(From left) Mr Kevin Sheedy, Vice-Chancellor Professor Greg Craven and Mr Mike Fitzpatrick.

AFL greats on hand to launch coaches' degree

President of the AFL Coaches Association, Mr Kevin Sheedy, and Chairman of the AFL Commission, Mr Mike Fitzpatrick, were special guests at the launch of Australian Catholic University's (ACU) newest degree in Melbourne recently.

The Bachelor of High Performance (Sport and Business)* will be available from 2010 for coaches of both AFL and elite athletes competing at national and international levels, and is in partnership with the Australian Football League and the AFL Coaches Association.

Mr Sheedy, who received an honorary doctorate from the University this year, said the course would be one of the first to provide prospective coaches with the appropriate professional qualifications.

"This degree will also enable coaches to transfer their management and high performance skills into other industries when they retire," he said.

Mr Fitzpatrick welcomed the ACU initiative and highlighted recent AFL research into coaching effectiveness, which underlined the need for a coaching degree which was in line with the strict protocols and professionalism of the AFL industry.

Dean of the Faculty of Heath Sciences at ACU, Professor Pauline Nugent, said the course would bring together the University's expertise in the areas of exercise science, high performance and business management.

*This course is subject to approval.