Following the Launch of the Solstice Energy Women’s Coach Accelerator Program earlier in August, the Devils can confirm five Tasmanian coaches have been selected for the pilot program.

The program has been designed for female Tasmanian coaches who have shown a commitment to professional development and potential to move into senior coaching in the coming years.

The Devils are proud to announce that Melissa Budgeon (North West), Erin Chivers (South), Maisie Edwards (North), Jodie Mather (South), and Emma Pittman (North West) have been included in the first cohort of the program.

As part of the program, the attendees will meet fortnightly and will have access to some of the club’s top coaching talent, along with presentations from guest speakers within the AFL industry.

All coaches will have an Individual Development Plan, including funding support to upgrade their coach accreditation, and in-depth recording, analysis and feedback on their own coaching by Dr Rob Mason, who has experience working with Port Adelaide and other national and international high-performance programs.

General Manager of Strategy, People and Impact, Lauren Jauncey, is delighted to see this program get underway.

“This program relates directly to Tasmania’s value of Level the Playing Field and will go a long way in building the capacity of an underrepresented area within coaching in our state,” said Jauncey.

“We know that it’s difficult to be what you can’t see, and hope that this program will inspire other females to become involved with coaching in coming seasons. 

“We are excited by the program we are delivering as part of the Women’s Coach Accelerator Program, and on behalf of the club I’d like to congratulate each coach selected.”

The program gets underway over the coming weeks and will continue to provide opportunities throughout the 2027 VFL season.