The exponential growth of women’s football lends its hand to an exciting future. Female participation in community club football has grown by 163 per cent since the inception of AFLW.
But, while 600,000 women and girls play football, only six per cent of registered coaches are women – equating to 1,537 women.
In celebration of the inaugural Women’s Coaching Month, the AFL and wider industry is celebrating women in coaching across all levels of the game, while promoting coaching pathways for women and girls.
North Melbourne Tasmanian Kangaroos’ Development Coach Natasha Hardy is strengthening her coaching credentials via the BHP Women’s Coaching Academy.
Launched in 2018, the program is designed to provide women with the opportunity to complete the Level 3 Coaching Course, as well as other development opportunities. Hardy was one of six women selected for the program, as well as Melissa Hickey, Emma Sampson, Shannon Millar, Emma Grant, Lisa Roper, Dale Robinson and Sam Virgo.
Joining the Kangaroos in 2020, Hardy brings invaluable experience as a player and coach in her AFLW Head of Development role.
Previous to North, she was vice-captain of Essendon’s VFLW team in 2018, before joining the coaching panel as VFLW Stoppage Coach.
She also coached the Sunbury Lions in the Eastern District Football League (EDFL) and is involved in the ‘She Can Coach’ program, which develops the next wave of elite female coaches.
Women’s Coaching Month will provide an opportunity to celebrate women in coaching and also promote programs and initiatives for the pathway to coaching.
The AFL will conduct a three-part Community Webinar series to showcase some of female coaches within the game as well as other industry expects who have created best practice programs and resources to support coaches of women and girls.
For further information about Women’s Coaching Month, and the AFL’s women’s coaching pathways including the She Can Coach program, BHP Women’s Coaching Academy and the AFL Victoria Women’s Coaching Academy, visit coach.afl/women-girls-coaching
