Former England fast bowler Katherine Sciver-Brunt has opened up about the challenges of mum guilt as she begins her coaching career.
Sciver-Brunt is married to England captain Nat, and the pair welcomed son Theo in 2025.
Having retired in 2023, Katherine carried their first child and although she has been involved in broadcasting with BBC Test Match Special since, she is now taking her first steps in a new venture as Trent Rockets’ assistant coach.
After Rockets thrashed Birmingham Phoenix in their opening match on Friday, Sciver-Brunt spoke honestly about juggling her personal ambitions with her role as a mum.
“I would love to be the head coach of a franchise one day,” Sciver-Brunt, 41, told Sky Sports.
“But I think being a mum, a working mum, the guilt is there. I feel guilty now, thinking about how he’s being looked after, should I be doing that.
“I still have all that to figure out. It’s more about letting go and managing that feeling, and knowing that a better me is a better mum to him.”
Female head coaches are hard to come by in the women’s game – particularly English ones.
Former captain Charlotte Edwards now leads England, having previously been with Southern Brave, so Australia’s Lisa Keightley at MI London is the only one in this year’s Hundred.
Although Sciver-Brunt said that she absolutely wants to progress her career further, she is also aware of how much she can realistically take on. With her wife playing for Rockets, at least parenting duties can be shared somewhat.
“I’m trying to make myself better, happier, and find my place in the world having once been a professional athlete,” Sciver-Brunt added.
“I have a lot of passion for this, it’s only been four days but I’ve loved it.
“I would love to do a couple of franchises, because a head coach role of a county just wouldn’t fit – as soon as I do something, I want to do it to the best of my ability, almost too much!
“So I know I couldn’t dive into that and do it all year round, because I’ve got to be a mum too. That’s the goal – to give him the best life I can and to love him as much as I can, but I also want him to know who his mums were, and to enjoy this game too.”
