Essendon's Indigenous player development manager Jacara Egan has been appointed assistant coach of the NAB AFLW Academy, joining Melbourne skipper Daisy Pearce and GWS captain Alicia Eva as new additions to the Academy programs.
It means that for the first time in Australian Football history, this year will see an equal split between men and women across the coaching panels for the NAB AFL and NAB AFLW Academy programs, which are headed up by former Collingwood star Tarkyn Lockyer.
Egan, a proud Muthi Muthi/Gunditjmara woman, is currently an assistant coach for NAB League boys side Calder Cannons.
She became the first Indigenous woman to coach across boys and girls NAB League footy with the Cannons, before taking on Vic Metro responsibilities as under-18 girls' coach this year.
Her father Phil played 125 games for Richmond and one for Melbourne between 1982 and 1991, and she grew up playing softball, representing Australia at under-19 level and, having hailed from Mildura, South Australia and Northern Territory at state level.
Egan, who has a background in social work and commenced her role at Essendon late last year, said she was honoured to join the NAB AFLW Academy.
"I’m proud to be selected as one of the NAB AFLW Academy assistant coaches this year and be a role model for other women and girls, and particularly Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people," Egan told womens.afl.
"Representation is so important, so to have three women involved in this year’s NAB AFL and AFLW Academy programs is a great step forward to ensuring the next generation of players learn from coaches of all backgrounds, knowledge, and experiences."
