by Aaron Bailey, EFL Gamed Development Manager
BALWYN Premiership Coach Daniel Donati, Blackburn Under 12 Girls Coach Courtney Young and Knox Gardens Auskick Coach Scott Woodward have been announced as finalists in the AFCA Victoria Coach of the Year awards.
Donati’s nomination caps an outstanding year for the Balwyn coach, after guiding the Tigers to back-to-back premierships and winning the Central Region Senior Coach of the Year.
Young is one of four coaches nominated for the Female Coach of the Year award, while Woodward is nominated for the Auskick Coach of the Year.
The trio will attend the AFCA Victoria Coach of the Year gala awards dinner to be held at the MCG on Friday 8 November.
Donati came to the Balwyn Football Club at the end of 2011, shortly after the death of Shaun Bergin.
He galvanized what was a shattered and emotional group into a strong, committed and proud team. He coached the senior team to the Division 1 premiership from the Elimination Final in 2012, before leading his chargers to back-to back flags, only dropping one game during an outstanding 2013 season.
Not only the ‘coach’ at the football club, Daniel also acts as a confidante and mentor to many of the players, assisting them in their work and/or personal lives. Whether it’s reviewing resumes or application letters, or assisting them to deal with some of the more difficult personal problems that life throws up, Daniel has been a tremendous source of support and advice for many of his playing group.
The nomination is a fantastic achievement for Young, in particular, in only her first year of coaching.
She has been an outstanding young coach, who this year coached both Blackburn Under 12 girls teams, as well as serving as an assistant coach for Blackburn’s Under 14 boys side.
Young, an outstanding female footballer in her own right having represented Victoria, has been a key figure in establishing the Under 12’s program at both Blackburn and the EFL. She is an outstanding role model to young female footballers in the region and is a coach to watch in the future
Woodward has been with the Knox Gardens Auskick program for eight years.
He juggles his role at Knox Gardens with committee duties at Knox Junior Football club. He has been a driving force in the ‘one club’ culture that exists and thrives between Knox Gardens Auskick and the Knox Junior and Senior Football clubs. First to arrive and last to leave, Woodward’s passion and enthusiasm has driven numerous initiatives that have become the highlight of the Auskick calendar at Argyle Way Reserve.
We wish Daniel, Courtney and Scott the very best of Luck at the mighty MCG in November.