NSFA is pleased to announce the Coaching Scholarship winners for 2023
- Danielle Smith (North Sydney United FC),
- Mia Wood (Northbridge FC),
- Sean Collins (Hornsby Heights FC)
- Sebastian Bush (Mount Colah FC)
Each successful candidate will receive the following investment to kick start their first step into the advanced coach education pathway set out by Football Australia:
- Fee covered for FA Advanced C-Licence Course
- Ongoing support from NSFA Coach Development Manager, NSFA Technical Director, NSFA Community Football Manager & NSFA Head of Female Football.
Each scholarship winner will also be upskilled to become an FA MiniRoos certificate presenter, growing NSFA’s coach developer network and once again, extending the football educated community to new heights.
Jake Stephenson, NSFA’s Coach Development Manager commended the coaches saying “We’d like to congratulate this year’s recipients – Sean Collins, Danielle Smith, Mia Wood and Sebastian Bush – who have received the 2023 NSFA Coaching Scholarships.“
“We were inundated with applications and the process was a robust one. All four of these individuals clearly demonstrated their commitment to upskilling the players and providing a holistic learning environment within their clubs this season.“
“Following the FIFA Women’s World Cup, NSFA is proud to highlight 50% female representation within this year’s coaching scholarships scheme.“
“We look forward to mentoring each coach by seeing them further develop as people and coaches throughout 2024 season. We wish them all the success as they progress through Football Australia’s advanced coaching pathway and invest additional time into developing the players of tomorrow within NSFA.“
NSFA would like to thank all those who applied for the NSFA Coaching Scholarship and a special congratulations to the winners.
Coach Profiles
How many years you’ve coached within your club and positive reasons you’re involved?
I’ve been involved in coaching at North Sydney United for 3 years now. I’ve loved seeing players improve in both their playing ability and in their character.
What are the teams and ages group you’ve coached during 2023 Season and highlight your successes for the season?
This year I’ve had the pleasure of coaching the G9 Academy, who have become such a positive and balanced team with a visible love for playing football and being part of a team. I also had the privilege of taking the G14/15 Diamond League team to Kanga Cup this year, who came away with a massive improvement on their previous experiences and significant character-building successes.
What do you love about Football and Coaching?
Football is not only wildly fun, but fosters a strong work ethic, trust, teamwork, creativity, and discipline. Through playing, I’ve also recognised just how impactful a good coach can be, these values drive me to bring positivity and passion to every coaching opportunity I have.
Why you are looking forward to obtaining this C-licence and how will this benefit players within NSFA in 2024 and beyond
I am looking forward to obtaining a C-License so that I may continue to further my coaching knowledge and experience, and be the best coach I can be for my teams. I look forward to improving technical aspects of my coaching, and play a key role in the football development of young players in the North Sydney United and tie to the broader player development within Northern Suburbs Football Association.
How many years you’ve coached within your club and what positive reasons you’re involved
I have played at my club for 8 years now and as soon as I could start I got into coaching. I love being a part of those key years of development for young players, I only continue to love playing and I hope to pass over some of that love and passion for the game.
Teams/age you’ve coached during 2023 Season and successes for the season
Within Northbridge academy the U8s, U9s, U10s, and the U11s girls. It was a great season and all of the teams improved so much. It was the first year of the GSAP academy program at Northbridge and the girls all grew into strong and confident teams. Two teams got to semi-finals at Kanga Cup at Canberra, all teams won at least half of their games and every player has already agreed to play soccer again next season.
Your passion for the game as a coach
I have been playing soccer since I was 3 years old it has always been a part of who I am, and coaching has started as just another way for me to develop and show my love for the game. I feel so incredibly privileged to be a part of the early years for young girls playing soccer, working towards fostering their own love and passion for the game.
Why you are looking forward to obtaining this C-licence and how will this benefit players within NSFA in 2024 and beyond
The C-licence will continue to develop my ability to coach the next season of players at a higher level. I will be able to understand how my drills and coaching style can improve player’s skills and my own confidence as a coach. Most importantly its the next stepping stone in my coaching career, I have loved this role thus far and this license will ensure I can continue to grow my skills and love for the game.
How many years you’ve coached within your club and what positive reasons you’re involved
I’ve been coaching in Hornsby Heights Football Club since 2013 when my son started in the U06 mixed team. To date I’ve coached mixed and girls only, with a focus on Diamond League, girls only in the past 6 years, since my daughter started playing.
As with any football club, the success of the club is based on volunteer input. I’m an active volunteer in HHFC since I joined and hope to continue to be involved in years ahead. I like to be a role model for my children demonstrating that being involved in a club allows you to contribute ideas, support others, make new friends and learn something new along the journey.
Joining a local football club allows me to connect with my community becoming a part of a group of people who share a common interest, fostering a sense of belonging and camaraderie.
Serving as a coach allows me to take on a leadership role within my local community. I can contribute to the growth and success of the club, which often serves as a focal point for local residents.
What are the teams and ages group you’ve coached during 2023 Season and highlight your successes for the season?
In 2023 I coached the G14DL team. Looking purely at the “score board” it was a poor season – we won 2 out of 18 games. More importantly when I took on the coaching role of the G14DL team this season I knew it was a “build year” as we had a very young team and many competent players, however many had not played Diamond League previously. The team collectively & individually did develop & progress their skill level over the course of the season. The players will benefit from this and ideally be much better next year.
What do you love about Football and Coaching?
My passion as a coach is twofold: the physical & emotional development of the player – develop the player as a whole human being. Personally I’m very competitive, especially in a sports context, and enjoy winning; however am not a believer in “win at all costs”. I enjoy bringing together all the elements of winning at any sport in my coaching. Coaching HHFC youth teams supports my desire to contribute to the positive development of young athletes, helping to create a nurturing and supportive environment for them to learn important life skills such as teamwork, discipline, and sportsmanship.
Why you are looking forward to obtaining this C-licence and how will this benefit players within NSFA in 2024 and beyond?
I’m of the opinion that learning never finishes and believe the C-license will support taking my football coaching knowledge to the next level. I can then build new and different perspectives to support player development in 2024 and onwards.
How many years you’ve coached within your club and positive reasons you’re involved
I love watching the kids grow and develop. I enjoy creating positive connections with the kids and parents. I’m wanting to give back to the club and the association that has given me so much.
Teams/age you’ve coached during 2023 Season and successes for the season
U8 SAP in 2023. Seeing players progress and having a team togetherness – example being competitive and winning 3 games out of 7 at the GALA Day. Having a positive influence on the kids. Being able to see kids open up to me and talk to me about things that trouble them.
Your passion for the game as a coach
My love for the game is crucial. I watch live games, follow the news, and love to immerse myself in the culture of the game. As a passionate coach I am willing to dedicate my time and effort in order to excel in my role. I invest hours of time planning, and developing my coaching skills as I enjoy the process. I love players seeing my dedication and excitement for the game and are hoping that they are inspired and motivated to perform at their best. I love to stay updated with the latest techniques and strategies and am always willing to be told I am wrong in order to learn and reflect. I am very passionate about the development of my players and take a personal interest in each player’s growth, helping them to improve and recognise their full potential. Building team culture and comradery are very important to me as I believe that a team who are all close with each other are much more likely to perform better in the field. I love to be seen as a role model for my players as leaving a lasting impression on them fills me with a lot of pride and motivates me to continue to do what I love doing.
Why you are looking forward to obtaining this C-licence and how will this benefit players within NSFA in 2024 and beyond
Taking this coaching course will allow me to improve my coaching ability in order to provide my players the best possible experience within Northern Suburbs Football Association. It will allow them to play to the best of their ability and improve their performance. Taking the C-licence course will also help me be better known in the coaching world and get more exposure so that I can potentially take my coaching to an even higher level.