Australian Athletics will host the 2025 Women in Coaching Conference this August, inviting coaches of all levels to the Gold Coast for the two-day initiative designed to create strong networks and develop coaching excellence.
Set to take place at the Gold Coast Performance Centre from August 2-3, the conference welcomes all coaches, with a focus on creating a supportive space for female coaches and male allies to connect, grow and thrive.
Australian Athletics Coaching and Officiating Project Coordinator Nicolai Morris said the conference, which coaches can register for HERE, will break down barriers identified through surveys and the experiences of some of the nation’s premier female coaches.
“The largest barrier for women is networking, so having a conference where people can come together, learn off each other and form those casual networks was the driving force behind the idea,” Morris said.
“That was at the forefront of planning, it’s almost a bit school camp-esque. It allows for that natural environment where people can come out of it with new connections or validation of their ideas and knowledge.”
From training principles to personal values, philosophies, storytelling and research, the 2025 Women in Coaching Conference will have something for everyone – serving as a two-day masterclass in coaching.
“We have tried to make sure that the coaches presenting and topics covered are valuable to everyone; from coaches of elite athletes for 30 years to those in their first year of coaching,” Morris said.
“We have a range of coaches signed up from the elite level Australian team coaches to brand new Level 1 and Level 2 coaches, which is really cool. It shows coaching through the development stages.”
With guest speakers including founder of the Female Coaching Network Vicky Huyton, Senior Lead of the Australian Institute of Sport’s High Performance Coach Development Team Michelle De Highden, and Australia’s own coaches led by Sharon Hannan – there will be no shortage of knowledge on the table.
“Even though it is a conference designed for women, we want our male allies involved. This is a conference that will keep evolving and we want it to become something that all coaches really want to attend and a prestigious event every year,” Morris said.
“Another message is that you can stop at any of those pathways and that can be your final destination, it isn’t about pushing everyone into the elite side of the sport.”
To find out more information and register for the 2025 Women in Coaching Conference, CLICK HERE.
By Lachlan Moorhouse, Australian Athletics
Posted 1/7/2025
