Supporting club leaders to grow and thrive

AFL NSW/ACT is fast tracking the learning and development of five first-time club presidents across Northern NSW who are participating in the Club President Mentoring Program.

This program is designed to support the presidents as they learn the ropes of the role, helping them to lead the club’s direction and bring others along in the delivery. Each president will have the opportunity to identify their own learning needs, then work one on one with highly experienced mentor Marilyn Brien to build their personal skill set.

Marilyn Brien has worked as a business mentor for over 30 years, was formerly the owner of Leadership Management Australia in Coffs Harbour, and now runs her own business.

The five participating presidents have been identified as experienced committee members who have stepped up to the club’s key leadership role in 2023 for the first time. The presidents are:

• Dallas Baldwin – Inverell Saints
• Matt Dwyer – Sawtell Toormina Saints
• Carissa Embling – Port Macquarie Magpies
• Andy Mack – Gunnedah Bulldogs
• Rachael Sheather – Grafton Tigers

Paul Taylor, Community Football Manager, said that supporting new presidents can have long term benefits for both clubs and the League.

“Being a president is a demanding role, so we want to make the transition into it as smooth as possible,” Taylor said.

“By supporting these new leaders of their clubs, we hope to make the role as rewarding as possible so that the individuals are happy to continue for an extended period, offering the stability that’s necessary for club growth and further strengthening the League.”

Marilyn Brien has only met with the presidents once to date but is already impressed by their enthusiasm and passion to learn.

“I’m really looking forward to mentoring this group of keen members. Their passion for their club comes through really clearly, as does their desire to do the job as well as they can. My role is to support the development of their knowledge and skills so that they grow into the best president they can be,” Brien said.

The mentoring program looks to support presidents across key business areas such as developing the club’s vision and culture, and improving communication, delegation, and planning. Sessions are conducted one on one, with each president to benefit from eight to ten sessions delivered between February and May.