New council to guide football’s future

FIVE experienced sports administrators have been appointed to AFL Barwon’s new Barwon Regional Council as part of sweeping governance reforms announced earlier this year.

Craig Keating, Kent Hannam, Gerard Evans, Aaron Verlin and Nicole Bacely will form the inaugural council, providing strategic advice and regional leadership to clubs in the AFL Barwon catchment.

The council will support long-term sustainability plans and act as a line of communication between local clubs and AFL Victoria.

Keating and Hannam join the council with decades of experience in sports administration. Clubs may recognise Keating’s name as the first chair of the AFL Barwon Commission.

Meanwhile, Hannam has experience in administration at the state, national and international level.

Evans, Verlin and Bacely join with in-depth knowledge of AFL Barwon club experiences and challenges.

Sitting on the council will be Bacely’s first step into league-level administration.

Bacely said she is well placed to step into the role, having grown up in and around the game.

The council will provide advice on issues including participation, club sustainability, competition structures, inclusion and diversity initiatives and volunteer development.

Bacely said development is needed across all levels of local football and changes need to be implemented correctly at the junior level to sustain the competition.

 

“Retention and development, particularly in the female space, is a really key issue for me and something I’d want to bring a strong focus on,” she said.

“Also making sure the competition is fair and equitable both from a pathway point of view across all the different leagues that we’re working with.

“I want to make sure that clubs are set up and can grow and make sure the structures and the development within the competitions are designed with player experience at the centre.”

AFL Victoria Barwon regional manager, Lisa Patterson said the council is an important step in ensuring the sustainability of football.

By appointing people from diverse backgrounds, she is optimistic that the future of football will continue to serve the Geelong community.

“Their collective expertise will provide invaluable guidance as we continue to grow participation and strengthen the game across Barwon,” Patterson said.

Bacely said she is excited to consult with clubs and be an active participant in the shaping of the future of local football.

“We can all sit here behind a computer and dictate what we think is right but it’s really vital to make sure we’re going out there and we’re actually asking the people who are doing the roles what’s most important to them,” she said.