Loughborough University welcomes its Lightning Head Coach

Baxter has enjoyed a varied career in football and joins following a successful spell as Ipswich Town Women’s Assistant Manager and under-21 WSL Academy Head Coach.

During his time in Suffolk, Baxter also oversaw the under-10 – under-16 programmes as Player Development Lead.

Prior to joining Ipswich, Baxter gained valuable experience at Birmingham City Women as First Team Coach before taking the reins as Assistant Head Coach under Marta Tejdor, before serving a four-month period as Interim Head Coach.

Between 2018 and 2021, Baxter coached on a number of FA National (Regional) Development Programme Hubs as a Technical Coach.

Baxter completed a MSc in Sport Coaching at Loughborough University, graduating in the summer of 2014, before joining West Bromwich Albion’s Girls Football Club in a coaching capacity.

“Everyone in sport is aware of the reputation Loughborough and the Lightning franchises have for creating elite sporting environments,” Baxter said.

“When the opportunity came up to be part of such a prestigious set-up, coupled with the exciting vision Rebecca Sawiuk (Director of Football, Loughborough University) has for the future of Lightning Football, I couldn’t say no.

“It is a huge honour to be appointed as Head Coach and I’d to thank Rebecca and Ian (Knott) for giving me the opportunity to lead this team into a new era. I’m looking forward to meeting all the staff and players soon, and I can’t wait to get to work.”

Rebecca Sawiuk, Director of Football, at Loughborough University, added: “After a very competitive recruitment process, I am thrilled to welcome Charlie to Loughborough and the Lightning family on a full-time basis.

“It’s such an exciting time to join this project, and Charlie will have the opportunity to lead his own interdisciplinary staff here. His experience in the game from the WSL, FAWNL and his track record of player development speaks for itself, and I cannot wait to work with him to shape the programme here.”