Four Victorians joined thirteen of Australia’s other top emerging coaches to converge on Sydney this week, to participate in a joint FIFA-Football Australia Coach Educators’ Development Pathway Program.
The pilot program focuses on further developing home-grown coach educators. Football Australia was one of five Member Associations selected by FIFA to launch the program alongside Brazil, the United States, Saudi Arabia and Senegal.
Commencing in November 2021, selected participants from Australia embarked on this 12-month program featuring 40 online modules, with this 5-day (May 2-6) in-person element providing the opportunity to deliver sessions in the classroom and on-pitch, enabling attending FIFA and Football Australia technical experts to provide guidance and feedback.
Football Victoria would like to congratulate the four members of our community who have taken part in this program over the last 12 months:
- Helen Winterburn, Head Coach of FV Emerging
- Annick Fokchak, Talent Development Pathways Manager - Girls
- Sean Gale, Talent Development Manager - Boys
- Chris Yena, Consultant and Coach Educator
Leading this week’s in-person modules were FIFA experts Branimir Ujevic (FIFA Head of Coaching & Player Development), Dany Ryser (FIFA Technical Expert and current U17 Men’s Switzerland Head Coach) and Mohamed Basir (FIFA Senior Manager, Coaching Development Department).
They were joined by Trevor Morgan (National Technical Director & U17 Men's Head Coach), Rae Dower (Women's Technical Advisor & U17 Women’s Head Coach) and Ron Smith (Technical Consultant) from Football Australia.
As one of only five nations selected to pilot the program, Trevor Morgan highlighted the growing global reputation of Australian coaches.
“Football Australia is looking to evolve coach and player development and participating in this coach educators’ pathway program, as developed by and delivered in collaboration with FIFA, will enable Australian coaches to get a head start on this new program which will be implemented the world over in the coming years,” explained Morgan.
“In this program, FIFA brings a certain methodology, a pathway to follow step by step, and the necessary tools for the current course participants – and ultimately coach education instructors – to perform as effectively as possible.
“If Australian football can develop and grow a pool of highly skilled coach educators in all parts of the country, the multiplier effect this will have on not only on coach development but in delivering elite player training, will have a huge impact on both the volume and quality of footballers we produce as a nation.”