Former premiership winning Sydney Swans player Ryan O’Keefe, now leads coaching and education development in NSW/ACT.
I am really excited to come to NZ and connect with the local sporting and AFL community.
Coaching can have one of the most lasting impressions on athlete’s, I was able to achieve what I did because of the great coaches and mentors that supported me throughout my journey.
It is a privilege for me to do the same for not only players but coaches who are inspiring the next generation of athletes.
Ryan O’Keefe
He will be making his way across to New Zealand to host a series of Coach Development sessions from the 28th to the 30th of November in Auckland. O’Keefe will be accompanied by current AFL International Manager Ben Drew, whose key role is to support AFL Affiliates to develop the game outside of Australia.
The pair will host a Coaching Masterclass session on the 28th November with club and high performance coaches across the country, participating as they work towards ongoing development. The course has an open invitation to not only the AFL New Zealand community but also to other sporting entities.
The session will cover:
- Linking with athletes in other codes
- Academy Coaching
- Gameday Coaching
- Differences in coaching male and female athletes
Sydney Swans Academy Manager Anthony Cahill, will also be in attendance to assess AFL New Zealand’s progress and provide insights into the necessary ingredients in building a successful Academy structure and pathway.
The visitors will also be attending an AFL Academy day for local intermediate schools in the Auckland region as part of the practical components of the coaching course.
We look forward to arriving into Auckland to support AFL New Zealand’s coach education programs as well as attending the AFLNZ Academy event. Developing community coaches is an integral ingredient to fostering quality match play and successful competitions as well as developing the next wave of talented players, and we are excited to play a small part in the process.
Ben Drew
The Coach Masterclass Session on the 28th of November will be held at the Harbour Sports House, 7:00pm to 8:30pm
