Hawthorn AFLW Assistant Coach Stephanie Binder has been awarded the 2024 AFL Coaches Association Women’s Coaching Pathway Scholarship.
Binder, a former VFLW player, currently combines her coaching role at Hawthorn with her job as a Senior Exercise Physiologist specialising in Mental Health.
Having gained many different experiences throughout her coaching career, including coaching in the Coates Talent League, representative football, VFLW, and AFLW, Binder exemplifies the qualities of being a remarkable coach. The understanding she has of her players, her ability to form relationships, motivate, teach, and communicate and her strong understanding of the game combined with a profound dedication to coaching and learning make her a worthy scholarship recipient.
The AFL Coaches Association’s Women’s Coaching Pathway Scholarship was launched at the start of 2019 to support the ambitions of women coaching and to fast-track their development to coach at the highest level.
Binder is the sixth scholarship recipient. Previous recipients include Alicia Eva, Emma Grant, Christina Polatajko, Tamara Hyett and Elise Coventry.
Through the 2024 scholarship Binder will be upskilling with professional development opportunities including the AFL Coaches Association’s Next Coach Program, various other coaching courses and receive a mentorship from former AFL Senior Coach and Hawthorn’s Head of Coaching Performance & Development, Brett Ratten.
AFL Coaches Association CEO, Alistair Nicholson congratulated Binder on receiving the 2024 Scholarship.
“Stephanie shows an enormous potential, she has exceptional qualities and a drive and commitment that is easy to see. We congratulate Stephanie on being awarded the 2024 AFL Coaches Association Women’s Coaching Pathway Scholarship which we hope gives her that extra support on her way to achieving her goal of becoming a long-term coach in our national game,” said Nicholson.
Binder said she was honoured to receive the scholarship.
“I feel a great sense of pride and excitement to have landed this scholarship, thank you so much to the AFL Coaches Association,” Binder said
“I’m so grateful to be at Hawthorn where I’m really well supported, I don’t think I would have got this scholarship otherwise. Daniel Webster and Max Bailey, in particular, allow me to be myself which makes me feel valued and allows me to get the best out of myself.
“I want to learn as much as possible from this experience and from Brett Ratten so I can give back to the club and have success with this group. “
Former AFL Champion, AFL Senior Coach and current Hawthorn Head of Coaching Performance & Development, Brett Ratten, said he was looking forward to working with Binder.
“It’s always an honour to have the opportunity to mentor someone, especially someone at your own football club, so I’m really looking forward to working with Steph” Ratten said.
“I immensely enjoy being involved in mentoring programs, it’s great to see the determination and commitment of coaches like Steph who just want to have success.
“As much as I hope Steph learns from me, it’s definitely a two-way street and I’m sure I’ll learn things and different perspectives from her as well.”
