Julia Price – Paving the Way for Women in Cricket

The career highlight for Julia, a pioneer of women’s cricket, both on and off the field, was playing Test cricket.

“The Ashes tour of 1998 in England, to play three tests, five ODIs, and then also three ODIs against Ireland was brilliant fun,” says Julia.

It was this tour where Julia says she “felt like a proper cricketer”, being given the opportunity to travel and wear that baggy green.

After her playing career (representing Australia on 94 occasions – 10 Tests and 84 ODIs), Julia found a role with AFL Queensland, before working as a commentor, and then as a coach.

Julia was the first female coach in the BBL, landing an assistant role with the Brisbane Heat in 2018, an experience she described as “a little daunting”, but exciting. She hopes it may have inspired girls and other women to be coaches, seeing other women in these roles.

What Julia has found most enjoyable are the roles she’s had with associate countries. Price has been head coach of the USA women’s team, and has done work with Papa New Guinea, Argentina, and Brazil teams. She has particularly valued being able to have major input into their structures, providing opportunities to set them up for the future and their sustainability.

“Despite a lack of finances and budgets, they can still have a very good positive environment for the game to blossom and grow and that’s what I find most exciting,” says Julia.

“Bringing this game to them and allowing people to develop and grow in their own environments in their countries is incredibly rewarding.”

Coaching and travelling has not always be smooth sailing, but Julia loves the challenge of it.

“It's not just this is how we do it in Australia, so this is how you’ll do it here, it’s about understanding their culture, which is so much fun, that's probably half the reason I do it as well, because I love travelling, discovering new places, getting a little outside my comfort zone. I like it when I go to countries where I can't speak the language, because I've got to work hard to either learn the language or work out a way to break it down”.

On how far the women’s game has come, Julia spoke very highly of the Australian pathways, and the public’s support. Price is a big advocate for more red-ball cricket for women, and hopes the game goes that way soon.

“For me, it’s about continuing to promote the positive sides of the women’s game”, says Julia, talking on the ever-building fanbase behind the rise of women’s cricket. “Hopefully that points towards more financial commitments in the future, which would allow more red-ball cricket.”

Julia has also thoroughly enjoyed being a participant in several ACA Masters tours. The progression of the involvement of more women on these tours is something that Julia has loved seeing.

“Being able to mingle and build relationships with both men and women from all different eras and being able to understand their challenges while talking about your own, is an aspect of the tour that I found incredibly positive and constructive.”

Julia has also made use of the ACA’s financial and medical assistance, something that helped her to complete her level three coaching accreditation and stay involved at a grassroots level.

It is in this spirit that she became a co-founder of ‘Aspire Cricket’, a charity in the USA that provides opportunities for girls that can’t afford to be in the academy systems, something she hopes will grow women’s cricket in the US.

It is just one of the ways Julia is staying connected to the game and paving the way for women in cricket.