The West Indies reached the pinnacle of the women’s game in 2016 by capturing the World T20 title in India, and one of the architects of that success was Merissa Aguilleira.
Aguilleira represented the West Indies for 11 years after making her debut in 2008, but while her on-the-field stint is over, the former captain has no intention of halting her contributions. She quickly transitioned to a coaching role and recently guided Trinidad & Tobago Red Force Divas to their first CG United Super50 Cup since 2017, with a comfortable seven-wicket win over Barbados in St Kitts.
Aguilleira, who has always been part of the “think tank” of her country’s team at regional championships, is now responsible for driving the direction of the squad and formulating strategies to combat their opponents. It’s a new role, but while she is not daunted by the challenge, coaching was never her initial intention.
"I have always looked at myself as someone who enjoys the administrative side of things and also mentorship. I am, however, enjoying it and have upskilled myself with a Level Two coaching certificate. Now, coaching is something I enjoy doing,” Aguilleira said.
The chance to impact the lives of young players is fueling a newfound passion for the former wicketkeeper batter, who was the manager of the Women’s Under-19 team at the World Cup in Malaysia.
“Being able to interact with the players from different cultures and different backgrounds and having them learn the sport gives me great satisfaction to know that I can use my international experience to impart knowledge on a new generation of players," Aguilleira shared.
While there is a sense of excitement, adjusting from playing to coaching still has subtle challenges for Aguilleira.
“One of my biggest challenges when I first started coaching was seeing things on the field and not being able to do anything about them,” she revealed.
“I have always been that person who is involved in strategic planning and technical aspects, and it was really devastating to just sit on the outside and not be able to give my support," Aguilleira added.
The 39-year-old was the only female head coach in the just-concluded regional women’s tournament, and she wants to be an agent of change in that regard regionally.
“Women understand that there are barriers, but it doesn’t take away what we have and what we have to offer,” she highlighted.
“Don’t be afraid; don’t allow fear to overcome whatever you want, and I really want to see more women involved in coaching across the region to underline that we are here to make a difference," Aguilleira noted.
In moments of self-doubt, Aguilleira reiterates the importance of belief and perseverance.
“What I tend to do is focus on the things that I can control, the areas I can control, and the opportunities that I have and make the best use of them,” she stated.
“Once you start to think about the things you have no control over and the things that are not present, you lose track of what you really want to accomplish," Aguilleira ended.