Sasha Joins the Bisons Herd as Head Coach
Former Bristol Women and England prop Sasha Acheson has joined the South West's first inclusive gay friendly rugby team, Bristol Bisons, as their head coach.
The club, plays out of Clifton RFC, and welcomed Sasha to head up their coaching team in May. She also coaches England Fire Service forwards, alongside guest coaching with the likes of Cornish Pirates, London Irish and Bristol Rugby on community programmes. She has been an Athlete Ambassador for the Dame Kelly Holmes Trust, coaching and mentoring people using the power of sport.
Sasha’s international debut was against France at Twickenham, and her last England game was against Ireland. A serious setback just before the 2014 Women’s Rugby World Cup saw her rupture her anterior cruciate ligament but she fought to return to the England squad and in 2019 play her last ever game for the Barbarians against Wales at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff. Apart from her time at Bristol, she played for Gloucester Hartpury and Worcester Warriors.
Sasha says: “The impact my coaches had on me was huge. They were inspirational, especially Giselle Mather, who coached England U20s at the time, Susie Appleby and LJ Adams when I was at Bristol. They were so positive, had such belief in us as players. I remember our phrase at U20s was ‘go beyond’. The coaches I remember were all about boosting your confidence and then the stats, the wins, come naturally once you play in a positive empowering way.
“Their style of coaching influenced the way I coach and how I want to coach the Bisons. The most exciting thing about the Bisons is that they are so willing to learn. Their progression in such a short time, the way they absorb everything and their awesome athletic abilities just blows my mind. Coming from such a competitive background I had to remind myself that these guys are playing for fun. They definitely want to enjoy it but they also want to be the best they can be, play good rugby with flare, compete and win.
The new role was, according to Sasha serendipitous. As well as being a full time firefighter, she also has her own gas engineer business and went out to fix a gas fire for a couple who play for Bisons. When they discovered her rugby background they pushed her towards the head coach opportunity.
“They were recruiting for the role and, having been part of such a family environment at Bristol for seven years, that’s what I discovered at the Bristol Bisons. So many of their values resonate. They are a LGBTQ+ all-inclusive team who love the sport. We have straight guys, gay guys, trans guys, non-binary, the whole spectrum. We are creating such a positive playing environment, and leading this team, being a part of it, encompasses everything I love in life and this sport.”
With her partner Joey, Sasha has a three-month-old daughter Iona. Mum, businesswoman, firefighter and coach, does that leave space for self-reflection?
“I ask my players after every session what’s the one thing the team did well and what’s the one thing you can work on. For me it’s about building confidence in people when they sometimes haven’t had that self-belief, giving them the tools and skills to implement plays. Watching that confidence grow is so rewarding and gives me so much joy.”
Bisons Chairperson Donald Calcott said: “We are so incredibly pleased that Sasha agreed to join us. Sasha brings so much experience to a team with great enthusiasm. We are hungry to learn and continue to develop and achieve more and more. Over the 16-year history of the Bisons, we have grown from a handful of players to a team of over 70. I know that Sasha has some great ideas for how our club can continue to develop, and very much look forward to supporting her and the team as we continue on that exciting path.”
