Record number of female coaches join Level 3 Coaching programTuesday, February 20, 2024 - 11:29 AM

A record six female coaches have taken their first steps into acquiring their Level 3 Coaching accreditation. 

The program is delivered to both male and female coaches at AFL, WAFL and Talent Levels as well as head coaches of senior community and First 18 colleges. The course is a blended program delivered face-to-face and online by a range of quality coach developers, over a 12- month period. 

The first face-to-face workshop was held over the weekend at Ernest Johnson Reserve featuring a range of expert presenters including Fremantle Football Club’s Performance and Skill Acquisition Scientist Brad Keller, Fremantle’s Football Strategy Coordinator Harrison Garland, WAFC Culture and Leadership consultant Matt Angus and High Performance and Sports Science expert Kate Starre who delivered an interactive session on incorporating Sports Science into football programs. 

This is the first time six female coaches are acquiring their Level 3 Coaching accreditation at the same time. 

Kate Orme – former AFLW and current WAFLW player and female State 18s assistant coach 

Michelle MacDonald – Peel Rogers Cup coach  

Natalie Szelid – Claremont Rogers Cup coach  

Jasmine Cookson – Claremont Rogers Cup assistant coach 

Gemma Francis – East Perth Rogers Cup coach 

Sarah Christensen – WA State Schoolgirls U15s 

The record number of female coaches participating in the course at the same time is a testament to how the women’s game is continuing to grow, according to Kate Orme. 

“Female leadership in footy is really the next frontier for the game, on and off the field,” she said.  

“We have seen the explosion of AFLW and the benefits for clubs and communities.  

“Having female voices in the game is extremely powerful and at its very core, makes us better.  

“I believe that in footy and in life, diversity makes better teams. Completing the course with other females is another sign of the journey the entire game is on, improving access and roles for women in footy.” 

Orme said the first session was jam packed with information. 

“The first session from level three felt like 10 sessions,” she said. 

“The range of speakers and the depth of their knowledge was significant, and they used a variety of techniques to present information, facilitate discussion amongst the coaches and walk us through practical application of their subject matter.” 

Orme will line up for Claremont in the WAFLW this season and she believes the skills she’s learning in the coaching area are transferrable to her role as a senior leader/player at the club. 

“Throughout my time in footy I've been surrounded by great leaders, learning off them firsthand has allowed me to continue developing my own skills,” she said.  

“The challenge to coach while playing was put to me by our Senior Coach (Claremont) Jack Schwarze and has been a terrific extension of my own football output.” 

The prerequisite to participating in the Level 3 accreditation is that coaches are to have held their Level 2 accreditation for two years and be actively coaching in 2024. 

More information on how to become a coach can be found here.