From high-school principal to Essendon’s inaugural AFLW coach, Natalie Wood has a wealth of knowledge she’s itching to share.

Paving the way for women in sport, Wood has undertaken the role as the first ever female AFL coach at the Bombers.

Through the help of the AFL’s Women’s Coach Acceleration Program, Wood has taken on the role of Development Coach in the men’s program, specialising in Teaching and Learning.

With over a decade of experience in the education system, Wood brings a deep level of understanding around teaching and communicating for all groups within the club.

“I have experience through teaching on how to get player agency, or ‘buy in’ and contribution to their learning,” Wood said.

“My breadth of exposure in education allows me to meaningfully enter the football space and work with some terrific coaches to enhance our methodology. I’m working to bring the ‘how’ we are coaching, merging teaching and coaching together.”

General Manager of Football, Josh Mahoney believes Wood will bring the perfect skillset to fit in to the program as AFL Development – Teaching and Learning coach.

“Natalie’s role within the AFL program is a combination of hands-on coaching with the players and working with the other coaches to improve their teaching/coaching skills,” Mahoney said.

“We are continually looking to develop everyone at the club and by utilising someone with Natalie’s background and skill set (in coaching and teaching) on our coaching panel, ensures that our coaches are growing their coaching and becoming more efficient at communicating messages and promoting learning amongst the players.”

In 2022, Natalie Wood became one of only three female senior coaches in the AFLW and transitions this year to being the only female coach in the Essendon’s men’s program.

“To be in a club that for the first time in 150 years has a female coach, that transition for me has been seamless, and that’s a real credit to the work that has been done over many years of building a strong culture," Wood said.

"I am thoroughly enjoying the renewed sense of football development that Brad is leading. The entire coaching group has a strong appetite for development, and it has been terrific to join an aspirational and inclusive coaching panel."

Wood will be working closely with the coaches this season, observing, and providing feedback on their coaching skills, in order to help develop the way in which the coaching group successfully delivers messaging and feedback to players.

“As coaches we are no different to players, we always have elements of our practice we are working on, what’s difficult as a coach is finding the time and space to stop and reflect and ensure you’re still growing,” Wood said.

“My role helps carve out some of that space, and by utilising the skillset that I do have from education, to be in a good position to observe and provide feedback.”

Mahoney is positive the new coaching panel will promote Essendon’s ‘one club’ mentality and promote development across all groups.

“We have a mix of experienced coaches and young coaches on our panel this season and all have areas that they are looking to develop,” Mahoney said.

“The added benefits of Natalie being part of our AFL coaching team, are the relationship building with other coaches, the alignment between our men’s and women’s programs in terms of language which both actively promote our ‘one club’ mentality.”