Coaching Masterclass Series Builds Knowledge and CommunityThursday, August 28, 2025 - 5:21 PM

Over the season, WA Football’s coaching team has delivered an extensive Coaching Masterclass series, providing community coaches with access to high-quality education and elite-level insights.

The team has delivered eight Masterclass sessions, each led by experienced presenters across a diverse range of topics:

• Strength and Conditioning – Tom Sutherland, Head of AFLW High Performance at Fremantle Football Club
• Developing Talent – Marc Webb, WA Under-18s State and Talent Coach
• Phases of the Game – Rohan McHugh, AFLW Assistant Coach at West Coast Football Club
• Contest and Stoppages – Andrew Sturgess, Development Coach at Fremantle Football Club
• Decision Making and Reading Cues – Tendai Mzungu, Development Coach at Fremantle Football Club
• Drill Development and Design – Andrew Di Loretto, AFLW Development Coach at West Coast Football Club

On top of the masterclasses, we also delivered five Tackling and Building Confidence with Contact workshops across WA.

Facilitated by WA Under-18s Girls Assistant Coach Wade Spilcker, these workshops focused on teaching coaches how to develop safe and effective contact skills, including correct tackling and body techniques, reducing injury risk while building player confidence.

Across the series, we have reached well over 200 community coaches, equipping them with the tools, confidence and knowledge to enhance their programs and better support their players.

The Masterclass series continues to highlight the value of coach education – bringing together passionate coaches, building networks, and ensuring the next generation of players are developed in a safe, supportive and professional environment.

The series received fantastic feedback from coaches.

“I enjoyed obtaining advice and feedback from the highest level of footy from an AFL club,” Mazenod College Year 7 coach Peter Fields said.

“It was great to see a firsthand vision of AFL training drills on the big screen and have the drills explained to us, which we can then implement and adapt to our coaching levels.”

“There was unprecedented access and description of game plan, training drills set for game plan, and feedback points from in-game activities was outstanding,” Roleystone youth girls coach Dan Helm said.

“WA football is doing a great job of facilitating interesting topics and engaging presenters.”