Sports Management Worldwide recently had a familiar name in its Cricket Business Management Course—Bangladesh national team head coach Phil Simmons.

Now Simmons is back on the international stage in Australia, leading Bangladesh during its Test tour and making headlines in the Australian media.

The former West Indies international has built one of cricket’s most extensive coaching résumés. He has coached Zimbabwe, Ireland, Afghanistan and the West Indies, including leading the West Indies to the 2016 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup title.

During Bangladesh’s current visit to Darwin, Simmons has again found himself in the spotlight. The attached Australian newspaper coverage features him commenting publicly on decisions affecting international cricket, another reminder that the role of a modern head coach extends well beyond what happens on the field.

An International Coach Still Learning

What makes Simmons’ connection to SMWW especially interesting is that he enrolled in the most recent Cricket Business Management class while already working at the highest levels of the game.

He was also an active contributor to the course.

Modern cricket leaders increasingly need to understand more than coaching technique. International cricket involves team management, governing bodies, scheduling, commercial considerations, media, player relationships and the broader business structure surrounding the sport.

That makes continuing education relevant even for someone with decades of international experience.

Cricket Careers Go Far Beyond the Boundary

SMWW’s Cricket Business Management Course brings together students and cricket professionals from around the world to study the management and business side of the sport.

Phil Simmons is a strong example of an important career lesson: reaching a high level in sports does not mean you stop learning.

Today, he is coaching Bangladesh on the international stage.

Recently, he was also sitting in an SMWW classroom contributing to conversations about the business and management of the game.

That is a strong reminder that professional development never really stops in sports.