FORMER Geelong player and current Cats AFLW backline coach Elise Coventry has been awarded the AFL Coaches' Association pathway scholarship.

Introduced to help support women in coaching and help fast-track their development, the scholarship will see Coventry participate in coaching courses and receive mentorship from Geelong assistant coach Steven King, who was recently acting AFL senior coach at Gold Coast.

Coventry was on Geelong's inaugural playing list in 2019, but ruptured her ACL in a practice match.

A teacher by trade, she was brought into the coaching fold by then-Cats senior coach Paul Hood and assistant Natalie Wood.

She is also Geelong's VFLW coach.

Previous scholarship holders have been Alicia Eva, Emma Grant, Christina Polatajko and Tamara Hyett.

"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," AFLCA CEO Alastair Nicholson said.

"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."

Coventry said she was grateful to have been awarded the scholarship.

"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," she said.

"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."