COVENTRY AWARDED 2023 AFL COACHES ASSOCIATION WOMEN’S COACHING PATHWAY SCHOLARSHIP
Geelong AFLW Assistant Coach Elise Coventry has been awarded the 2023 AFL Coaches Association Women’s Coaching Pathway Scholarship.
Coventry, a teacher and former player and member of Geelong’s inaugural AFLW squad, has progressed through the coaching ranks over the last few seasons as Geelong AFLW Development Coach to Geelong VFLW Senior coach and Geelong AFLW backline coach.
Described as a relationship coach, Coventry’s caring manner and collaborative approach to the team enables her to support and develop players to improve and keep performing at their best.
The AFL Coaches Association’s Women’s Coaching Pathway Scholarship was launched at the start of 2019 to support ambitions of women coaching and to fast-track their development to coach at the highest level.
Coventry is the fifth scholarship recipient. Previous recipients include Alicia Eva, Emma Grant, Christina Polatajko and Tamara Hyett.
Through the 2023 scholarship Coventry will be upskilling with professional development opportunities including the AFL Coaches Association’s Next Coach Program, various other coaching courses and receive a mentorship from Geelong Assistant Coach, Steven King..
AFL Coaches Association CEO, Alistair Nicholson congratulated Coventry on receiving the 2023 Scholarship.
“Elise is another impressive recipient. Her background as a player and teacher enables her to strongly develop and form relationships with players assisting them in being their best on and off the field.
“The aim of the AFL Coaches Association Women’s Coaching Pathway Scholarship is to aid the development of women coaching in the AFL and to increase the number of female coaches in football and our hope for Elise is that she is a long-term coach in our national game.” said Nicholson.
Coventry said she was honoured to receive the scholarship.
“I’m very grateful for the opportunity to continue my coaching development with the AFL Coaches Association Pathway Scholarship,” Coventry said.
“I’ve loved the challenge of beginning my coaching career over the past few seasons, and am so glad that Geelong recognised my potential and have aided and supported my development, and thank the AFL Coaches Association for giving me this opportunity now.
“It’s a great pleasure to work with players on their development and help them to produce their best on the field, and I look forward to continuing to grow and expand my own horizons as a coach.”
Former Geelong player and highly credentialed AFL Assistant Coach Steven King said he was looking forward to working with Coventry.
“Elise is highly regarded within the four walls of the Club and the wider AFLW and VFLW landscapes, so I am excited to be able to work with her as a mentor through the AFL Coaches Association Pathway Scholarship,” King said.
“I’ve been lucky enough to have a coaching career that has spanned three clubs over more than a decade, surrounded by some of the very best in the business, so I look forward to sharing some of what I have learned with Elise.”
