We're thrilled to announce the presenters for the 2024 Football Victoria (FV) Coaching Conference, which will take place on December 14 at The Edge, Federation Square.
The event has become a staple of the Victorian football calendar and is tailored for coaches of all backgrounds and skill levels. The conference will be recorded, so if you have purchased a ticket and wish to review the content post-event you will be able to view the presentations.
Food and beverages will be included on the day. Don't miss out, limited spots are available!
KEY DETAILS
- Where: The Edge, Federation Square
- When: Saturday, 14 December. 9AM-5PM
- Cost: $200+GST, (Includes conference and online workshops) - $100+GST (Includes Online Workshops only)
- 6 CPD hours will be awarded to coaches who attend on the day
Can't Attend? Join the Workshop Series!
If the conference date poses a challenge, don't worry! We've arranged a Workshop Series the following week. It's another chance for you to engage, learn, and enhance your coaching skills.
Online Workshops: December 16th-19th - 4 CPD Hours
Register here for the Workshop Series
COACHING CONFERENCE PRESENTERS
Ademir Costa - Football Coordinator at the Football Association of Rio Grande do Sul
Ademir Calovi Costa has a distinguished career marked by significant contributions to football development in Brazil. With over 24 years of experience, he has served as the High-Performance Youth Coordinator at Sport Club Internacional, where he coordinated the technical department focused on youth development. In this role, he developed and implemented training methodologies in collaboration with the Rio Grande do Sul Football Federation, greatly enhancing the region’s football infrastructure and talent pipeline.
Since 2021, Costa has been the Football Coordinator for Project Conecta at the Federação Gaúcha de Futebol, where he is responsible for developing and implementing comprehensive football projects aimed at fostering grassroots talent and promoting sustainable growth in the sport.
In addition to his practical experience, Costa, a FIFA instructor and recognised expert in coach development, has made significant contributions to the Brazilian Football Confederation Academy, where he taught courses on Youth Development and High-Performance Team Management. He has also served as a professor for the Technical Coordinator Course, specialising in Youth Department Management, further establishing his reputation as a leading figure in the education of future coaches.
Kevin Muscat - Shanghai Port F.C. Head Coach
Part of the Golden Generation of Australian football, Kevin Muscat graduated from the Australian Institute of Sport in 1992 following a brief stint at boyhood club Sunshine George Cross. During his four seasons with South Melbourne in the National Soccer League, Muscat was a pivotal member of Australia's 1991 and 1993 FIFA World Youth Cup teams, reaching the semi-finals on both occasions.
Following a strong showing at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, Muscat joined Crystal Palace, where he didn't miss a game in a season which earned promotion to the English Premier League. Muscat spent almost a decade in the United Kingdom, with long stints at Wolverhampton Wanders and Milwall book-ending a season at Glasgow Rangers. His time as inaugural captain at Melbourne Victory earned him two A-League Championships before serving as Assistant Coach to Ernie Merrick in his final two seasons as a player.
He graduated to the role on a full-time basis, firstly under Mehmet Durakovic and Jim Magilton, then Ange Postecoglou. Muscat assumed the Head Coach role once Postecoglou was lured by the Socceroos, achieving success with Championships in 2015 and 2018, before moving abroad to Japan, where he followed in Postecoglou's footsteps once again as Manager at Japan's Yokohama F Marinos. The club never finished outside of the Top 2 in his two-and-a-half seasons at the helm, winning the J-League Championship in 2022 before he took the reins of Chinese Super League club Shanghai Port at the beginning of the 2024 season. With just two losses in 30 matches, Muscat steered Port to the Championship, becoming only the second Australian Manager to win Championships in three different national leagues.
Mark Torcaso - Philippines Womens Head Coach
Mark Torcaso is the current Head Coach of the Philippines Womens's National Football Team, a position he initially assumed alongside his role as inaugural coach of Western United in the A-League Women's competition, where he guided the club to a Grand Final in their inaugural season.
Torcaso began his coaching career in the Schools system, serving as the Director of Football at St Monica's College before working with Football Victoria's NTC program. He coached Bundoora United in the Women's Premier League, guiding them to a Grand Final and Cup Final in the same season, before moving to Calder United at the birth of the NPLW, achieving great success with in five completed seasons at the Club, winning 3 Championship and 3 Cups to create a dynasty for the fledgling outfit.
Torcaso replaced Alen Stajcic as the Manager of the Philippines in mid 2023, guiding them to the quarter-finals of the postponed Asian Games before leading them in the second phase of qualifying for the 2024 AFC Women's Olympic Qualifying Tournament.
Nick Busuttil- VU/MSA Skill Acquisition Lecturer
Nick is an Applied Sport Biomechanist, University Lecturer and a private Coaching Science Consultant. He has supported athletes across various sports, from youth to elite levels, including highly ranked tennis players from data-driven sports analytics on the WTA and ATP circuits. Nick completed his PhD in coaching science, focusing on biomechanics and skill acquisition for tennis while also working worked as a research assistant and subject tutor with La Trobe University, collaborating with the Boston Red Sox, the New York Yankees and Australian Defence Force in similar roles. Currently, Nick educates in Biomechanics at Victoria University and previously a Performance Tennis Coach at the Maribyrnong Sports Academy where he was part of the coaching team that won the 2022 Tennis Australia National High School Challenge and placed third in 2023. Nick aims to create a rich learning experience for coaches and athletes, providing a unique experience with contemporary methods for skill acquisition and practices for transferable technique development.
Gary Cole - Football Coaches Australia (FCA)
Upon retirement from a decorated playing career, Gary Cole progressed into an equally successful coaching career, firstly with the Australian Institute of Sport, where he played a role in nurturing Australia’s best young talent alongside Ron Smith. He returned to Victoria where he spent time at the helm of Heidelberg United, Altona Magic, Bulleen Inter Kings and Bentleigh Greens in almost 200 top-flight matches, winning VPL championships.
Cole has enjoyed great success as a football administrator at the top level of professional football in Australia during a period of immense change, occupying the role of Director of Football for both Melbourne Victory and Sydney FC. He was the inaugural Director of Football at Victory when the club was formed twenty years ago, overseeing the strategic direction and policy implementation of the high-performance football department, and the management and leadership of Football Operations to support the achievement of Melbourne Victory’s objectives. Cole joined the FCA Executive Committee in 2019 and has played an integral role in building FCA to what it is today.
Mike Conway/Daniela Kraus - XVenture
Mike Conway is a sought- after emotional agility and mind coach, who is the Founder and CEO of XVenture. He has built a reputation globally across elite sport, business and education for the creation and delivery of solutions to build a winning mind mentality, culture and improve performance with his PIMS Framework. His track record in elite sport spans cricket, basketball, Olympians and football – working with individuals and teams.
Daniela Kraus is XVenture COO & Boad Member, PIMS Coach and Facilitator. Kraus is a Performance Improvemnt Mindset Coach with Manly United Football Club.
Helen Winterburn - Young Matildas Assistant Coach
Helen continued on her coaching journey and moved to Australia in 2018 where she had stints at South Melbourne and the Football Victoria NTC program. Winterburn was the head coach of the FV Emerging Matildas squad in NPLW Victoria in 2022. Alongside her coaching roles with Football Victoria she was also the Coach Education Coordinator and CCC Program Manager whilst also completing her AFC A Licence.
In 2022 Helen moved into the senior professional coaching ranks as the inaugural assistant coach for Western United in the Liberty A League Womens competition, during this season Helen and the team were Grand Finalists and league runners up.
In 2024 Winterburn relocated to New South Wales to work at the Central Coast Sports College within the football program at the school.
ONLINE WORKSHOPS PRESENTERS
Stefan Busso - Fiorentina Women's Assistant Coach
Stefan has worked in football coaching for almost fifteen years, beginning at Northcote City FC before leading the NTC Girls program.
During this period, Stefan began to work in Coach Education for Football Australia, delivering B and C Licence courses.
In Season 2020/2021, Stefan joined Perth Glory as Assistant Coach for A-League Women, before moving to Turin, Italy where he was Technical Coordinator Academy at Juventus Women during Season 2021/2022 and 2022/2023.
Today, Stefan fulfils a dual role as Technical Collaborator First Team and Technical Coordinator Academy at Fiorentina Women.
Jordan Franken - Portland Thorns & Young Matildas GK Coach
Jordan Franken is the current goalkeeper coach for the Portland Thorns in the NWSL as well as the goalkeeper coach / assistant coach for the U23 Australian Women's National Team.
The NWSL in the United States is widely regarded as one of the top professional women's leagues in the world and Portland Thorns are the competition's most successful franchise. While working with international stars like Christine Sinclair and Sophia Smith, Jordan also works with Mackenzie Arnold at the Thorns.
Jordan has also worked with Australian national teams for 6 years including the Matildas for international matches and participating in the 2022 FIFA U20 Women's World Cup before taking on his current role with the U23 Matildas. He is also a coach educator with Football Australia.
Before his move abroad he worked in Australia at Melbourne City as senior academy goalkeeper coach and A-League Women's goalkeeper coach / assistant coach for 5 years. During his time at the club he worked extensively with 5 senior international goalkeepers and 8 youth international goalkeepers, with 6 goalkeepers having progressed to senior professional contracts and 5 goalkeepers securing moves to clubs overseas from City.
While living in Victoria he also worked in the NPL Men's competiton for 7 years with Dandenong Thunder and Green Gully.
Louise McColl - Football Australia
Louise began her coaching journey in 2007 while playing for Warrington Town Ladies in North West England. Over the years, she has coached at all levels, from U7s to seniors, across community football, NPL, FV SAP and TIDC programs, and even the Melbourne Victory Elite Girls Program.
Her experience extends to coach education, where she has been presenting community courses since 2014 and advanced licenses from 2016. Louise has held key leadership roles, including Technical Director and Coach Education Manager at the Bendigo Amateur Soccer League, and served as Football Australia’s Community Technical Lead from 2023 to 2024. She currently works as a Coach Education Tutor with Football Australia.
Important: To receive the full 10 CPD hours, coaches are required to attend the Online Workshop Series in addition to the in-person conference. For those unable to attend the in-person event, enrolling in the Workshop Series alone will award 4 CPD hours.
We look forward to your participation in this exciting event!