The Fremantle Dockers are set to take their preparations for the 2019 NAB AFL Women's season to the next level with the signing of AFLW high performance manager Kate Starre.

Starre was first introduced to the playing group earlier this month with the Fremantle Dockers Women's Talent Academy meeting and training on a weekly basis.

Starre has a storied career in hockey, where she represented Australia 212 times and attended three Olympic Games; winning two Olympic Gold Medals (1996, 2000), two World Cups (1994, 1998) and a Commonwealth Games Gold Medal (1998).

Following her playing career, she continued her work with the Hockeyroos as a coach from 2005 to 2016, attending a further three Olympic Games.

She arrives at Fremantle with a wealth of knowledge working in strength and conditioning for elite women’s sport. 

“I’m excited to be on board and really excited to get out there, train and have a look at what they're up to,” Starre said ahead of the night’s training session.

“I think there will be a lot of similarities between working in football and hockey. It’s a running sport although in football there’s that contact component.

“I think overall, I’m most excited to work with and help young female athletes become the best that they can be at their sport.” 

One key component in Starre’s expertise is her work in ACL prevention with the Hockeyroos. 

At the University of Western Australia, she worked with then Swan Districts strength and conditioning Coach Gillian Weir in her PhD which focused on limiting ACL injuries. 

“With the Hockeyroos and UWA, we did an ACL study a few years ago and got really fantastic results,” Starre said.

“Gillian wrote an amazing PhD which was really successful in reducing the amount of ACLs in hockey. 

“We had five in one year and didn’t have any again for about six years.”

Starre was careful to state that no amount of work could eliminate ACL injuries at the club but the plan was to reduce the potential of them occurring.

“One of the things we’re going to do is start that ACL prevention program,” Starre said.

“Hopefully, over the next few weeks and months we can make an impact on the girls’ physical performance.

“What we do is not a guarantee but, hopefully, we can reduce the risk of ACL injury in these girls.”

AFLW senior coach Trent Cooper said he was thrilled to have Starre on board.

“I’m so excited that we’ve signed her,” Cooper said.

“Her high performance background in Hockey is way up there and it’s is way above where AFLW has been as it’s been around for so much longer.

“She’s going to bring a wealth of experience which is going to be really important to our girls.”