Double Duties: Senior Women Stepping Up and Out as Coaches
By Kel Rowe
As Women’s Coaching Month comes to a close this week, we turn the spotlight to a group of hard-working women who are furthering the growth of women and girls’ football across the West by pulling on the boots AND taking on the team sheet. Meet some of the players from across the St Vincent’s Private Hospital Werribee Senior Women’s Competition who are guiding the next generation of footy superstars.
Lonét – U16 Girls, Werribee Centrals Junior Football Club
Running around on the turf out at Galvin Park, Lonét Bugeja can see the transformational power of footy in action, especially for young girls. Known affectionately to many across the league as “Bug”, the Werribee Centrals’ stalwart channels her passion for the game to help the young women she coaches grow as footballers and reach their full potential.
“Seeing their confidence increase, their skills improve, and their love for the game develop is what drives me,” Bugeja reflects. “Knowing I can make a positive impact on their journey, both on and off the field, inspires me to keep learning, improving, and giving my best as a coach.”
Bug began her footy career when girls footy was a relatively fresh, unknown and sometimes unwelcome concept — and uses that experience to drive her coaching.
“I want to help eliminate the comments and stereotypes like ‘it’s a man’s game’ or ‘girls can’t play football’; I want to help young footy stars believe they can do anything they put their mind to,” Bugeja says.
“It’s important to me that I know I’m able to guide them into being great footy players, and also great members of the community.”
And it’s this opportunity to be a positive role model for the next generation, by creating a safe and growth-focused environment for her young charges, that keeps Bug connected to her coaching.
Abbie & Danni – U10 Girls, Suns Football Netball Club
Season 2026 has been a special year in footy for many clubs across the West, but none more so than the Suns, who welcomed their inaugural Under 10 Girls team into the fold. At the helm of this brand-new side are Abbie Macdonald and Danni Woods, two senior women’s players who jumped at the opportunity to help build the girls pathway at their club.
Macdonald, who has taken on the lead coaching role, is thrilled to be able to guide the new group, “knowing the girls have trust in me to lead them in how they grow, not just as footballers, but into little women as well!”
Woods is equally excited, backing up Macdonald as the assistant coach. “Being part of this inaugural side has been an incredible experience, and it’s something I’m very proud to be involved in,” Woods reflected.
“Australian Rules Football has given me so much throughout my life, and coaching is an opportunity to give back to the next generation … By helping shape the future of our game, we’re helping shape confident young people who know how to support one another, work through challenges, and back themselves.”
Macdonald agrees — “Being a part of building an inaugural junior girls’ team has really opened my eyes to see how much space there is for girls and women to join football and find something they love.”
“My favourite thing is seeing the girls’ faces’ when they realise how they’ve improved. Having a part in that joy is so special!”
For Woods, the role holds particularly special significance — her young daughter is a member of the team.
“On a personal level, coaching my daughter in this inaugural team has been incredibly special. We recently moved to Victoria from Central Australia, and joining the Suns has played a huge role in helping her settle into a new community,” Woods reflected.
“Through football, she’s built friendships, gained confidence, and found a sense of belonging… Watching her find her place in our club and community has easily been the highlight of my coaching journey.”
Layla & Zara – U12 & U14 Girls, West Footscray Football Netball Club
They are often a one-two punch on the footy field, but outside of their playing commitments, Layla Dawkins and Zara Harnden are working just as hard to grow the next generation of junior footballers at West Footscray. After a successful reinvigoration of the girl’s pathway in 2025, this season has seen the Roosters field two girls’ sides, with Dawkins leading the U12s and Harnden taking on the challenge of the U14s.
As a player who has grown up in her club, Dawkins is aware of how easy it is for young girls to lose interest in the sport she loves. She hopes that her presence as a footballer and a coach helps her young team see the opportunities that lie ahead.
“It is important to me that they keep playing footy as they get older. And if they see that I am still playing and invested, then maybe they will be more inclined to keep playing,” she reflected.
Harnden’s motivations are similar but she acknowledges that a female coach – something she never experienced – offers a unique influence on her squad and their development.
“When I was growing up, I never had a female coach. Even though I loved all of my coaches and they had a positive impact on my life, I do feel like I missed out on having someone who truly understood the female side of the game,” Harnden said.
“I often wonder how having a female coach could have influenced my development as a player.”
Both coaches agree that the biggest reward is in is watching their respective teams grow and develop, both on and off the field.
“Seeing the girls having fun together and forming friendships they wouldn’t have outside of footy,” Dawkins said, when talking to the impact of footy on her U12s.
“The improvement they’ve shown this year has been incredible, and it’s been so rewarding to be part of that journey. Hearing from parents that their daughter is the happiest they have been in years is incredibly rewarding and reminds me why I love coaching,” Harnden says of her U14s.
“Knowing I have helped to create an environment where the girls feel supported and confident means more to me than any result on the scoreboard.”
Natalie & Taquila – U16 Girls, Ascot Vale Panthers Football Club (EDFL)
What’s better than one elite midfielder as a coach? Easy, two. When they aren’t dominating the contest on a Saturday morning in the Senior Women’s Competition, Parkside Spurs’ Natalie Pearce and Taquila Angel are giving their time and experience to the Ascot Vale Football Club Under 16 Girls team.
“We’ve been fortunate enough to have witnessed the incredible growth of women’s footy during our lives,” Angel and Pearce said of their own football careers.
“Now we want to ensure that the next generation have more opportunities than we did growing up.”
The two players work hard to create a competitive environment that is both accessible and inclusive, recognising the responsibility they have at hand. “As coaches, we have the opportunity to not only help to develop players, but also help shape the culture, standards and future of women’s football,” they reflected.
“Witnessing the moment something we’ve been working on being executed on the field — whether that be a new skill or play, or simply a player realising how capable they are,” Angel and Pearce said of the rewarding nature of coaching.
The strengthening the pathway for girls in football is also an important feature of Angel and Pearce’s coaching practice, with the two ensuring they provide their young squad with opportunities to connect with to their Senior Women’s counterparts. Footy joy always ensues.
“We also get the privilege of training with the players – we have our girls join in with the seniors’ team — which is a lot of fun.”
Larissa – Senior Women, Wyndhamvale Football Club
Sitting 8 goals clear at the top of the leading goal kicker ladder, Larissa Renaut is no stranger to the big sticks. The talented forward returned home to the green and gold of the Wyndhamvale Falcons this season — and has undoubtedly been a great individual asset inside 50 — but rather than keep the scoring glory to herself, Renaut shares her craft with her fellow forwards as a playing assistant coach.
“Having that football knowledge and being able to share it to help guide girls, especially coming from a player’s perspective — you have the capacity to see it from both sides,” Renaut said of her dual role.
Renaut has been a part of the WFNL since her junior years, and a regular fixture of the Senior Women’s cohort since the beginning of the competition. She has seen the growth and development of women and girls’ football firsthand, but reflects there is still work to be done.
“Women’s footy still has a long way to go, but if you can help build that love and passion, and pass it on, that’s the key to keeping women into the game; and having younger girls come through the pathway,” she said.
This year, in her playing coach role, Renaut credits her growth to working with a great playing group and learning alongside a great coaching panel, one that also includes teammate and experienced Falcon Rachael Burton.
“My favourite thing about coaching would be having a great group, as well great coaching staff, to learn from. A great group that takes on feedback but will also give you their opinion to work on [footy] together,” Renaut said.
“I love seeing the things you put into action, work. Seeing the girls put in effort and having fun, getting to watch it all unfold — that is definitely worth it.”
When asked what these players could offer as words of encouragement or advice to future coaches, there were some strong, collective reflections.
You don’t have to know everything to make a difference. You’ll learn alongside your players. You’ll have the opportunity to grow the game, and their enjoyment of it.
You will create lifelong memories, build lasting friendships, and positively influence young people’s lives. And this impact will last far longer than any result on the scoreboard.
Their message is clear — just do it — give coaching a crack and join the fun.
