20:41.240 --> 00:20:43.819 sort of coaches that you'll be working alongside 00:20:43.819 --> 00:20:47.559 but you must be spending every possible minute 00:20:47.559 --> 00:20:49.259 available trying to get to know all the people 00:20:49.259 --> 00:20:52.079 better as a start point is that or or what's 00:20:52.079 --> 00:20:54.619 the priority at this stage oh yeah i mean a big 00:20:54.619 --> 00:20:57.720 part of my coaching principles have been about 00:20:57.720 --> 00:21:00.019 relationships so I've got I've got to build strong 00:21:00.019 --> 00:21:01.920 relationships and that's going to be done over 00:21:01.920 --> 00:21:04.200 the next little bit I've been really lucky that 00:21:04.200 --> 00:21:05.900 I know a lot of the players like you say but 00:21:05.900 --> 00:21:07.839 they're watching some cricket which is going 00:21:07.839 --> 00:21:09.460 to be a bit different for me because normally 00:21:09.460 --> 00:21:12.980 I'm full on into a season by now so I've I've 00:21:12.980 --> 00:21:14.859 I'm looking at things slightly differently now 00:21:14.859 --> 00:21:17.700 and it's you know it's quite nice I'm going to 00:21:17.700 --> 00:21:20.819 go to a game tomorrow and just watch observing 00:21:20.819 --> 00:21:22.960 time is so important isn't it because I remember 00:21:22.960 --> 00:21:24.740 that I think it was Duncan Fletcher the stories 00:21:24.740 --> 00:21:27.099 about how he had spent hours and hours watching 00:21:27.099 --> 00:21:28.799 actually they thought he was a fraud when he 00:21:28.799 --> 00:21:30.420 first turned up because he literally said nothing 00:21:30.420 --> 00:21:33.119 for months and months at Glamorgan I think it 00:21:33.119 --> 00:21:36.640 was and then gradually became more active interacting 00:21:36.640 --> 00:21:38.680 more with the players and offering feedback and 00:21:38.680 --> 00:21:39.940 that sort of thing so to start with you know 00:21:39.940 --> 00:21:41.819 if you've got the luxury of a bit of time to 00:21:41.819 --> 00:21:44.200 observe before you have to dive in that's a good 00:21:44.200 --> 00:21:46.559 thing and it was really nice you know I had two 00:21:46.559 --> 00:21:49.279 weeks with the players which I really valued 00:21:49.279 --> 00:21:51.059 and it was it was really nice not to just go 00:21:51.059 --> 00:21:53.559 straight into an international series so I think 00:21:53.559 --> 00:21:55.799 you know we've set things up them to go away 00:21:55.799 --> 00:21:57.859 now and play because that was one of the big 00:21:57.859 --> 00:22:00.380 things me coming into this role I wanted them 00:22:00.380 --> 00:22:03.079 to play more and I wanted them to play more competitive 00:22:03.079 --> 00:22:05.640 cricket at county level which they haven't done 00:22:05.640 --> 00:22:09.839 for a few years so I'm excited by that and I 00:22:09.839 --> 00:22:12.119 think hopefully what will come across is that 00:22:12.119 --> 00:22:14.559 I love the women's game I love England cricket 00:22:14.559 --> 00:22:17.079 but equally I really value county cricket and 00:22:17.079 --> 00:22:20.099 I see the important part that that plays in in 00:22:20.099 --> 00:22:22.799 developing England cricketers and I've had lots 00:22:22.799 --> 00:22:25.299 of conversations and you know that It's not just 00:22:25.299 --> 00:22:26.759 around the players, it's building relationships 00:22:26.759 --> 00:22:29.079 with all the counties so they understand where 00:22:29.079 --> 00:22:31.980 we want to take these players and what players 00:22:31.980 --> 00:22:35.240 we want to see and if they can in any way help 00:22:35.240 --> 00:22:36.859 us on this journey. Because I think we've all 00:22:36.859 --> 00:22:39.779 got to work together to get England back to where 00:22:39.779 --> 00:22:43.180 we want them to get back to. I'm really confident 00:22:43.180 --> 00:22:45.160 we can do that quickly. I think, you know, the 00:22:45.160 --> 00:22:47.920 winter was disappointing. But, you know, we've 00:22:47.920 --> 00:22:50.559 all seen the talent in the England team. And, 00:22:50.559 --> 00:22:52.619 yeah, I think hopefully we can get on back on 00:22:52.619 --> 00:22:55.359 track. And we've got a World Cup in October, 00:22:55.519 --> 00:22:59.259 which I'm pretty excited about. Yeah. And the 00:22:59.259 --> 00:23:00.779 last thing I was going to ask you about is the 00:23:00.779 --> 00:23:03.380 future beyond that and the next. The exciting 00:23:03.380 --> 00:23:05.220 thing about the women's game, you said just there. 00:23:05.759 --> 00:23:08.420 you love the women's game and what makes it so 00:23:08.420 --> 00:23:10.140 appealing to so many people i think is it's the 00:23:10.140 --> 00:23:13.720 speed of evolving is incredible isn't it if you 00:23:13.720 --> 00:23:15.920 think back even to eight years ago i keep going 00:23:15.920 --> 00:23:17.880 eight years when when you when you played but 00:23:17.880 --> 00:23:20.599 the last 10 years when you were playing as well 00:23:20.599 --> 00:23:23.380 so you go the last 20 years it has basically 00:23:23.380 --> 00:23:25.500 changed out of all recognition and it makes you 00:23:25.500 --> 00:23:28.519 wonder when we're sitting at Wokingham Cricket Club 00:23:28.519 --> 00:23:30.960 in 10 years time, where the game will be by then. 00:23:31.039 --> 00:23:33.099 I mean, that makes it exciting, doesn't it? Have 00:23:33.099 --> 00:23:35.579 to try and keep up and horizon scanning all the 00:23:35.579 --> 00:23:38.579 time. Yeah, I mean, the last five years has just 00:23:38.579 --> 00:23:42.059 been incredible. And yeah, I often have to sort 00:23:42.059 --> 00:23:44.299 of sit back and go, wow, this is this is pretty 00:23:44.299 --> 00:23:46.460 special, especially, you know. When I've been 00:23:46.460 --> 00:23:51.000 sat in India in a WPL final and you can see not 00:23:51.000 --> 00:23:53.500 just the people in the ground, but you know the 00:23:53.500 --> 00:23:57.559 impact that game is having worldwide. The eyes 00:23:57.559 --> 00:24:00.500 on that tournament now. And the skills on the 00:24:00.500 --> 00:24:03.400 pitch. That's the start and end of it, isn't 00:24:03.400 --> 00:24:06.579 it? That's the thing now. It sort of blows your 00:24:06.579 --> 00:24:08.740 mind a little bit to think how quickly the game's 00:24:08.740 --> 00:24:11.759 evolved and where it will go to, because there's 00:24:11.759 --> 00:24:14.509 no doubt about it. that's the great thing now 00:24:14.509 --> 00:24:17.690 you know young girls will hopefully choose cricket 00:24:17.690 --> 00:24:20.269 over other sports which previously probably have 00:24:20.269 --> 00:24:22.490 chosen i think we're in a really strong position 00:24:23.830 --> 00:24:26.670 but, you know, obviously my lens is on England 00:24:26.670 --> 00:24:29.470 and making us as strong as we possibly can. Well, 00:24:29.509 --> 00:24:30.910 look, good luck. It's been great to catch up 00:24:30.910 --> 00:24:32.589 again. I hope you enjoy it, carry on enjoying 00:24:32.589 --> 00:24:35.130 it as much as you clearly do. I'm sure you'll 00:24:35.130 --> 00:24:36.849 have your good moments, won't you? And then you'll 00:24:36.849 --> 00:24:38.329 have moments where you're thinking, oh, dear, 00:24:38.430 --> 00:24:40.430 this is hard at work. But that's the nature of 00:24:40.430 --> 00:24:42.329 it, isn't it? I'm sure you'll love it. Yeah, 00:24:42.369 --> 00:24:44.690 thanks, Tim. Thanks very much. That's Charlotte 00:24:44.690 --> 00:24:47.809 Edwards, England captain turned head coach. Good 00:24:47.809 --> 00:24:50.650 luck to her in her new role. That's it for this 00:24:50.650 --> 00:24:53.359 episode of The icoachcricket Podcast. Thanks 00:24:53.359 --> 00:24:53.960 for listening.