AFL CEO Andrew Demetriou said McConnell's honour marked a great recognition for AFL talent programs.
McConnell was appointed in March 2005 and is responsible for the elite AIS-AFL Academy program, which draws its players from the NAB AFL Under 16 Championships, and then prepares them for the drafting process and senior AFL football.
AIS-AFL Academy graduates featured prominently throughout the 2008 season with Adam Cooney (Brownlow Medal), Lance Franklin (Coleman Medal) and Luke Hodge (Norm Smith Medal) enjoying outstanding seasons. At the 2008 NAB AFL Draft, eight of the top 10 picks were graduates of the Academy.
In its 12th year, the Academy has produced 240 listed AFL players and around 75 per cent of Academy graduates have earned AFL contracts.
McConnell received his award from Acting Australian Sports Commission CEO Brent Espeland late last week.
"Alan was recognised as one of seven people across sport for his outstanding contribution to the holistic development of talented athletes within the Australian sports system," Demetriou said.
"The AFL has been thrilled to have had a person of Alan's qualities to guide our talented junior players and we congratulate him on his outstanding leadership of our key development program and the recognition of his work.
"The AFL Rising Stars program, with the support of NAB, has developed into the leading junior talent program in the country and, most importantly, prepares young players for their life around the game, and improving them as people."
Before his appointment to this role, McConnell, a former Western Bulldogs player who played 38 games with the club between 1980-82, was a qualified physical education teacher with an extensive background in the AFL coaching system.
He spent six years with Fitzroy from 1991-96, including stints as club senior coach before its merger with the then-Brisbane Bears, and seven years as a Geelong assistant coach from 1997-2003.
