Coach Emma Kearney - will join Clarko's coaching team as development coach and player development co-ordinator

[Kanga Glory]

 

[Ry009]

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Awesome.

 

[Val Keating]

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Good on her

 

[Ligma]

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This is ******* amazing I’m so proud of her

 

[giantroo]

Kangaroos AFLW captain Emma Kearney joins Alastair Clarkson’s coaching team​

Alastair Clarkson says Emma Kearney’s knowledge of the game will be a key asset when the Kangaroos’ AFLW skipper joins his coaching team in a new full-time role.

https://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/kangaroos-aflw-captain-emma-kearney-joins-alastair-clarksons-coaching-team/news-story/1111d7a2d6bd384ee3a639979b1a57e6

@LaurenHeraldSun
2 min read
November 10, 2022 - 6:00AM
News Corp Australia Sports Newsroom



North Melbourne AFL Women’s skipper Emma Kearney is joining Alastair Clarkson’s coaching team full-time.

And as her start date looms, she’s hoping it could well mark the biggest week of her life.

Kearney, a six-time AFLW All-Australian, is preparing to lead her Kangaroos in a do-or-die semi-final against Richmond this Saturday, with her new role as development coach and player development co-ordinator in the men’s program to begin within weeks.

In AFLW grand final week, no less.

“Hopefully if all goes to plan we’re preparing for a grand final, too – that would be nice,” Kearney said on Wednesday.

“They’ve been pretty supportive already of my schedule and our new football operations boss Cam Matthews is all across it. He’s a good person to work with.”

The 33-year-old – who has a second AFLW premiership firmly in her sights in coming weeks – is a qualified teacher, and has been working as head of education at The Huddle at North Melbourne in recent times.

And it’s her time in the classroom that she believes could be one of her greatest assets after North Melbourne was awarded one of six positions in the women’s coach acceleration program, telling Clarkson and Roos football boss Todd Viney as much when the trio caught up recently.

“I was really keen to look at the holistic development of the players,” Kearney said.

Kangaroos AFLW captain Emma Kearney will start as a full-time coach in the men's AFL program working alongside Alastair Clarkson. Picture: Mark Stewart

“Maybe on-field there’ll be some development coaching there, with the younger players, but that off-field education too about career planning, what’s life look like outside of footy. I’ve got a good perspective being a semi-professional athlete that young boys go from playing football as their outlet to then it’s full time.

“Sometimes the mental struggles that come with that can be quite significant for young people.

“That’s what I was really passionate about. I could see a real gap in the development of younger players at North, so that was something that really appealed to me.”

Clarkson, who started at the club on November 1 and immediately started to form his coaching outfit, said Kearney would be “a fantastic addition”.

“The role will allow Emma to combine her two passions, football and education,” he said.

“Her knowledge of the game teamed with her experience as an educator will be invaluable to our men’s program.

“Emma’s playing career speaks for itself, and it goes without saying she is already greatly respected by our playing group and football staff.”

Kearney said she had weighed up the decision heavily amid North Melbourne’s senior coaching role uncertainty, which went up a further notch when Clarkson – within weeks of being appointed at Arden Street – was named in a cultural safety report that encompassed his time at Hawthorn, embroiling the four-time premiership coach in explosive allegations surrounding player treatment.

All allegations have been denied.

Kearney, who will play her 50th AFLW game this weekend, said she hadn’t spoken to Clarkson about the saga.

“For me, it was more about who the head coach could have been and in terms of what I can bring to the men’s program,” she said.

For now, it’s about beating Richmond on Saturday and then packing her desk – not that she’s moving far.

“I was sad to leave The Huddle because it’s a great place to work, but I’m just going upstairs,” Kearney said.

 

[AnEmptyChair]

not only is this fantastic for Emma, great for the footy club, and a positive step for women's footy, but it's also going to deeply upset all the right people.

Love it. Congratulations to an icon of our footy club

 

[Twangler]

Great appointment! How many development coaches do sides tend to have? For us will it be just Kearney and Boomer?

 

[The Filth Wizard]

Nice one Emma. Really nice move for everyone here.

 

[Ocha905]

Great forward thinking from North.
I think it’s stupid to assume the best 1000+ coaches in Australia are men. (AFL, NRL, Soccer, local sport etc).
Seems like there’s a market inefficiency to be exploited by smart sporting organisations.
Whether or not Kearney will be a great coach is another story but everything she’s done so far is very encouraging.

 

[giantroo]

Kearney to join Kangaroos' AFL coaching group​

North Melbourne is thrilled to announce AFLW captain Emma Kearney will join the club’s AFL coaching group as part of the Women’s Coach Acceleration Program.


North Melbourne was awarded one of six positions in the Women’s Coach Acceleration Program, designed to fast-track the development of women in coaching and assist in their progression to senior coaching roles across both AFL and AFLW programs.

A qualified teacher, Kearney joined the club’s community arm The Huddle in 2019 as Head of Education, a role she has held for four years.

Kearney will transition into a full-time role as player development coordinator and development coach in late November.

The newly created role will see Kearney provide support, guidance and education to the club’s 1-3 year players within the AFL program with a specific focus on player development, personal development and coaching.

Working closely with head of development, Gavin Brown, Kearney will assist with players’ holistic development both on and off the field, allowing them to perform to the best of their ability and enhance their personal growth.

“The ability to work with some of the greatest coaches including Alastair Clarkson was a big reason why I wanted to take on the challenge,” Kearney said.

“For me, as an educator I really enjoy working with young people and helping them out. Sometimes people forget that footballers, particularly when they come into the system, are young people.

“I feel like I’m going to enjoy working with some young boys and helping them be as successful as they possibly can.”

North Melbourne’s general manager of football Todd Viney said the club is really pleased to have Kearney join the AFL men’s program later this month.

“It’s a fantastic opportunity for all involved, we are really pleased to see Emma take on this opportunity,” Viney said.

“Emma has been and continues to be an outstanding leader in our AFLW program, she lives and breathes the club values and is committed to becoming better in whatever she does.

“Emma’s sporting achievements speak volumes, her football nous teamed with her extensive experience in education make her the perfect fit for this role.

“We look forward to Emma making an impact, our players and our program overall will benefit from her presence and expertise.”

 

[Val Keating]

She seems like a ripper

 

[Harris 10]

Great appointment! How many development coaches do sides tend to have? For us will it be just Kearney and Boomer?

Has Brown left, I thought he was still with us?

 

[Roo096]

Nice one Emma lets hope your week only gets better.

 

[Psicosis]

“That’s what I was really passionate about. I could see a real gap in the development of younger players at North, so that was something that really appealed to me.”

 

[the flying ham]

Awesome.

 

[KangaRooster]

Great appointment both for the club and Emma, she deserves it.

That's another young, relatable, (football person) to bridge the gap between the coaches and the players, she seems like an excellent communicator and that obviously hasn't gone unrewarded, clear lines of communication between the coaches and playing group is undervalued and i'm glad we're addressing it.

Go get 'em girl.

 

[muttley45]

Congratulations to Emma, another string to her bow, i can see her as our next AFLW coach after Crocks when she's finished playing.

 

[Val Keating]

“That’s what I was really passionate about. I could see a real gap in the development of younger players at North, so that was something that really appealed to me.”

Is Brown moving on?

 

[Psicosis]

Is Brown moving on?

I don't think so. I think this is more investing more in development rather then replacing anyone. Which is absolutely a good thing.

 

[trooroo4life]

Yep pointed this out couple weeks ago in another thread, I was sure Emma was thrown up as a development coach around July/August, great to see it still going ahead. Great for women in footy, and a great asset to our program with her past in education. Congratulations Kearns.

 

[roos 10]

Dasiey Pearce is doing same kind of role at Geelong next year

 

[Hojuman]

We does " Korn " think ?

 

[trooroo4life]

Dasiey Pearce is doing same kind of role at Geelong next year

Correct, there’s 9 women across the comp. It’s a position funded by the afl and sits outside our soft cap. Great initiative.

 

[King Corey]

Congratulation Emma and smart thinking North. And thank you very much, I'll collect my prize now.

There's a blind-spot in coaching appointment that seems to run in both AFL and AFLW.
...

If anything the next generation of women coming through AFLW will hopefully be given opportunities in the AFL (not just AFLW) coaching system rather than playing AFL being some yellow brick road for coaching either league...

This isn't about equalisation or patronisation etiher. An Emma Kearney is going to have learned plenty about leadership, conditioning, balancing a professional athletic career with other work just for starters that is going to be of value to whoever she coaches regardless of their chromosomes.

 

[Bashnek]

Is Brown moving on?

From the NMFC article


"Working closely with head of development, Gavin Brown, Kearney will assist with players’ holistic development both on and off the field, allowing them to perform to the best of their ability and enhance their personal growth."

Great news for the club, game & Kearns.