The Gold Coast SUNS has finalised its AFLW coaching group for the 2020 season, with four assistants to support Senior Coach David Lake.
The four coaches were announced alongside male number one ticket holder Bruce Coulson – CEO Managing Director of Kool Kids Training College – who has also signed on as the club’s inaugural AFLW Coaches’ Partner.
Andrew Swallow, brother of SUNS captain David and former North Melbourne AFL captain, headlines the assistant coaching panel, coming on board as the midfield and technical coach.
He’s joined by triple-Premiership player Darryl White (backs/talls coach), highly-rated development coach John Taylor (forwards) and 2019 Coolangatta QAFLW coach Matt Bedford (development/runner).
All four also held assistant coaching roles for the SUNS in the 2019 QW Winter Series.
Lake said it was exciting to lock in the coaching panel for the 2020 AFLW season.
“While we were putting the squad together we were lucky enough to actually get to access the coaches and see them go through their paces in the Winter Series,” Lake said.
“Seeing the reaction of the girls was the ultimate thing and how they reacted was really positively so that was a great feeling.”
“We’ve got our coaches sorted and I know they hold the knowledge and are capable of imparting it onto our playing group.”
Lake also welcomed the support of Coulson and Kool Kids Training College as inaugural Coaches’ Partner of the AFLW program.
“Bruce has a real energy about himself and he loves every moment of his involvement at this football club, so for him to say he wants to share that in the women’s program – for me, I’m excited.
“Especially when you’re such a community-based football club. Everything that we do and the way we immerse ourselves in the Gold Coast community; it’s great to see people come back the other way and say they want to attach themselves to our brand.”
Kool Kids Training College Founder Coulson said he couldn’t be more thrilled to come on board for the club’s first AFLW season.
“When the women’s team was introduced, to me it’s just an outstanding thing for the SUNS in total given what I think it will bring to the club,” Coulson said.
“We’re very excited and we’ve signed on for the long term.
“I really love what it does for families – I’ve got two daughters and all of a sudden my daughters have become more interested in football because of it and want to go play in the local competition.
“The great thing about it is the growth that football is going to get through Queensland through the women.
“I love my footy, I love the club, I love what I can see they’re putting together for the coming years and I just think the women just round the whole thing off and just make it that bit more professional.”
The partnership will see Kool Kids Training College featured on all coaches’ AFLW polos on the chest and collar regions for the next three years.
About Kool Kids Training College
Kool Kids Training College is a specialist Registered Training Organisation (RTO) in Early Childhood Education and Care. The RTO provides centre based training in early learning centres throughout Queensland and New South Wales and offers classes in specific locations. They offer two courses including the CHC30113 Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care and CHC50113 Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care and they are known for their quality of training delivery. Kool Kids Training College is also a leading school based traineeship provider in the field of Early Childhood Education and Care.
AFLW coaching group announced as Kool Kids Training College signs on
The Gold Coast SUNS has finalised its AFLW coaching group for the 2020 season, with four assistants to support Senior Coach David Lake.