Tell us about your journey within football and how you initially got into coaching?I was put into football when I was around 5 by my football obsessed dad in the hopes that one of his kids would enjoy it, and I’ve loved it ever since. I was encouraged by my U8s coach to trial for…
Tell us about your journey within football and how you initially got into coaching?
I was put into football when I was around 5 by my football obsessed dad in the hopes that one of his kids would enjoy it, and I’ve loved it ever since. I was encouraged by my U8s coach to trial for Manly United, playing there for around 6 years before making the move to the Northern Tigers in my U15s season, where I’m currently still playing in the women’s reserve grade.
I was encouraged by Eilidh, my U17s coach to sign up to help in a XLR8 holiday clinic, where I was lucky enough to quickly become a part of a very supportive and educated group of coaches, who constantly showed me support and offered another pathway to keep me engaged in football whilst I was injured on a fair few occasions over the past few years which really relit my love for the game and inspired my passion for coaching and allowed for my ability in it to grow. I’m currently coaching two Turramurra United JDL teams and really looking forward to the season ahead.
What is your favourite team and who is your favourite player?
I think I was born a Chelsea fan and being lucky enough to go to a few matches at Stamford Bridge really solidified that (although I’m unsure my dad would let me support anyone else).
I think 2 of my favorite players (coincidently 2 Chelsea greats) would have to be Lauren James and Eden Hazzard, both being such exciting players to watch on the ball, both having such confidence in their own abilities to take on a player or to release the ball making it almost impossible for defender to read and predict their next move.
Who’s been your biggest influence within football (as a coach or a player)?
I think as a player I would have to say that my coach during my U17s season Eilidh has been one of my biggest influences within football, I really learnt from her that football is as much if not more of a mental game than it is physical, both tactically as a team and individually with how far you can push yourself.
The whole XLR8 community has really been a massive influence on me as a coach, everyone from the start has been so encouraging and helpful, sharing so much of their own knowledge of coaching through conversations, the sharing of drills, sessions, and advice through letting me bounce off ideas and sessions knowing theirs no judgment involved.
What do you love most about coaching?
I think what I love most about coaching is seeing the positive impact you can have on teams and individuals, seeing their love of football grow throughout sessions and seasons either for the social or more competitive side of the game.
I’ve continued coaching with XLR8 over the past few years because the really encouraging and friendly community environment that’s been created is something which I continue to want to be a part of and along with that XLR8’s involvement within a huge number of programs over many clubs and the NSFA encourages constant growth of the game and in turn continues to provide me with pathways and opportunities to grow as a coach and keep me engaged within the game.
Describe a moment that has challenged you as a coach and how did you overcome it?
I think two things I’ve found most challenging in coaching is the transition between what I know as a player and how I can adapt that into a session as well as player management. I think I’ve learnt and am continuing to learn how to overcome both of those things largely through observing and discussing it with other coaches, I think observing how other coaches with different coaching styles overcome and address similar problems throughout their sessions is something which I’m very fortunate to have access to as well as being in an environment where I have the confidence to learn through trial and error and learning how to quickly adapt a session has really helped me learn and begin to overcome both of those aspects of coaching.
What advice would you give to someone to improve as a coach or as a player?
To take up whatever opportunities come your way, no matter how big or small without being afraid to put yourself into those new and unfamiliar situations, remembering that your footballing journey as both a coach and player is definitely not linear.
In one word, describe your role as a coach.
Positive
I think that being positive in coaching is so important for creating a supportive environment where players feel confident to try new things and fail and try again.