WI women step up preparations with Antigua high-performance camp
Senior Women’s Head Coach Shane Deitz
The West Indies Women’s cricket team has just wrapped up an intensive high-performance training block at the Coolidge Cricket Ground in Antigua, part of Cricket West Indies’ (CWI) ongoing investment in developing the women’s game across the region.
The Antigua camp was structured in two phases to maximise training opportunities. The first group of players completed a two-week programme earlier this month, while the second group finished their training this past week under the guidance of Senior Women’s Head Coach Shane Deitz, assistant Ryan Austin, and pathway coach Ulric Batson.
The sessions focused on all aspects of the modern game – refining technical skills, enhancing tactical awareness, boosting physical conditioning, and sharpening mental aptitude.
Players in action during the camp
With major international fixtures approaching, the camp was a key component of CWI’s long-term strategy to elevate the women’s programme to world-class standards.
This initiative runs alongside CWI’s broader development efforts, including a partnership with the Super Kings Academy in Chennai, India, where 15 promising players are currently training in a professional high-performance environment.
Coach Deitz explained the rationale behind the Antigua camp:
“We had a mixture of established players, new players and fringe players come to Antigua for the last 5 weeks. It’s been great to be able to focus on some fundamental technical work and some strength and conditioning work. We were also able to conduct fitness testing and have already seen some improvements in a short space of time.”
He added, “Hector Martinez, our strength and conditioning coach, has been pushing the players, and they are responding very positively. The girls will head to the WCPL now, and after the end of that tournament, we will have a few intense months of training which will prepare us for a very important 2026.”
Looking ahead, the West Indies Women face a demanding 2025-26 calendar, highlighted by the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in England, a home series against Sri Lanka and Australia, and an away assignment in Ireland.
