Australian Sevens legend Emille Barton is embracing the next step in her career as she gets settled into coaching.
Barton (nee Cherry) was the first Australian to win World Rugby Sevens Player of the Year in 2014, going on to play a crucial role in the historic Olympic campaign in Rio 2016.
The foundation player called it time ahead of the 2020 Olympics and found herself drawn towards the potential of coaching in a way to give back and maintain involvement with the program.
Barton graduated from the AIS Elevate Athlete2Coach program and joined the Sevens coaching staff as an assistant coach ahead of Langford, the first woman to do so.
“It wasn’t something I had directly in my mind. It’s something I fell into after I retired and was still hanging around looking for other options of how I can still help the team and be involved,” Barton admitted to Rugby.com.au.
“With the help of (team manager) Scott Bowen and (Women’s coach) Tim Walsh always looking for avenues for personal growth and development, they alluded and pushed me towards (coaching).
“I tested it out and then fell into the AIS elevate athlete-to-coach program and really enjoyed that journey so I’m looking forward to the next step."
Barton found the perfect mentor in Tim Walsh, an already established dynamic as the Sevens legend proved a key leader in Walsh's champion teams.
“It’s been very insightful so far,” she said on leaning from Walsh.
"He takes a very player-driven approach when I was playing so we were privileged to see the workings and reasons behind we did a lot of things.
“I think it’s amazing him and staff group the holistic approach they are taking towards it and how much they care about everyone in that group.
“As a player, something I really appreciate now is the planning that goes towards different cycles that he has planned, what we’re focusing on but looking at the bigger picture that I appreciate is the effort he puts in. The players rock up and look at the calendar the day before to see what time they’re rocking up so that’s something I found very insightful and in-depth.”
Whilst there has been a major overhaul in the squad, there are still plenty who have played alongside Australia's second-highest ever tryscorer with the likes of Alicia Lucas (nee Quirk) popping up at the recent Oceania event alongside Sevens regulars Charlotte Caslick, Dom Du Toit and Sharni Williams.
Barton is drawing off her 'unique' perspective to help get the best out of the players in their quest for glory.
“It’s been really exciting and I’m just so grateful to be involved with the team,” she notes.
“Playing alongside a lot of the girls that are still around, it gives me a different perspective and being a player for so long and seeing how the game changes, it gives that unique perspective having those close relationships and knowing the game.
“My personality traits never going to be direct and strong, it’s more a caring approach so that helps and plays into my hands having those relationships and being able to build on it from a coaching perspective.
“I know some of the feelings they’re going through and can relate in a unique way which we can definitely build on.”
Barton has received further support as part of the AIS' National Generation 2032 Coach Program.
The two-year intensive coach development program helps athletes make the post-career transition into coaching, joined by Athletics gold medalist Jared Tallent.
Whilst the future remains unknown, Barton is hopeful she can remain closely linked with the Sevens program that has given her so much.
“It’s another really exciting step in my journey now I’m taking through the coaching roles," she added.
“Having the support of the AIS, I’m very lucky that I’ve had that support from my very first camp and the way they’ve supported the athletes through dAIS (direct athlete grants) and now post-career up-skilling so I’ve very lucky to be selected in the Gen 32 program alongside some high calibre coaches.
“I love the game of Sevens and the team holds such a special place in my heart and always will so anything I can do to continue to push that team to be one of, if not the best team in Australia and the world, I’ll continue to do
“I feel so privileged to work with them at the moment.”
