New Coach for Sydney Swans AFLW Team
Topic: AFL Women’s
The new head coach of the Sydney Swans AFLW team is Colin O'Riordan, who is 30 years old.
One of the best coaching tips he got was to remember what it feels like to be a player.
Luckily, O'Riordan is still close to his playing days.
As a young coach, O'Riordan wants to earn the respect of his players quickly.
Some of his players are actually older than him.
Defender Tanya Kennedy is 33 years old.
O'Riordan said he needs to gain the respect of his players.
He thinks his recent playing experience will help him understand his players better.
O'Riordan played 34 games for Sydney before he had to stop playing due to injuries.
After he stopped playing, O'Riordan became a coach for the under-18 male academy and then the AFLW assistant coach.
He is the first coach from Ireland to be in charge of an AFL or AFLW team.
O'Riordan stopped playing in 2022.
He wants to remember what it feels like to be a player, especially on game day.
O'Riordan said being a player is very hard, both physically and mentally.
He thinks it's hard for players to make decisions during a game with so many people watching.
O'Riordan wants to be a coach who cares about his players.
He wants to know what makes each player tick.
O'Riordan thinks it's very important to connect with his players on a personal level.
As a coach, O'Riordan has to deal with his emotions in a different way than he did as a player.
He says that football is a game that is full of passion, but coaches need to stay calm.
O'Riordan thinks that if coaches get too emotional, they might make bad decisions.
O'Riordan is in a photo with his teammates Zippy Fish, Chloe Molloy, and Paris McCarthy.
The Sydney Swans' first game of the season is against Adelaide on August 16.
O'Riordan coached the Ireland team against Australia in a recent game.
O'Riordan took over as coach from Scott Gowans.
The Sydney Swans did well in their first season but not as well in the next two seasons.
Last year, the Swans finished ninth in the league.
O'Riordan is excited for the new season and wants to see how far his team can go.
He says that knowing he has done his work during the week helps him feel better on game day.
O'Riordan admits he is nervous, but he thinks it's normal to feel that way.
He says that on game day, there isn't much time to think about emotions.
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