England full-back reflects on the development of her coaching skills through the Gallagher High Performance Academy programme
It was women’s Rugby World Cup winner Giselle Mather who first sparked Sarah McKenna’s interest in coaching. Now the Saracens full-back hopes to be a role model herself for the next generation of female coaches.
McKenna was part of England’s Under-20s squad when she first came into contact with Mather, who was a Rugby World Cup winner in 1994 and assistant coach when the Red Roses repeated their success 12 years later.
“It was at the age of 16 when I was first coached by a woman,” McKenna told World Rugby.
“Giselle Mather coached our England Under-20s cohort and she immediately connected, broke down barriers and built trust with a group of impressionable athletes.
“Having a female role model gave us positive behaviours and values to model. None of us had ever had such a knowledgeable coach and Giselle challenged the norms we’d been led to believe about females in the sport.”
Having started playing rugby as a six-year-old at her local club, Harpenden, McKenna has since gone on to enjoy a successful career with England, winning 45 caps and the Premier 15s title with Saracens.
She is still playing top-flight rugby alongside developing her coaching skills as head coach of Old Albanians women, as well as assistant coach of England’s Under-20s and coach of Saracens Women’s Academy.
Among her many career highs, there have been the occasional lows – including being on the periphery of England’s squad at Rugby World Cup 2021 in New Zealand – but all have provided McKenna with experiences that will help shape her as a coach.
During her time on the Gallagher High Performance Academy, McKenna worked on discovering her coaching philosophy and reflected on how she hopes to make an impact on her players.
“I want to coach players, so they’re given the opportunity to enjoy the game of rugby as much as I have; and still do. Rugby has always been an outlet of expression for me, a space where I feel free to be creative and have fun.
“I believe it is my role as a coach to provide a space for players to enjoy the freedom of the sport, to maximise their talents and play with confidence”
McKenna now aspires to continue having an impact in the women’s game and use her learnings from the Gallagher High Performance Academy to inspire those players.