Table of Contents

Contents

1. Welcome & Members Update – Rick Coburn (AFL Central Vic FDM)

2. AFCA Sub-Committee Profile

3. Coach of the Year Awards Dinner

4. Central Vic Coaching Programs

5. Coaching Coordinators Up-date

6. Re-accreditations 2014-2015

7. Up-Coming Development Events & Dates

NEW – Pre-Season Coaching Seminar Early November - TBC

8. Sponsors – New Coach of the Month Sponsor

AFCA Logo thanks to Joey Whiting

AFL Central Victorian AFCA Re-Launch

Welcome to our third and final addition of the AFCA Regional Newsletter for 2014. Firstly I would like to thank all clubs who nominated coaches for the ‘Coach of the Year Awards’ and to congratulate nominees on a great coaching job at your club. To be nominated is a great honour, as this means that the club/people within your direct influence as a coach rate your coaching standard and performance as high. Coaching is a tough job, and well done to you all! Coach education in 2014-15 will continue to evolve. We have some great initiatives commencing in the next few months including; Central Vic Junior Academy Program (this includes coaching development of coaches involved in these programs), Coach ID Program, Player to Coach Program and the Pre-Season Coaching Seminar, which will be held here in Bendigo. More information on these programs is provided in this newsletter addition. Level One Coaching Accreditation will be offered in our region, focussing on age group separation in 2015, e.g. Senior, Youth, Junior and Auskick. This separation will allow more specific coaching education opportunities for beginning and reaccrediting coaches. More information on re-accreditation is also found in this newsletter. The National Coaching Conference will again be offered early in 2015 in Melbourne. I would love to see a stronger representation of Central Vic coaches at next year’s conference. This is an outstanding opportunity to further develop your coaching knowledge by some of the best coaches in Australia who are currently leading the way in their fields of expertise. On-going education is extremely important. I urge all coaches to keep in touch with myself and the AFCA Sub-Committee. Please take any coaching education opportunities over the next few months, particularly the Pre-Season Seminar here in Bendigo. It will be well worth it! Regards,

Rick Coburn AFL Central Vic Football Development Manager 0438 410 315, twitter- @RickyCoburn or ricky.coburn@aflvic.com.au

Coaching Subcommittee

Seniors (36)

Coaching Co-ordinator

(40+)

Female football (11)

Junior Footy U12/U10/U9 (69) &

Auskick (21)

Youth Footy U18/U17/U16/U14

(70)

Rep Footy (10)

Sub-Committee Up-date

Sub-Committee Profiles

Bill Higgs – Youth

• 51 years of age married with 3 children

• Interest outside of Football and Coaching include

Hunting and Fishing

• Played over 400 games with Bridgewater in the

LVFL including several premierships in the 1980s

• Past LVFL President and Junior Development Officer

• Auskick coach and coordinator LVFL

• Current Level 2 AFL coaching accreditation

• Coached in the LVFL at Bridgewater and the Bendigo Junior Football League with

Maiden Gully and Eaglehawk

• TAC Bench Coach with the Bendigo Pioneers U18s past 3 seasons

• TAC Bendigo Pioneers U16 Assistant Coach this season 2015

• Involved with Athletics including coaching in Throws and Sprint Technique

Sub-Committee Members

• Mark Adamson – Seniors (Kyneton Senior Coach)

• Bill Higgs – Youth (Eaglehawk U16 Coach)

• Vicki Poyser – Juniors (Director of Sport, Bendigo Senior Sec)

• Darryl Wilson – Coaching Coordinator (Strathfieldsaye Senior Coach)

• Craig Simpson – Juniors (St Peters Primary Principal School & BJFL

Coach)

AFCA Coach of the Year Awards Dinner

The presentation which Gerard Fitzgerald gave at the AFCA coaches awards was one of the best that I have heard. Gerard has been a senior coach for more than twenty years and is well known for his role as Head Coach of the powerful and successful North Ballarat Football Club in the VFL. There were so many great messages and reminders for coaches that it is a challenge to refine them to the few necessary for this publication, but here I go –

• RELATIONSHIPS - Coaching is about forging relationship with players and getting to know them beyond football. Get to know them on a personal level as much as possible. Additionally, get to know all the volunteer staff that work for the club and support it. Their work is critical in ensuring that the club remains vibrant and functional.

• PHILOSOPHY – Know your coaching philosophy; know your game plan. Develop your players in an individual capacity and collectively as a team to work towards this game plan and philosophy.

• TALK LESS SHOW MORE – too many coaches talk for too long – keep your messages

brief and spend more time on doing rather than talking.

• FEEDBACK – provide regular feedback to players about their performance. Focus on both strengths and areas for development. Also have someone who provides you with honest feedback about your own coaching performance – not someone who only tells you what you want to hear!!

• POSITIVE ENVIRONMENT – do everything you can to create a positive environment

for everyone involved in the club. Move on quickly from setbacks and look for solutions to problems rather than dwelling on the negative.

One of the other messages that Gerard emphasized was the need to frequently look to ways to improve and develop yourself as a coach, which he continues to do despite his years of experiences and vast amounts of success. A book he recommended was titled “The Art of Coaching” by David Wheadon – why don’t we all buy a copy and see what we can learn to continue to improve ourselves as coaches in the Bendigo region!

Craig Simpson CV AFCA Sub-Committee

• Tim Davis – St Killians Graham Gamble – Strathfieldsaye • Matt Smith – Quarry Hill Andrea Coughlan – CCB • Wayne Maxted – Boort Darryl Wilson – Strathfieldsaye • Chris Bolton – St Francis Luke Rosa – Wedderburn • Matt Hawken – Leitchville/Gunbower Kristian Shevlin – Newbridge • Alana Wearne – Bendigo Rep Teams Brett Fitzpatrick – Sandhurst • Gregg Gadsden – Mount Pleasant/MD Mark Adamson – Kyneton • Rick Dowling – Kyneton Andrew Wild – Calivil • Kevin Roberts – Quarry Hill/YCW Alistair Egan – St Arnaud

AFCA Coach of the Year Nominations

AFCA Coach of the Year Award Winners

Female Coach of the Year – Alana Wearne BJFL Y/G Alana Wearne – BJFL/Subway Shield Youth Girls

Youth Coach of the Year – Alistair Egan St Arnaud FC St Arnaud: North Central /Mallee - Under 12,14,16,18 U/15 V-Line

Senior Coach of the Year – Brett Fitzpatrick Sandhurst FNC – Senior Coach Sandhurst FNC

Junior Coach of the Year – Wayne Maxted Boort FC - U13s Coach Boort FC NCFL

Central Vic Coaching Programs

AFL Central Vic is currently in the process of re-structuring development programs in the U12 through to U16 age groups and academy program. Part of this process involves identify quality coaches to be part of the program and to assist the development of the regions young talent. I’ve had the opportunity to catch up with some of you, but here is some more information: Coach identification – U12, U13, U14, U15 to U16 academy coaching positions (including interleague & V-Line Cup/Subway Shield) for Head Coaches, Assistant Coaches and support staff (team managers as this is an important position). An U23 academy is also a possibility in the future. Players to Coaches Academy – We are also keen to start a players to coaches academy in the region. This would involve identifying, and developing players who are budding coaches to prepare them for coaching in their own right and to assist where appropriate with junior academy’s programs. Action: If you are interested or know of any candidates who would be ideal for consideration please contact me. If you have any questions or queries about the above program feel free to give me a call.

Coaching Coordinators

All clubs will be expected to have coaching coordinators on place from 2015. AFL Central Vic believes the role of coaching coordinators is a must for all clubs future success. The following role description may assist you and/or your club in establishing a coaching coordinator at your club. This is just an example as the role description needs to suit club needs and capabilities in regards to personnel available. Please see Coaching Coordinator PD on the next page.

If you would like further information on this role, please contact Rick on 0438 410 315, ricky.coburn@aflvic.com.au

Coach Re-accreditation & Accreditation Information

All re-accreditation information (accreditations, AFCA, courses in general) can be found on the Central Vic website: www.aflcentralvic.com.au Once on the website, anything related to coaching and/or development in our region will be under the link: AFCA Once in the AFCA link you will find Re-accreditation forms. To be eligible for reaccreditation your coaching accreditation needs to be within two years or expiry (2013 & 2014). If your accreditation falls outside of these years please contact me for further information. Accreditation course dates for 2015 will be circulated early in December.

Coach Coordinator

Objectives

• Develop a positive coaching culture with in the club • To coordinate, educate and evaluate all coaches at training and on match days

Responsibilities

• Be an active member of the Central Vic AFCA Club Coaching Coordinators network • Assist with the identification & appointment of all coaches (including retention and

succession planning) • Assist the development of all club coaches (using the AFCA support network) • Assist the coaches to achieve coaching accreditation • Act as a communication point between parents/players & coaches • Oversee & offer assistance for training skills, drills and games • Recommend new equipment purchases where required to the committee – establish a

club resource centre • Liaise with all coaches regularly, providing regular feedback on training and match days • Liaise with coaches and support staff to assist in the tracking of players from one age

group to the next

Relationships

• Reports to Football Manager or designated person on club committee (for example, President)

Accountability

• Accountable to the Football Manager or designated person on club committee

Up-Coming Development Events Information

Session Focus

Past Events June –

September

Session Focus

Up-Coming Events April-

October - April

Coaching Coordinators

Meeting June 30th

Sport in Regional Australia –

La Trobe Uni Bendigo November 10th & 11th

North Melbourne Local Club Night (coaches night with Darren Crocker) 9th July

Bendigo Coaching Seminar –

Pre-season Training November 16th

Multicultural Rd Multicultural Schools Day

North Bendigo FC

Coach ID Program –

Identifying & developing representative coaches

October – February

AFL Assistant Session with U16

BJFL Team (Local coaches invited to view)

Player- to- Coach Program Identifying & developing representative coaches

Coaching Coordinators AFL

Club Experience

Coaching Academy

Junior Academy Coaches Development Program

AFL 9s Schools Carnival in

Bendigo, Donald & Castlemaine in Septembers

Coach Accreditation Courses

• Level 1 Senior • Level 1 Youth • Level 1 Junior • Level 1 Auskick February – May 2015

School Development Events

School Events Include:

North Central AFL 9s, Bendigo AFL 9s, Castlemaine AFL 9s, School Football Carnival (Sun Country Shield) & Primary and Secondary School Events

Regional AFCA Sponsors

If you are interested in a sponsorship package, please contact Rick Coburn 0438 410 315 or ricky.coburn@aflvic.com.au