Adelaide Crows appoint Australian Federal Police officer Bec Goddard as women’s coach
AUSTRALIAN Federal Police officer Bec Goddard has been appointed as the inaugural senior coach of the Adelaide Crows AFL women’s team.
SHE is the top cop turned football trailblazer and Bec Goddard will stick to a winning formula on her new beat as Adelaide Football Club’s inaugural women’s coach.
A 15-year veteran with the Federal Police, Goddard has more experience coaching men at Woodville-West Torrens, Queanbeyan and Ainslie Football clubs than women but the brief remains similar.
“The rules are the same, it’s how you deliver the message. I have been in areas where I have been built as a leader and been able to transfer that to footy as well,” said Goddard, who draws on experience as player, coach and umpire.
“I offer a bit of diversity whether that’s football with men who are being paid good money in the North East Australian Football League down to 16-year-old girls who want to play. It’s just how you deliver the message to get the best result out of them.”
Goddard, 38, is reflecting on a meteoric rise from coaching in native Canberra last year to the sought after role.
“I wouldn’t have thought 12 months ago I would be in this position today, a girl from Canberra coaching the Adelaide Football Club. To secure a position with the Woodville-West Torrens Centre of Excellence and as forward line coach, I have really enjoyed my season at the Eagles.
“They are excited for me, been on Facebook getting around me.
“I have found they love seeking out my opinion as much as the other coaches.”
Goddard envisages a flagship Crows side that girls and women aspire to represent in the eight club competition starting in March next year. Adelaide will draw on performance programs run in the Northern Territory by assistant coach Andrew Hodges and Adelaide.
“There’s heaps of excitement and been a big rise in girls wanting to play footy and Auskick. Now they can play in a league like their male counterparts,” said Goddard.
AFL can now match a pathway to elite competition already provided through the women’s Big Bash League, Women’s A-League and Women’s National Basketball League.
“It can only grow, there’s eight clubs. There is an appetite for women’s sport which you can see with the W-League, WBBL and WNBL,” she said.
Goddard says the skills set and training is identical for women and men in AFL. However women are understood to be more prone to knee injuries in sport including AFL which Goddard says must be considered.
“I am always aware of ACL injuries and women because of their hips and way they are built. It’s not something specific to women’s football though,” said Goddard.
BEC GODDARD
* Member of the Australian Federal Police since 2001
* Assistant Coach — Woodville-West Torrens youth academy, (2016)
* Assistant Coach, SANFL women’s state program (2016)
* AFL Football Woman of the Year (honorary) (2015)
* Assistant Coach, Ainslie Football Club men’s team, NEAFL (2015)
* Head Coach, AFL Canberra Women’s representative program (2015)
* Assistant Coach Queanbeyan Tigers men’s team, NEAFL (2014)
* Senior Assistant Coach, AFL Canberra Women’s team (2012-2014)
* Head Coach — women’s team, Eastlake Football Club (2011-2013) (Premiership Head Coach 2011 & 2012, Grand Final Head Coach 2013)
* Youth Girls Coach, NSW/ACT Under 18s (2010-2011)
* Head Coach — women’s team, Gungahlin Jets Football Club (2008-2009)
ANDREW HODGES
* Allies Assistant Coach, 2016 NAB AFL National under-18 championships (2016)
* Coaching mentor senior women (2016)
* U16 & U18 NT Thunder coach (2015/16)
* Senior Women’s NT head coach v South Australia (2015)
* Senior Head Coach Wanderers FC — Premiers (2014)
* NT Thunder senior assistant (2014)
* Two-time assistant coach at St Marys FC — Premiers (2012 — 2014)
* Under-16 NT Thunder Head coach 2013
* Under-18 head coach Southern Districts — Premiers (2007/08)