Local coaches highlight growing women’s game

BELLARINE Football League club Modewarre as well as Geelong & District’s Thomson and Bannockburn will expand the number of Barwon region’s clubs with female footy to 25 in 2023.

The increase comes on the back of a strong season of female football in 2022, with an additional age group added this year to junior competitions.

Inaugural Modewarre women’s coach Nick Allison said he was thrilled for his club’s next chapter.

“Modewarre will only field the one female side this season, but the plan is to eventually get together a junior side. From there, one side becomes two, and so on,” Allison said.

“It’s evident to see the growth in the region, and some clubs have benefitted from this whereas other have not.

“But for me personally, it’s an exciting challenge. I estimate close to 80 per cent of the side have never played football before, so to see the improvement of players each week, is really fulfilling.”

Geelong Cats VFLW head coach and AFLW assistant Elise Coventry has enjoyed the watching the regional development of female football the past couple of years, encouraging interested coaches to give it a go.

“Even today, I’m learning, and to be honest, a lot of female coaches still are,” she said.

“The word ‘eager’ comes to mind for me when it comes to female footballers, and that’s what makes coaching women’s football such an easy and pleasurable job.

“They bring the energy, they bring the enthusiasm, you just have to lead. Once you have some systems in place, sides can play the game safely and enjoy playing a good brand of footy.”

Geelong Falcons assistant and development coach (and a childhood friend of Coventry) Shannon Knox did not expect her coaching journey to lead to her position.

Knox, an active police officer, began her coaching resume in 2017 at North Geelong, where she took on roles coaching the V/Line Cup girls squad (2018) and an assistant coaching role for Geelong Amateur’s women’s program (2020).

In 2021, Knox was brought on as a development coach for both the girls’ and boys’ Geelong Falcons program, where she has continued coaching since.

Knox said her passion to support more females in coaching positions, was an ongoing one from the junior level to the senior.

“It’s important for female coaches and coaches of female teams to be supported by their clubs as well as the league.

“This is why I took up the role of coaching development with AFL Victoria for the Barwon region.

“You don’t need to know everything about the sport to be a good coach – all you need is good communication skills, positivity, being supportive and passion, I believe.

“AFL football isn’t a complicated game; it’s more so about teaching the fundamentals.”

Coaching opportunities are presently available at Drysdale, South Barwon, Geelong West Giants, and Newtown & Chilwell, while Geelong Amateur is seeking two coaches ahead of Round 1.