Ed Joyce, the esteemed head coach of the Ireland women's cricket team, will step down from his role in April after a transformative six-year tenure. The 46-year-old, who played a pivotal role in advancing women's cricket within the country, announced his departure ahead of the ICC Women's World Cup qualifier in Pakistan, which will mark his final responsibility with the team. Despite attempts by Cricket Ireland to retain him, Joyce has decided to conclude this chapter of his career, leaving behind a legacy of progress and development in Irish women's cricket.
Joyce's journey with the Ireland women's team began in 2019, initially as an interim head coach before taking on the role permanently. Prior to this, he had been involved with Ireland's men's team as a coach after retiring as a player in 2018. During his tenure, Joyce steered the team to 51 wins, 44 losses, and two no-results from a total of 97 matches. Under his leadership, the number of contracted players grew significantly, from just six part-time contracts at the start of his tenure to now 23 players under some form of contract, several of whom are full-time professionals.
"When I came on board we had just announced first-ever part-time contracts for women cricketers in Ireland," – Ed Joyce
"Those six part-time contracts have grown over subsequent years to now 23 players under some form of contract – a number of these being full-time." – Ed Joyce
Joyce has openly praised the dedication and hard work of his players and staff throughout his time in charge. He described his period as head coach as a "privilege," highlighting the challenges faced, including navigating the COVID-19 pandemic and balancing player availability amidst their academic commitments.
"Throw the Covid pandemic into the mix, the constant need to juggle the availability of players who are still studying – all while meeting the demands of international cricket – the role has been all-encompassing." – Ed Joyce
Despite stepping down, Joyce remains hopeful about his future with Irish cricket and envisions potential opportunities within the sport.
"This is not, I hope, the end of my journey with Irish cricket. You never can anticipate the future and what opportunities this great sport of cricket will offer in the years to come." – Ed Joyce
His departure has been met with sentiments of gratitude and recognition from within the cricket community. Graham West, a fellow colleague, remarked on Joyce's significant impact and influence on the senior women's program.
"While it's a sad day to see such a respected figure step down, Ed's impact on the senior women's programme will be felt for years to come," – Graham West
"He has been instrumental in transforming the senior women's set-up during his tenure, instilling in the players a sense that they belong at the sport's top table." – Graham West
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