Felicity Tankey has always loved AFL and will be looking to build up a passion for the sport in others through her role as Brothers Bulldogs Senior Women’s Coach for 2022.
The newly appointed position is one that also crowns her the first senior female coach of a community club within the whole Wide Bay region, something that Felicity said made her very proud.
“It is great, I am excited to try and further the women’s side of AFL within the region,” she said.
“I would like to bring us up to scratch and run alongside with the men eventually.”
Felicity said she grew up playing AFL after being introduced to the game at school in Geelong, Victoria.
She then went on to play women’s football in Darwin from 2004 to 2016, captaining her team for the last five seasons which included the club’s first women’s premiership.
Felicity said she loved everything about the sport.
“What isn’t there to love?” she laughed.
“Mainly, I think it is the bringing together of women from all different backgrounds who are all working towards the same goal.
“It brings out the best in people, passion, confidence and more.”
Women’s coach first step in driving participation
The local AFL enthusiast said she would work hard to promote women in sport within her coaching position.
“A lot of women aren’t confident that they will be able to play, and so they don’t try out,” she said.
“I want to change all of that and show people that whatever skill set, fitness level or age that you are, there is always a place for you and something out on the field that you are going to be good at.”
Felicity will start promoting women’s AFL at a football clinic at St Luke’s Anglican School next Saturday.
“The clinic is for 14 years and over and is simply a come and try afternoon where we work on some skills and take those steps to build up some confidence,” she said.
“Just head along from 3 pm – anyone is welcome and it will be a great opportunity to see if you like AFL.
“Games then officially start in February next year but once the team is fully established, we do plenty of pre-season work to get everyone bonding.”
With Felicity named the senior women’s coach, it makes her the third female coach or assistant coach that Brothers Bulldogs has announced in its push to build women’s sport in the region.
She follows on from Wendy Timms, 2021 Under 10.5’s coach, and Kieranne Zunker 2021 Under 8.5’s assistant coach.
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