MELBOURNE’S AFLW assistant coach Jane Lange is representing the AFL Coaches Association in a new initiative called the Women’s Coaching Crusade which will help increase female coaching pathways.
The AFL Coaches Association has partnered with Lucky Chicken Eggs to attract and upskill more females to prepare them for coaching at a higher level.
This promotion will encourage current female footballers to look at coaching beyond their playing careers, and Lange is proud to be involved in it.
“It’s been widely published that there isn’t a high number of female coaches in this space, so they have jumped on board with it,” Lange told Melbourne Media.
“Any organisation that is willing to promote female involvement in our game is awesome and I’m more than happy to be a part of that.”
Lange is excited by the female coaching pathways and hopes more women will be able to join her in a role at an AFL club in the future.
“As a coach it’s nice to know there are people out there who are going to put their hand up and provide that support for women into that space because it is difficult to get into,” she said.
“I had been involved in coaching for a while before AFLW started so I had met a large number of people which helped me in starting.
“I guess you could say I had a prior opportunity to show that I have something to give in this space.
“But the girls playing don’t necessarily get that opportunity.
“There’s an abundance of male coaches, so they tend to get looked at first.”
With a new-found focus on the women in footy, Lange believes some players are already realising they could have a future within the sport.
“I think it has already prompted a few players, particularly the older girls … and opened their eyes to the possibility of moving into coaching,” she said.
“So to have something that really publicises that and encourages it is only going to turn more heads into the direction of coaching.”
Lange, along with fellow AFLW assistant coaches Natalie Wood (Geelong), Shannon McFerran (Carlton) and Lauren Morecroft (North Melbourne), will have her photo featured on the cartons of Lucky Chicken Eggs at Coles Supermarkets during the 2019 season.
“It’ll be reasonably funny I think, it’ll be interesting to see what turns out,” she said.
“I’m absolutely certain there’ll be a few people sending through photos of my mug on egg cartons.”
The AFL Coaches Association and Lucky Chicken Eggs Coaching Pathway Scholarship will provide two AFLW players with an opportunity to realise their coaching potential over the next two years and fast-track their development.
For more information on the Women's Coaching Crusade, click here: www.aflcoaches.com.au/womens-coaching-crusade
