The Werribee Football Club in conjunction with the Western Region Football League (WRFL) and AFL Victoria recently hosted a local junior coaches workshop attended by over 50 coaches from clubs in the Wyndham region and beyond.

Werribee assistant coaches Michael Barlow and Tom Perrett are highly regarded Level 3 AFL coaches who put their hand up to help drive the standard of coaching delivered to the next generation of young footballers in the region.

Both Michael and Tom shared practical knowledge and personal experience that highlighted not only the importance of on-field development but also the responsibilities of being a positive role model and leader for young footballers.

As a former AFL player Michael talked at length about the various coaches and role models across his journey that have helped shape him into the coach that he is today.

“It was great to see so many motivated and selfless people who are looking to help others within the expanding Western parts of Melbourne,” Barlow said.

“It is with great pride that the Werribee Football Club play an integral part in these programs to ensure there is enough supply for the incredible amount of demand for football in the area.”

In his first year as Werribee’s Backline Coach, Tom shared his experience in using constraints based methods to ensure that young players not only improve their football skills but are able to enjoy doing so through a range of techniques and activities.

"As a coach, I personally love any opportunity to undertake professional learning, whether it be speaking to other coaches, doing professional reading or attending coaching courses.

“Michael and I are currently completing the AFL Level 3 High Performance Coaching Course, and as a result, we are gaining valuable exposure to the teachings of others, and also are provided with a great networking opportunity.

These types of events are great for all coaches to also do some networking and take the opportunity to observe what other coaches are doing with their teams. Seeing so many coaches undertaking professional development is a great thing for football in this region.”