New WA Men’s team Head Coach Beau Casson has one simple goal in mind in taking on the top job: to give his players and fellow coaches the best opportunity to improve.
Casson targets constant improvement in new role as WA Men’s Head Coach
Helping those around him improve their cricket isn’t something Casson has done exclusively as a coach, either.
In fact, Casson said it’s something he has been passionate about since well before he retired from playing the game.
“I’ve always thought about how I can make the team better,” Casson told reporters on Tuesday, shortly after his appointment to the coaching post was announced.
“From the age of 23 or 24, I started to think along the lines of coaching — less about my own game and more about other people’s.
“I probably started that journey a little earlier than some.
“That’s something I want to portray to the group: that we are always looking to get better.
“As a coach, I’m looking to get better every day to make sure I can be the best I can to help this playing group fulfil the many skillsets and talents in the room.”
It’s been a gradual build towards a Head Coach role for the 43-year-old, who has held assistant coaching roles in New South Wales and WA over the past dozen years.
Casson joined WA ahead of the 2019–20 season and would go on to become a critical part of Adam Voges’ coaching group.
Since joining WA, Casson has played a key role in helping the State win three consecutive Sheffield Shield and One-Day Cup titles between 2021–22 and 2023–24.
He paid tribute to his predecessor — who made his WA first-class debut in the same match as Casson in the 2002–03 season — for helping shape his journey through the coaching ranks.
“He’s a tactical genius, there’s no doubt about that,” Casson said.
“I think you can see that, whether it be Big Bash, one-day or Shield cricket.
“His ability to be ahead of the game is something that I will continue to lean into.
“Adam was very open and willing to stretch and develop me personally, giving me opportunities that potentially other assistant coaches wouldn’t be able to do.”
As for what Casson wants to achieve in the early stages of his coaching tenure, improvement is the buzzword.
“They only recently won three Shields in a row and three One-Day titles in a row,” he said.
“If you’re playing great cricket for Western Australia, individual performances are going to shine and then you’ll see more Australian representation.
“As a coaching staff, we are going to be aggressive in trying to produce Australian cricketers and do everything possible to help players improve their game.”