Football, known to millions as the ‘beautiful game’, doesn’t just captivate its audience with the brilliance on the pitch. The beauty extends off the field, in the classrooms, on training grounds, and among the ranks of dedicated professionals who work diligently to ensure the future of our game remains luminous. The bedrock of this journey? Coach education.
In a year where even more Australian-produced coaches are making their mark overseas in such a notable way, Football Australia has taken monumental strides in further advancing our coach education programs. Here’s an encapsulation of the journey.
Aligning with the AFC Convention and UEFA Guidelines
It’s not just about developing our own game; it’s about ensuring we are in line with the best in the world. This year, Football Australia embarked on an intensive restructuring of its coaching courses. From the grassroots at MiniRoos to the advanced studies of the A Diploma, our courses now mirror the AFC Coaching Convention and UEFA guidelines. This endeavour, though rigorous, has resulted in a coaching curriculum that promises excellence, both in national and international arenas.
Ensuring Qualified and Experienced Coach Education Tutors
Quality education is an outcome of quality educators. Recognising this, we introduced stringent regulations to ensure every Coach Education Tutor in our fold meets the highest standards of proficiency. Our endeavour was simple – to elevate the standard of coaching imparted across Australia. Through this, we believe that the future of Australian football is in safe, skilled hands.
In-Servicing Member Federations
Knowledge grows when shared. Our in-servicing programs, extended to all member federations, exemplify this ethos. Beyond just disseminating information, these programs fostered collaboration and unity among the federations. This also offered us a feedback loop, allowing us to refine our programs based on specific regional insights. The outcome? A coach education system that’s flexible, adaptive, and truly Australian in its approach.
Partnership with FIFA for 2024 Educators Onsite Workshop
As we set our sights on the horizon, an exciting collaboration looms. The upcoming Educators Onsite Workshop, thanks to our partnership with FIFA, slated for 2024 in Melbourne, promises to be a melting pot of knowledge. By inviting international experts and our own leading lights in the field, we aim to usher in a new era of coaching excellence, setting benchmarks not just for Australia but for the world.
Conclusion
2023 has been more than just another year at Football Australia. It’s been a year of transformation, of setting higher benchmarks, and of fortifying our commitment to the Australian football community. As we lace up for the challenges and opportunities of the next year, our spirit remains indomitable. Our game’s future is as bright as the talent we nurture, and we’re here to ensure it shines ever brighter.
Oscar Gonzalez
General Manager Coach Education
Ernie Merrick
Chief Football Officer
