South East Stars have completed their support staff with the appointment of Guy Pitchers as Strength & Conditioning Coach.
Pitchers joins the Stars, who will split winter training between the regional performance centre in Beckenham and The Kia Oval, from Charlton Athletic Women’s Football Club.
In more than three years with Charlton, Pitchers worked with the senior side and the talent pathway on the women’s side of the club. He has also provided cricket strength & conditioning support for Kent Women since 2019.
Alongside his role at South East Stars, Pitchers will continue as a Sport & Exercise Science instructor at Canterbury Christ Church University and his PhD studies in Elite Female Performance.
Pitchers joins a support staff at South East Stars that includes Head Coach Johann Myburgh, Senior Regional Talent Manager Tom Lister, Physio Saajan Shah & Team Operations Manager Lettie Hadley.
The fifth and final professional cricketer in the South East Stars squad will be announced in due course.
While the regional schedule for 2021 is yet to be finalised, it is expected that the first team will face sides representing the other centres of excellence around the country in both 50 over and 20 over cricket & continue to grow their academy programmes in their region.
Speaking on his appointment, Pitchers said: “I was delighted to be offered the role as Regional Strength and Conditioning Coach. I hope to use my experience and knowledge to take players and the club to a higher level.”
“Seeing the additional support and investment in female cricket makes it a really exciting time to be involved, especially given my research interests in elite female performance.”
Regional Director of Women’s Cricket Richard Bedbrook added: “I’m delighted that the full complement of key support staff is now in place and with Guy completing the management team, he’ll bring a huge amount of drive and support to really shifting the players forwards in their physical competencies.
“His experience from within Women’s sport will assist him hugely in working with the players, both with the full-time players and elite wider squad as well as the Academy programme and some of the younger players that will be attached to that initiative.
“I’d like to take this opportunity to thank various members at the ECB for their support in the recruitment process of all the roles, as well as all the other people connected to the region at Kent and Surrey CCC who assisted with interviews.
“I believe we have a support team that will now grow together positively to help drive the South East Stars forward and continue the small steps taken this summer to transforming Women’s and Girls cricket in the region.”
