Fremantle AFLW assistant coach Amy Lavell is relishing her coaching roles across multiple levels of football, as she approaches her fourth season as an assistant coach at the Club.
Lavell played 14 games for Fremantle across the first two seasons of the AFL Women’s competition and has stayed in purple for the past three seasons as an assistant coach.
Last year, Lavell expanded her coaching skillset as she took on the role of senior coach of Subiaco in the WAFLW competition.
The coaching appointment was a return home of sorts, with Lavell playing 144 games and kicking 166 goals for Coastal Titans/Subiaco prior to her Freo career.
She was also a four-time premiership player and two-time best and fairest winner with Coastal Titans/Subiaco.
Lavell said overseeing her own team had provided a different outlook.
“It was really challenging, it was something that took me out of my comfort zone,” Lavell said.
“I’ve never been a head coach of a football team before, just an assistant coach.
“To be able to be in that different role and understand the way things work and get an opportunity to develop myself as a coach was very rewarding.”
Lavell, a teacher away from football, recently put her coaching talents on display at an inter-association All-Star AFL competition held earlier this month.
Claremont Oval hosted the inaugural competition which pitted representative teams from Associated and Catholic Colleges of WA (ACC), Independent Girls Schools Sports Association (IGSSA) and School Sport WA team (SSWA) against each other.
The carnival was supported by the WAFC and the Fremantle Dockers, with senior coach Trent Cooper and AFLW player Emma O’Driscoll also in attendance.
Lavell coached the IGGSA side and said she was thrilled with the performances on show.
“I didn't quite know what we were going to get from them having not had any trainings or having played together,” Lavell said.
“The opportunity for those girls to put on that Freo kit and be here today, I think they've been really excited and really enjoyed it. They were amazing today.”
“It was good to get Emma O’Driscoll down here supporting the girls and giving the young girls that are playing here today an opportunity to see what it is to be an elite athlete and something to strive towards later on in their life.”
Lavell said she had always found support from Fremantle in her coaching career and is excitedly looking ahead to season six of the AFLW, which kicks off in January.
“Fremantle are always supportive of my coaching journey. I'm really lucky to be part of the Club,” Lavell said.
“I just love being there, being part of the team and obviously playing the first two years of Fremantle and being able to then continue on in a coaching role.
“I'm very thankful to Trent for giving me that opportunity. I just want to keep improving and developing as a coach and hoping the girls do the same.”