FFV's new NTC Women’s Head Coach, Vicki Linton, and Central/North East Zone Development Officer, Elisabeth Speller.
Football Federation Victoria (FFV) is delighted to announce two new appointments to its coaching ranks.
Vicki Linton has come on board as the Melbourne Victory W-League / NTC Women’s Head Coach, and Elisabeth Speller has taken on the Central/North East Zone Development Officer role, focusing on referee coaching.
Both ladies have extensive knowledge and experience in football, and will be valuable additions to FFV.
FFV CEO, Mark Rendell, is delighted to welcome Vicki and Elisabeth to FFV.
“Vicki and Elisabeth have extensive experience in their respective fields in football, and we’re thrilled to have them on board.”
“We know they will both be great role models for women interested in coaching and refereeing football,” he said.
Vicki has a broad coaching and playing history which includes coaching at a national level.
A talented player herself, injuries forced her to give up her on field aspirations, but she found an outlet in coaching.
“I went straight into coaching from playing and ended up being the Assistant Coach for the New South Wales Institute of Sport Women’s Football program,” Vicki said.
Before joining FFV, Vicki was a Coach Educator for FIFA, travelling to different countries in Asia and Oceania. She will continue in that role whilst working with FFV.
“It is very rewarding going into some of the poorest countries I’ve ever been to and spending a week with women coaches and being able to impact their lives through football,” she said.
Before her role with FIFA, she was the Women’s Football Coach at the Tasmanian Institute of Sport.
Vicki accepted the challenge of NTC Women’s Head Coach because of her passion for the game.
“I love coaching. I wanted to get back into full time coaching and work day-in, day-out with players and I wanted to take on the challenges of coaching in the W-League.
“I’m looking forward to the competition; being an NTC coach and working with players is really rewarding, but the W-League offers the competitive part of football.”
Vicki has worked with some of the NTC players already - Steph Catley, Brianna Davey and Caitlin Friend - in her role as Australian Under 17 Women’s National Team Assistant Coach.
“I’m looking forward to working with the Senior National Team players in the team and continuing to support them, working with the group of Youth National Team players and help them achieve their potential and also to identify and develop other players in Victoria”.
Born in Liverpool, Elisabeth Speller has been involved in football all her life.
She played for Werribee during her teenage years through to her early twenties, and has been on the committee of a junior club.
Elisabeth started refereeing later in her life, after being inspired by one of the world’s best.
“I read Pierluigi Collina’s autobiography and thought, ‘I want to do that!’”
In her role as Central/North East Zone Development Officer, Elisabeth will aim to recruit and retain referees.
“Part of my job is to do a review of the refereeing system. I’m interested in improving the life of referees, the conditions for refs across the board, helping to minimise abuse, and getting the young, women, and anybody really, interested and active in refereeing.”
Last updated: Friday July 30, 2010 10:04AM
Back