A One on One with Joanne Broadbent

Joanne Broadbent OAM, a distinguished figure in cricket, boasts a remarkable career both on and off the field. Her journey began with a successful playing career, including notable performances like scoring 200 runs in a Test against England and taking 5-10 against New Zealand. Transitioning into coaching, she made significant impacts at Queensland Cricket and as head coach for the NSW Breakers and Sydney Thunder, leading her teams to multiple WBBL and WNCL titles. Her expertise and contributions to the sport were recognized with the prestigious Medal of the Order of Australia in 2018. Beyond coaching, Broadbent has been a dynamic sports media representative and commentator for ABC, FoxSports, and Spark Sport TV, sharing her insights into women's cricket at both national and international levels. 

Female cricket has dramatically changed in the last 10 years with the professionalisation of the game, multiple facets evolving and as we continue to press for progress across Australian cricket, today we will spend time with a female coach who was at the coal face of the evolution, not just in Australia but across the world. 

Nic: Joanne Broadbent, welcome and thank you for spending time with me today reflecting on your amazing coaching career to date. Please tell me, how did it start for you? 

Jo: It started with a Primary State team and doing part time one on one coaching sessions for young community players. I was working at the South Australian Cricket Association (SACA) when I was given these opportunities.  

The first time I ever stood in front of anyone coaching, was through primary school visits with the SACA. Initially I was very shy and not wanting to stand up in front of classes and it took 4 days of school visits before I mustered up the courage to run a session. Most people wouldn’t associate with me being shy however my first experience was very nerve racking. Would I be good enough to run a session, what happens if something goes wrong, or I don’t say the right things. Well overtime this doubt disappeared with doing the same sessions over and over again throughout the schools in South Australia (SA) then onto coaching the SA State primary team who competed against other states then one on one sessions that led to my career of coaching all over the world. Since that first time I have loved the journey I have been on. It’s encouraged me to get out of my comfort zone where I’ve learned and grown from my experiences and understood that I have an immense passion for the game. 

Nic: What do you think is the key to being a good coach? 

Jo: Being able to read your group and create a culture where everybody feels worthy and can contribute. My first season with the Thunder in WBBL01, I shared my love of watching a TV series called Gilligan's Island. It was about a group of people with different backgrounds and personalities who were marooned on an island and each episode they created a plan to be rescued only to have failed attempts and they had sabotaged each other. It always fascinated me how this group of castaways could work together on a common goal only to sabotage each other every episode. The similarity of this TV series and coaching a cricket team was the thing that challenged me the most about coaching individuals in a team sport. Being able to engage with different personalities and skill sets to ultimately achieve success was my main focus when bringing a group together.  

Key focus was showing vulnerability, empathy and honesty while collaborating with players, staff, and organisations to achieve this success. Being approachable, flexible and listening effectively are all important when it comes to bringing a group of people together.  

Nic: I love the concept of vulnerability, it adds another layer to coaching. And as the game became more professional, what else helped you create the best team environment?   

Jo: When I first started coaching at Queensland Cricket, the head coach was a jack of all trades. Dealing with young players with minimal support staff and a lack of management and welfare understanding. The biggest growth came through a player welfare manager initially, which provided support and guidance to players and staff. By the time I had reached State level the staff support, facility availability, funding and the access to players had increased immensely. This also brought accountability to all involved. More funding meant more specialist coaches and other fulltime staff such as physiotherapist, strength and conditioners, psychologists and nutritionists. This helped build the professionalism which effectively created the best team environments.  

In terms of the biggest breakdowns in environments is a lack of effective communication. Main conflicts being team selection and/or player roles. You can think you have covered every angle of communication and sometimes the intent shown isn’t what is heard from the player. Being able to assess this situation and act on it is the toughest example I’ve experienced. The outcome is usually a positive one when the staff and players can come together in honest conversations to deal with the conflict. Ultimately my philosophy has always been to inspire, develop and challenge players and staff to be their best which includes me as well.  

Nic: Did you have any coach mentors or networks during your journey? 

Jo: There were numerous seminars, workshops, and courses I attended throughout the years and ones I had contributed in by conducting sessions. Along this path I have come across many different styles of coaches including ones from other sports where I have learnt many lessons. I keep in contact with many coaches over the world where we touch base to share experiences and learnings. This initially was a big step as I was reluctant to feel worthy and confident enough to share my experiences, especially the difficult times.  

From a mentoring perspective, when I was representing Australia in particular at the end of my playing career, I would ask lots of questions of our coaches in the environment. I picked up little bits from each of them learning different viewpoints from my own and challenging my philosophies. John Harmer coached the Australian women’s team for 10 years of my 12 year career and I admired him for his technical skills and how he built confidence in players through doing the basics. Once we had mastered the technique, we had fun building our strengths and improving our weaknesses. The power game was definitely a game changer for our era.  

Nic: As players became full time, what did you notice around batting advancements compared to your era as a player? 

Jo: Apart from the bats being much bigger these days, I think the thing I noticed the most is the power hitting especially down the ground. As players turned into athletes, the transition from amateur to professionalism saw full-time athletes train more, play more and physically become stronger. Being stronger and executing skills more often, the batting is more consistent. Also, the ability to reverse, ramp, lap and movement around the crease happens more often. Whilst there is still a place for technique another important aspect is being able to perform under pressure and being physically fit helps this immensely.  

Nic: Do you want to keep expanding on your thoughts on how the female game has evolved in the last decade? 

With better training and playing facilities made available, more access to athletes, more staff on board and games visible on TV the game has expanded in many different ways through marketing and improving athletes’ skills. In my role with Cricket New South Wales (CNSW) we went from training two nights a week to four days a week over a three-year transition. Having athlete access improved their skills, fitness and with a fulltime psychologist the mental component improved dramatically. Being able to cover routines, setbacks, and goal setting with experts, this improved confidence levels and direction. Also having access to more specialist coaches who drove individual sessions along with team building activities the game evolved both on and off the field.  

We had a unique situation in the NSW squad due to fulltime Australian players with part-time State players. Both needed to be coordinated as their timelines of programming were slightly different. Not wanting to hold athletes back and make them train in the evenings when they were available during the day or the number of times athletes could train during the week were two obstacles to overcome.  

There were lots of conversations going on with individuals because from a team perspective, if you make a team call, there's always going to be one or two where it disadvantages them. 

The Australian Cricket Association (ACA) helped each of the States understand that transition and made sure that it was all above board, and we were doing the right thing by the athletes. Things like over throwing, over bowling and not having the bowlers available to bowl to the batters were still challenging to manage.  

We brought in specialist coaches.  That was good because we could spend more time with players discussing tactics and their games. Tactically the game has grown through this access to players with coaches and the consistency to execute the skills has evolved. 

I always loved collaborating with other people. With the younger players you were more direct but with the professional athletes you wanted to create an environment that they can flourish and lead.  

As coaches, you need to be able to create space for athletes to lead and provide different points of view so your group can grow.  

I use a three-step process: assess your situation, come up with a plan—that's your tactical piece—and then execute. After game situations are over you get to reflect on your performances good or bad.   

And I think for me that's been a real blueprint from a life perspective as well as a coaching perspective. You must assess your situation, be well planned, have flexibility, adapt and the execution will take care of itself.  

If there was one thing I experienced at Cricket New South Wales (CNSW) that I didn't see in other places I’ve been is the strong leadership and the pathways program they had in place. This can take years to develop however it was the biggest strength at CNSW and it contributed to the team’s success.  

When I went to CNSW their women's team was highly regarded just as well as their men’s team because of the success and professional approach. The two CEOs, David Gilbert and Andrew Jones were very supportive, it was driven from the top and that often transcends down. 

That's been one of the biggest things with the female game in that how it's being viewed from the top, whether it's a budget line or how they are valued and celebrated. Obviously, when you have an A-Team like the NSW Breakers who have bled success over several years, it's easier to back that in and continue that flow. 

Nic: Even with that support, did you still have to fight a few battles?  

Jo: The main battles over my time have been with facilities, staffing, how an organisation defines success and funding to run a High-Performance program. Fighting for things is difficult at times however well worth having an opinion to make change that will help the game and personnel growth. Without proper facilities and extra staff how can you improve your athletes to the highest level. Without funding, defining success and measuring it then how can you have a high performing program.   

The best battles are the ones that are done with all stakeholders. Having courage and grit to make a difference is very rewarding.  

Nic: Do you have an example of a time you either stood up for something or wish you had? 

Jo: Whilst standing up for something can be difficult there have been many times I’ve stood up for the game, for myself or for the growth of players/staff. Sometimes situations can happen behind your back or through person’s undermining however if it’s detrimental to the group or myself then it’s about finding a way to break through barriers.  

One barrier to breakthrough was helping the Queensland FIRE athletes being paid a match fee. Initially it started being paid for wins which was something a former male player had mentioned to me around the male counterparts receiving before they were paid full contracts. This process took a season to occur however once it was certified it then took a further two years before players were paid per game. Eventually years down the track the game was professionalised with players now receiving contracts and match fee payments. Working with a collective of people made this happen.  

Other examples are challenging athletes in the environment with things they might not agree with or even see the value of them. I’ve stood up to individuals to make the culture a better place. Even something as simple as pairing up athletes to do a team activity where they get to know each other better to develop a younger player and stretch senior players.  

I remember doing a basic fielding drill at training the week leading into a final’s WBBL campaign to improve our efforts in the field. When our team was in a tough match situation this drill helped us win that game and while the athletes thought it wasn’t relevant during the week, they confessed and shared during a team match debrief how important that drill was to help us win. 

Nic: We have spoken today about the evolution of the game, and your own coaching journey within that. We want to continue to press for progress and one area I think we need to spend more time being proactive in is developing more female coaches, at all levels.  

Firstly, what’s your awareness of female coaches at the top level? 

Jo: Currently most head coaches around the world in either the men’s or women’s game are former players. There are four out of eight coaches in WBBL and two out of five in WIPL who are female head coaches. Whilst this number has improved over the years there is still more work to be done around creating High-Performance pathways for female coaches.  

What’s been great is to see females coaching in the male space as well which is great for athlete and coach growth.  

Ultimately women shouldn’t be appointed in roles just because they are female, they need to be highly skilled and have opportunities to show their worth no different to any male coach. Every coach no matter what gender needs to be qualified and they all require opportunities to grow.   

Nic: With the professionalism of women’s cricket, players are now staying in the game longer, what impact will that have on the number of female coaches in the future? 

Jo: Not every athlete will go into a coaching role of some capacity when they retire, however I believe athletes should be encouraged to be an accredited coach or entertain other roles in cricket while they are still playing. Attending a coaching course can help with any athlete’s career as well as helping teammates. I know for a number of years Queensland Cricket was ensuring that female players were attending their level two coaching course. Some of those coaches are now successfully in the system.  

With player numbers increasing with the professionalism of the game I’m sure there will be no shortage of female coaches in the future, playing a huge role in Australian cricket and around the world. 

Nic: So, to create more female coaches, is it a waiting game until this current era retire, like an Amy Satterthwaite, and we create opportunities for them? 

Jo: I feel like there are female coaches circulating now and it’s only a matter of time before other players take similar paths as more roles and opportunities for part-time contracts or full-time roles are available.  

If there is a passion for something, then usually there’s a driven aspiration to make it happen.  

Since I’ve entered coaching there has always been roles to pursue. The flow of opportunities has taken me around the world, and it’s been very rewarding. I’ve certainly had setbacks or roles I’ve not been chosen for; however it hasn’t stopped me coaching.  

Nic: For those with the passion perhaps not the experience what do we need to consider? 

Jo: Keep supporting and developing them at any level. Provide opportunities for coaches to be tested and challenge them to grow in their role. Have them shadow other cricket coaches as well as other sports. Upskill them through courses, seminars, or workshops. Develop a coach mentor program to keep them on track and stretch their ability.  

It’s great to see the likes of Julia Price and Jude Coleman, both of whom have come through the Queensland Cricket system where they were provided with a level two coaching course opportunity and have now gone onto Head Coach roles.  

Nic: Yeah, Jude Colman's a good one, a well-regarded coach. 

Nic: And at community level, where do you think we can find more coaches? And how do we best support them? 

Jo: I think from a community level, there's probably two areas where coaches come from; one is from teachers due to their skills of being able to educate and parents. I've seen some good scenarios with parents coaching teams and getting groups of other girls together to play in a team.  

Sandgate Redcliffe cricket club had Darryl McCarthy coach his daughter’s team, starting with a girl’s team that played in a boy’s competition. Usually, females start playing in boys’ teams until there is enough for a girl’s team then enough for a girls only competition. Girls have had the opportunities due to champion teachers or a parent willing to take on a team.  

Cricket associations need to keep looking for those champions out there and provide support in the community. Communication around coaching pathways where qualified coaches are targeted for certain roles and upskilling is provided. Even reach out to coaches currently on the Cricket Australia databases.  

Sometimes just asking the questions if someone is interested in pursuing a coaching career can help. This could be at school, club, or higher levels. All coaches need to feel valued and be able to have their own experiences as well as being able to receive open and honest feedback.  

Nic: That is great insight, what about your thoughts on how best to support coaches, any moments you remember personally?  

Jo: Listen to coaches and see what themes come out of your interactions with them. Tackle individual requests and support where possible. Encourage them to share their experiences and network with other coaches. The best support you can give is creating opportunities for them and provide honest feedback so coaches can keep growing.   

In my many roles with South Australia, Queensland, NSW, New Zealand and FairBreak, it’s been great to meet plenty of influential mentors as well as athletes such as Alex Blackwell, Ellyse Perry, Suzie Bates, Jodie Purvis, Rachel Haynes and Alyssa Healy who all taught me that one size doesn’t fit all. Whilst their leadership styles are all different, they were able to influence me and stretch my thinking.  

With all my roles, I’ve been able to broaden my experiences and have been supported by others talking positively about who I am as a coach, leader and more importantly, who I am as a person.  

Nic: We talk about that one quite often, being personalised and proactive in our approach. Not just sending an email and hope they turn up. 

Jo: It’s nice to be approached to do roles and generally coaches will jump at most chances. I’ve had opportunities to present online and in person coaching sessions as well as having opportunities to learn from others. Creating strong connections amongst coaches is a great way to make them feel valued. 

While I’ve been grateful for all my coaching opportunities not all of them have been suitable throughout my contracts. Changing environments, whether it be through athletes, support staff and/or management can make the role unsuitable for a variety of reasons. I always want to feel supported by an organisation and understand their vision, so I know I’m in the right place for personnel growth and for them.   

Nic: We have covered a lot, but are there any other messages you would like to share around developing more female coaches?  

Jo: I would like to see organisations take away the approach of doing subjective surveys and provide quality and personal face to face feedback to help female coaches develop. This could potentially extend to an organisation having a specific role where coaches have an independent person on staff to provide them this feedback. Coaching is about building connections, trust and being your true self while creating a learning and competitive environment.  

Self-reflection is very important for any coach to do, so get them to use coach reflection tools.  

I think female athletes are still adjusting to having female coaches as their head coaches. I feel this will be more accepted as more former players take on these roles and realise that female coaches are just as skilled as male coaches.  

It would be great to continue to see female coaches not only in head coach roles but as many as possible in assistant and/or specialist roles throughout men’s and women’s teams across the world at all levels.  

Nic: So, like a Coach Developer (CD), a job you may be interested in? 

When I finished up at CNSW I was lucky enough to do some mentoring roles through the ICC Women’s Global development program, Cricket Australia female coach program and a hands-on role with Northern Districts domestic team based in Hamilton, New Zealand. Absolutely loved all these coach developer roles before I went back into a Head Coach role with Northern Districts.  

Nic: Yeah, right.  

Jo: I like the idea of supporting and challenging a coach. There are times where coaches walk out of rooms, a session or a meeting and ask themselves, 'Did I have the right approach?' You second guess yourself at times and wonder if you could’ve handled it better. I think having a coach developer would be helpful.  

I know being able to collaborate with others is when you come up with the best ideas. Most of the time coaches are doing this with assistant coaches and/or management who sometimes don’t fully understand the situation or they have their own agendas.  

So, if there are roles out there to develop others then I’m in. 

Nic: Final thoughts on coaching? 

Jo: Working in Cricket Australia programs, I was always told two important goals in coaching roles:  

1. Produce Australian players. 
2. Win as many games of cricket as you can. 

I feel over my time as a coach I’ve been able to achieve these goals, however more importantly it’s been the connections I have made that’s helped reached them.  

Coaching is one of the most rewarding, difficult, and challenging roles I’ve ever done!