Erin Phillips joins SMOSH West Lakes as U8 girls coach for 2024
The former AFLW hero and WNBA champion will be adding yet another item to her resume this footy season.
Local Sport
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Erin Phillips has joined a local SA footy club in a coaching role ahead of the 2024 season after retiring from the AFLW.
The former WNBA champion and triple AFLW premiership player will coach SMOSH West Lakes’ U8 girls side this SANFL Juniors season.
Phillips made the decision to retire after a spectacular AFLW career with the Crows and Power which saw her claim three AFLW premierships and two league Best and Fairest awards in 66 games and will now begin a new chapter in coaching for her junior club.
She follows in her father Greg’s footsteps after he took charge of the club’s inaugural A Grade women’s side in 2019.
“My daughter, Brooklyn wanted to play footy and I wanted to help the club out where I can and just put my hand up to coach her team,” Phillips said.
“I’m keen to be involved with my kids at the club and to help a club that really helped me when I was young.”
Phillips said seeing Brooklyn, aged seven, run out in the SMOSH West Lakes colours would be an emotional moment.
“If she wanted to play whichever sport at whichever club I would have supported her all the way but to have her out at SMOSH is really special,” she said.
“I’ll be pretty emotional when I see my kids running around in the same colours I did when I was a young player.”
Phillips will balance her coaching responsibilities with involvement in the AFL’s football operations department and a media role with Seven.
She said while the balance would be a challenge, coaching was something she had been open to pursuing.
“It’s definitely something I’ve thought about and I’ve often kept my eyes and options open for any roles,” Phillips said.
“It’s going to be a bit of a juggling act. The U8s are going to be my focus right now but we’ll see what happens in terms of coaching other ages down the track.”
SMOSH West Lakes has established one of the top women’s footy programs in recent years.
Phillips’ aim was to help young girls at the club enjoy their footy and keep them in the sport.
“My main priority is my daughter and her team and helping them develop and have fun and to make sure they finish off the season wanting to keep playing.
“It’s really important to keep young females in the game.”
Club junior president Shane Finney was thrilled to welcome Phillips back to the fold.
“We’re delighted to have Erin coaching our U8 side this year. To have a former club champion in this role is humbling.
“It clearly shows her passion to engage younger children into developing skills in sport and participation.
“We hope she provides some guidance and insight for our other coaches to implement new training strategies for our junior age groups as well and we urge our members to provide her some space to enjoy this role, in and around her busy schedule.”
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