Queensland Cricket is pleased to announce the four inaugural members of the Elite Cricket Women’s Coach Program—an initiative designed to prepare coaches for Premier First Grade and Elite Cricket levels.
Tess Cooper (Sandgate-Redcliffe), Anlo van Deventer (University of Queensland), Christina Coulson (Valley), and Kasee Marxsen (Sandgate-Redcliffe) have been selected based on their talent, leadership qualities, and ongoing commitment to Premier Cricket.
Cooper, a former Queensland Fire and Brisbane Heat batter, is currently a member of the Premier Cricket Committee, a senior player at Sandgate-Redcliffe, and a past recipient of the Women’s 1st Grade Best and Fairest award.
Van Deventer, originally from New Zealand, is a senior leader at UQ and has played a key role in the club’s recent Women’s 1st Grade T20 three-peat, with her on-field leadership serving as a driving force behind their success.
Coulson, a Valley junior and current senior player, is the club’s all-time leading wicket-taker in Women’s cricket, program manager of the Valley Cricket Academy, and was a member of the Australian Aboriginal XI that toured the UK in 2018.
Marxsen, a former Queensland representative, is currently coaching Sandgate’s Women’s 1st Grade team. She has previously participated in the ACA Premier Cricket program, using her knowledge and experience to support the development of female players at Sandgate.
Nick Stuart, Head of Elite Cricket Operations, highlighted the program’s importance in strengthening the pipeline of female coaches.
“We’re excited to support four quality individuals in the development of their coaching. Their experience as players and coaches, combined with their passion for growing the women’s game, makes them ideal candidates.”
“This investment aims not only to increase the number of quality coaches but also to improve player experiences and strengthen our clubs through their leadership.”
The program will run over the 2025/26 and 2026/27 seasons and will be led by Queensland Cricket’s Elite Cricket coaches. During this time, each coach will gain hands-on coaching experience within Elite Cricket environments, including the Queensland Fire and Elite Player Development squads. Coaches are required to be actively coaching while in the program, ensuring practical development alongside formal learning.
The Elite Cricket Women’s Coach Program aligns with the Pathways and Performance goals in the Premier Cricket Female Action Plan, specifically targeting the growth of the number, influence, and capability of female leaders.