For our latest OL Spotlight, we're delighted to feature former Scotland women’s cricketer Catherine Smaill (2009) - who is now a physiotherapist at England and Wales Cricket Board and was ParalympicsGB’s lead physiotherapist for Paris 2024.

Q1. What does your day-to-day job involve?

“Day-to-day I work with England women’s cricket team. Our ethos is that we work really closely with players on an individual basis, to look at how to maximise their physicality and mitigate injuries. People first, then performance focused, and always trying to be progressive with our approach. Over the last few years I’ve combined this with being lead physio for ParalympicsGB, which involved leading the physiotherapy service and creating the performance space at Paris Paralympics 2024.”

Q2. What’s the most enjoyable aspect of your job?

“Working with such a great group of athletes that has a wider purpose than just winning! For England women’s cricket, it’s about inspiring people - especially women and girls - to play cricket. When I was working with ParalympicsGB, it was to inspire a better world for disabled people through sport.”

Q3. What do you consider to be your biggest success so far?

“This is really hard… When I started out I’d have thought it would be the major games I’ve been to, like the Paralympics and Commonwealth games. But more often, the biggest success has been the teamwork behind the scenes to get a player back to competing after a significant injury.”

Q4. What's next for you?

“We have a couple of winter tours lined up, including the Ashes in Australia in January. And then the World Cup is being hosted in England in 2026 which, as a major home event, has a real team focus.”

Q5. What advice would you give to current Lorettonians?

“Make the most of all the opportunities that come your way and don’t be afraid to push the boundaries of what you want to achieve in your career.”