Day 3 - Thursday 20 March
Spotlight session: Introduction and Welcome – ASC Coaching and Officiating - 9-9.40am
The ASC welcomes all attendees to Day 3 of the 2025 Coaching and Officiating Conference. We look forward to learning with you today. We spend time this morning connecting with our fellow attendees through a guided connection activity.
Keynote: Motivated to officiate and inspire – Delfina Shakespear – 9.40-10.40am
A high-performance Match Official in the A-League and ACT Australian of the Year - Local Hero Finalist, Delfina is a trailblazer in officiating and gender equity advocacy. She balances her career as a Program and Strategic Policy Manager in the APS with her leadership roles in sport, championing inclusivity and fair play for women and girls. We look forward to Delfina's insights on the topic of Motivated to officiate and inspire’.
Self-directed activities – All day
On Day 3, we encourage attendees to participate in some of the self-directed facilities on offer. Topics range from brainstorming workforce requirements to support innovation to the role of empathy in connection. Space is available to collaborate, problem solve with others and share your reflections on topics of interest.
Walk and Talk: Coaching and Officiating in 2035 – ASC Coaching and Officiating – 11-11.40am
The ASC Coaching and Officiating team will lead a guided light walk around the grounds GMHBA Stadium to consider and reflect on the topic of “Coaching and Officiating in 2035”. This session will be facilitator guided and attendee led with an emphasis on discussion and reflection.
Redesigning sport experiences for women and girls – Football Australia, Our Watch and Katherine Owen – 11-12.20pm
Football Australia, Our Watch and Sydney University researcher Katherine Owen will explore ways in which the industry is currently supporting and could enhance support to foster positive experiences and equity for women and girls. This session will include both speaking and workshop elements, with an emphasis on building understanding, reinforcing learning and collaboration.
Officials as leaders of change: Safety and concussion management – AIS and Rugby Australia – 11-12pm
The Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) Performance team and Rugby Australia will explore the critical role that officials play in enhancing participant experience. This session will be speaker led with an opportunity for collaboration and questions. This session will have an emphasis on sharing insights, application and strategies for implementation.
Modern officiating in practice: Guiding Coaches and Officials for united success - Aden Kittel and Jacqui Jashari – 11-12pm
Aden Kittel, Deakin Lecturer and Jacqui Jashari, International and All Australian netball umpire will lead interactive activities focused on adaptability, participant-centred approaches and fostering positive sporting experiences, equipping them with tools to thrive in community sport. This session will be facilitator guided with an emphasis on practical application of theory.
Bookings are essential for this session. Please ensure you register through our booking portal, opens in a new tab to secure a place. Registered attendees will be notified when registrations are open for this session.
Modern Coaching in Practice: Participant driven experiences – Will Vickery – 11-12.20pm
Will Vickery, ASC Senior Coaching Advisor, will lead an interactive and practical workshop which focuses on applying modern coaching principles in real-world settings, emphasising how coaches can put participants in the driving seat of their experiences in sport. This session will be facilitator guided with an emphasis on practical application of theory.
Bookings are essential for this session. Please ensure you register through our booking portal , opens in a new tabto secure a place. Registered attendees will be notified when registrations are open for this session.
The power of purpose – ASC Leadership and Professionalism – 11.20-12.20pm
The ASC leadership and Professionalism team will facilitate an interactive session to consider the impact of autonomy in defining ones purpose as a coach or an official. This session will be facilitator guided and attendee led with an emphasis on developing practical tools, sharing insights and collaboration.
Transformational leadership: Empowering others as leaders of change – Bowls Australia – 11.20-12pm
Bowls Australia will explore how individuals and organisations can empower others to become leaders of change to drive lasting and whole of sport impact in embedding the Modern Approach. This session will be speaker led with an opportunity for group collaboration and questions. This session will have an emphasis on sharing insights, developing strategies and reinforcing learning.
Who really owns coaching and officiating? – ASC Coaching and Officiating – 11.20-12pm
The ASC Coaching and Officiating team will facilitate a workshop to explore the impact and importance of ensuring coaches and officials have autonomy and input on their development. This session will be speaker led with an opportunity for questions. This session will have an emphasis on sharing insights, challenging perceptions and storytelling.
Modern reward and recognition practices – Cricket Australia – 12-1pm
Cricket Australia will explore insights and the impact that reward and recognition practices which create both intrinsic and extrinsic motivation have on the experience and development of coaches and officials. This session will be speaker led with an opportunity for group collaboration and questions. This session will have an emphasis on challenging mindsets and collaboration.
Aligning workforce development to trends in participation – PGA – 12-1pm
The Professional Golfers Associations (PGA) will facilitate an interactive session to support attendees to consider and apply trends in participation to development of the workforce. This session will be facilitator guided and attendee led with an emphasis on building understanding, implementable strategies and collaboration.
What’s your why? Embedding intrinsic motivation in recruitment and retention strategies – ASC Coaching and Officiating – 12-1pm
The ASC Coaching and Officiating Team will facilitate an interactive session to support attendees to consider how intrinsic motivation to coach and officiate can support recruitment and retention strategies. This session will be facilitator guided and attendee led with an emphasis on challenging perspectives, collaboration and implementable strategies.
Coaching for Connection - Stacey Marinkovich - 12-1pm
Stacey Marinkovich, Head coach of the Australian Diamonds Netball team will facilitate a practical session for coaches to explore and consider how coaches can support and use connection as a means to improve outcomes for participants. This session will be facilitator guided and attendee led with an emphasis on practical application.
Bookings are essential for this session. Please ensure you register through our booking portal , opens in a new tabto secure a place. Registered attendees will be notified when registrations are open for this session.
Officials: The missing link in performance environments – AIS Pathways Team – 12.20-1pm
The ASC Pathways Team will share insights on the impact officials have in enhancing athlete outcomes in performance environments. This session will be speaker led with an opportunity for collaboration and questions. This session will have an emphasis on challenging mindsets, developing understanding and reinforcing learning.
Bringing research to life – Deakin University – 12.20-1pm
Major Partner, Deakin University, will explore with coaches from across sport how the system can collaborate to create fit for purpose research which is embedded in practice. This session will be speaker led with an opportunity for questions. This session will have an emphasis on sharing insights, challenging perceptions and discussion.
Modern Coaching in Practice: Participant driven experiences – Will Vickery – 12.40-2pm
Will Vickery, Senior Coaching Advisor, will lead an interactive and practical workshop which focuses on applying modern coaching principles in real-world settings, emphasising how coaches can put participants in the driving seat of their experiences in sport. This session will be facilitator guided with an emphasis on practical application of theory.
Bookings are essential for this session. Please ensure you register through our booking portal , opens in a new tabto secure a place. Registered attendees will be notified when registrations are open for this session.
Yarning Circle: How do we actually work together? – ASC Coaching and Officiating – 1-2pm
The ASC Coaching and Officiating team will facilitate a yarning circle around the grounds of Kardinia Park, “Kardinia” is derived from a word in the local Wadawrrung language that means ‘morning’ or ‘new beginning’. This session will explore the question of “How do we actually work together”. This session will be facilitator guided and attendee led with an emphasis on storytelling and reflection.
Debate Club: Technology V Tradition and the future of technology in development – 1-2pm
The ASC Coaching and Officiating Team will facilitate an interactive debate style workshop to support attendees to explore how technology can shape enhancement of development and support of the workforce. This session will be facilitator guided and attendee led with an emphasis on challenging perspectives, discussion and collaboration.
We welcome our sponsor, Play Book Coach who will deliver a short presentation at the start of this session.
Truth telling: My experience in Sport – ASC Equity, Diversity and Inclusion – 1-2pm
The ASC Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Team will facilitate a truth telling session with Kyle Van Der Kuyp on his experience in sport. This session will be speaker led with an emphasis on storytelling and reflection.
Lessons from outside the industry: Communication in high-pressure, high-reward environments: Trevor Matthews – 1-2pm
Trevor Matthews, Advanced care paramedic, will facilitate an interactive workshop for attendees to consider the role of communication and connection with others in high-pressure, high-reward environments. This session will be facilitator guided and attendee led with an emphasis on skill development, implementable strategies and storytelling.
Connection under pressure – Matt Cox and Claire Polosak – 1.20-2.20pm
Claire Polosak, High-performance Cricket official, and Matt Cox, ASC Governance and Risk Lead, will facilitate an interactive session to support attendees to consider the role that connection with others plays in the moments that matter. This session will be facilitator guided and attendee led with an emphasis on storytelling, reflection and collaboration.
Modern officiating in practice: Guiding Coaches and Officials for united success - Aden Kittel and Jacqui Jashari – 1.20-2.20pm
Aden Kittel, Deakin Lecturer and Jacqui Jashari, International and All Australian netball umpire will lead interactive activities focused on adaptability, participant-centred approaches and fostering positive sporting experiences, equipping them with tools to thrive in community sport. This session will be facilitator guided with an emphasis on practical application of theory.
Bookings are essential for this session. Please ensure you register through our booking portal, opens in a new tab to secure a place. Registered attendees will be notified when registrations are open for this session.
Planting the seed: go slow to go fast – Cricket Australia – 1.20-2.20pm
Cricket Australia will share their insights and facilitate an interactive workshop to support attendees to consider and develop community led stakeholder consultation and engagement to support implementation of the Modern Approach. This session will be facilitator guided and attendee led with an emphasis on problem solving and collaboration.
Keynote: Community, mentoring and long-term development – Richard Colman – 2.40-3.40pm
A Paralympic champion with medals across multiple Games, Richard Colman is more than an elite athlete—he’s a leader in mentoring, sport development, and inclusivity. From coaching in Victorian communities to making history as the first person in a wheelchair to umpire an AFL match, Richard has dedicated his career to ensuring sport is accessible, inclusive, and built for long-term participant success.
Spotlight session: The Modern Approach: Where to from here? – ASC Coaching and Officiating – 3.40-4pm
The ASC Coaching and Officiating team explore what’s next as the system connects with each other to embed the Modern Approach to Coaching and Officiating.
Spotlight session: Day 3 and Conference Summary – Richard McInnes (Australian Sports Commission EGM – Sport and Community Capability) - 4-4.20pm
On behalf of the Australian Sports Commission, Richard McInnes’ thanks all attendees for their engagement and contributions over the last three days. We reflect on topics discussed and key learnings from the event.