MELBOURNE skipper Daisy Pearce has taken up a women's coaching acceleration program position with Geelong in the future.
Pearce has one of nine positions across the AFLW, with the successful women able to take the up the minimum two-year role between now and 2025, allowing the Demons star and other AFLW players to continue playing if desired.
She is one of four current players to have been granted a position, with the other three to all remain with their existing clubs.
Adelaide: Chelsea Randall (current player and captain)
Brisbane: Emma Zielke (AFLW assistant and former premiership captain)
Collingwood: Chloe McMillan (VFLW senior coach)
Essendon: Natalie Wood (AFLW senior coach)
Geelong: Daisy Pearce (current Melbourne player and captain)
GWS: Alicia Eva (current player, captain and VFL development coach)
Hawthorn: Bec Goddard (AFLW senior coach)
North Melbourne: TBC
Port Adelaide: Erin Phillips (current player and former Adelaide premiership captain)
Geelong's interest in the champion Dee has long been established, with CEO Steve Hocking confirming in March the club had spoken to Pearce about an assistant coaching role with the men's side.
"I can confirm I have spoken to Geelong about coaching opportunities when my playing days at Melbourne have finished. When that is, honestly I’m not sure but coaching at Geelong is something that excites me when the time is right. I’m grateful for Geelong’s interest and Melbourne’s ongoing support," Pearce said.
"For the season ahead, my focus remains on representing the Melbourne Football Club and being the best player and teammate I can be. Going one step further and winning the flag is my dream and I can’t wait to get stuck into another pre season with the girls."
Pearce is currently an assistant with the NAB AFLW Academy, while Eva assists the NAB AFL Academy.
The program involves a formal mentorship with the club's AFL senior coach and a Level Three AFL coaching accreditation at a minimum.
"Pleasingly, all nine senior AFL coaches were not only in attendance, but genuinely spoke about their desire to have women coaching in their AFL programs," AFL general manager of women's football Nicole Livingstone said.
"Today's announcement is a major step towards the AFL's Women's Football Vision 2021-2030, where we want to see 50 per cent of AFLW senior coaching positions held by women.
"In Season Seven, Bec Goddard, Natalie Wood and Lauren Arnell will all hold senior coaching roles. More than half of the coaches selected in the Women's Coaching Acceleration program are past or current AFLW players and with each season we will have more women with experience of playing at the elite level who are ready to transition into coaching and football roles.
"The Women's Coaching Acceleration program will expedite the development of the industry's best women coaches and increase the number of women in coaching roles across men's and women's programs."
The program is being overseen by the following committee:
- Laura Kane – AFL general manager competition management
- Brad Scott – AFL general manager football operations
- Nicole Livingstone – AFL general manager women’s football
- Julia Lawrence – AFL coaching development and education manager
- Belinda Clark – Founder of The Leadership Playground and former Australian women’s cricket captain
