Former WHITE FERNS trio Anna Peterson (Auckland Cricket), Amy Satterthwaite (Canterbury Cricket) and Sarah Tsukigawa (Otago Cricket) have been appointed female pathway leads within their respective Major Associations.
Considered a key area in the growth of the women's high-performance game, the regional female pathways programme has received additional resource via a joint NZC-Major Associations co-investment aimed at accelerating progress within a system that identifies, develops, and sustains the next generation of WHITE FERNS.
NZC Female Pathways Manager Sara McGlashan, a former WHITE FERN herself, is leading the group of regional pathway managers and ensuring they can connect and learn from each other for maximum impact across the country.
The trio of former WHITE FERNS bring to the pathways diverse experience across different roles in sport.
Peterson, who represented New Zealand 65 times across the two formats, has returned to cricket after recently leading the Women and Girls Strategy at Auckland Rugby Union as the Game Development Officer.
Satterthwaite, who played 256 games for the WHITE FERNS and was appointed an MNZM in 2023 for her services to cricket, has taken on various coaching roles across Canterbury Cricket, WBBL and NZC pathway teams since retiring from international cricket in 2022.
Tsukigawa represented New Zealand 61 times during her five-year international playing career and has previously held selector and assistant coaching roles with her former domestic team the Otago Sparks.
Luke Pomfret joins the Northern Districts pathway team bringing a wealth of experience from his work in English counties Middlesex and Northamptonshire, alongside Jamie Watkins who continues to lead the CD programme using the co-investment to further grow their pathway.
The additional funding follows NZC’s Project Push On, a working group established in 2024 with the purpose of building an end-to-end participation and performance system for women and girls across New Zealand, identifying a gap in the pathway system and recommending a higher level of dedicated focus.
McGlashan said the pathway leads are making a noticeable impact.
“From strengthening relationships with clubs and schools to driving high-quality training environments, they’re helping create thriving pathways for young cricketers,” said McGlashan.
“Environments where players feel supported, inspired, and confident to push their potential is pivotal to their development.”
She said the appointment of former players was a valuable asset to the system.
“Having three former players step into pathway manager roles is enormously valuable.
“Their experience allows them to connect with players in a way that truly accelerates development and inspires the next generation on where their journey in cricket can take them.”
