COACHES’ BOX

Welcome to SMJFL Coaching

Congratulations on taking on the role of an SMJFL Coach this season! Coaching children is deeply rewarding, and your dedication to supporting your club’s junior development is greatly appreciated by the League.

We are committed to keeping you informed, providing valuable education, and offering ongoing development opportunities to support your journey as a coach.

Be sure to visit this section of our website for helpful coaching tips and resources for you to utilise to get your feet off the ground. We also welcome your feedback and are happy to answer any questions you might have.

Thank you again, and here’s to an exciting and rewarding career in coaching!

National Coaching Accreditation Framework

As of 2025, the National Coach Accreditation Framework is changing. There have been significant updates to coach accreditation, transforming how coaches learn, develop, and be recognised. This renewed structure aims to offer more flexibility in learning, promotes ongoing development that can be self-motivated, and aims to increase recognition of coaching achievements.

The AFL’s coach accreditation system uses a points-based approach to help coaches progress through five accreditations: Registered, Registered Accredited, Bronze, Silver, and Gold. The points system encourages participation in various learning opportunities, including online modules, face-to-face workshops, practical coaching, demonstrations, observations, mentoring, and self-directed learning.

Coaches will need to register year on year to coach and then accrue points each year depending on the coach category they want to be recognised as. This aims to create a clear criterion on what is needed to complete each level of coaching accreditation, and what is needed to keep your current accreditation level.

Please see below image:

Summary

All SMJFL coaches will be required to complete the following compulsory requirements:

Create or update your profile on Coach. AFL and complete contact details here
Register on PLAY HQ here as a volunteer for your Club
Accept and agree to the Coach’s Code of Conduct (Annual acceptance required)
Completed the Foundation Course specific to the age of the playing group
(youth or junior) OR completed the relevant amount of points to keep your current accreditation status.
Complete online module on Vilification and Discrimination
Attend a Face-to-Face foundation workshop (New Coaches compulsory, optional for renewing coaches).

Coaching Accreditation

There are two main areas which Junior Club Coaches need to be accredited under. For Coaches coaching age groups from U8’s to U12’s it is the Foundation Junior Course. For Coaches coaching age groups from U13’s to U18’s it is the Foundation Youth Course. For a coach to be considered compliant in the SMJFL, you must have a minimum accreditation level of Registered Accredited, and you must have an active account on PlayHQ with your active Working with Children’s Check updated.

Every year new coaches and returning coaches are required to be accredited on the AFL’s Coaching Platform, CoachAFL. New coaches sign up by creating a profile, undertaking a mandatory online coaching program relevant to the Age Group (Junior or Youth) and complete the online module.

Returning (or renewing coaches) are also required each year to undertake the online renewal and the Vilification and Discrimination Module. Each renewing coach needs to ensure they update their profile to the relevant age group they are coaching to ensure they are accredited to the correct Foundation program.

Once accredited for the season you will receive confirmation that you have completed the appropriate work, and will receive a virtual badge that look like:

This can be found under the My Badges tab in the Coach Hub section of AFL Learn.

AFL Education and Support

The AFL have developed a centralised Coach AFL learning management system which includes a national membership database, high quality interactive coach resources, online coach education courses for all levels of coaching and a number of member benefits. Coach AFL will be an exclusive resource centre providing a range of learning opportunities for all AFL accredited coaches.

At the local and regional level AFL Victoria will deliver a range of face-to-face seminars and workshops for coaches to continue their personal growth and development. Other support and education provided will include club coaching coordinators, coach mentors and recognition of outstanding coaching achievements. All accredited coaches will have access to the Coach.AFL Learning Management System and gain access to the high-quality interactive coach resources and member benefits.

AFL Victoria Resources:

AFL Community – Coaches

AFL Community – Coaching Female Football

Coach’s Whiteboard

SMJFL YouTube Resources:

SMJFL Dangerous Tackle Initiative

Head High Contact & Dangerous Play – Community Umpire Education Resource - Video by Umpire AFL

This video has been provided by Umpire AFL and includes AFL Umpire & SMJFL Umpire Academy Ambassador Leigh Fisher explaining the objectives and adjudication of umpiring head high contact and dangerous play with the intent of keeping all participants safe to the best of thier ability. This video includes information on such topics as: