POSITION TITLE

Head Fitness Coach

INCUMBENT

Darren Burgess

DEPARTMENT

Football

REPORTING TO

Senior Coach

LIAISON WITH

Senior Coach & General Manager - Football Operations

KEY OBJECTIVES OF THE POSITION

To assist the Senior Coach and General Manager - Football Operations to develop players’ fitness, skills and attitudes, and to generally assist in player welfare.

NATURE & SCOPE OF THE POSITION

1. Control of total player fitness and conditioning.
2. Control medical services provided to players and liaise between medical staff and coaches to ensure the process is tightly managed and reported to Match Committee
3. Ensure extensive computerised records are maintained of injuries, treatments, etc. and ensure treatments are carried out on a timely basis (monitor player attendance)
4. Continually communicate information (or see that it is communicated) to players regarding health, nutrition and any other pertinent issues
5. Develop and implement injury prevention, conditioning and rehabilitation programs to players in conjunction with medical and coaching staff, with particular emphasis on hamstring and osteitis pubis injuries.
6. Coordinate the activities of specialist fitness support staff.
7. Conduct or assist in conducting any physical examinations, fitness testing, or similar in conjunction with the medical and coaching staff
8. Manage the training facilities and equipment to ensure they are maintained in proper working order and that players show the required respect of facilities available to them
9. Provide advice and recommendations for future equipment requirements
10. Design and implement relevant sports science technologies to monitor players adaptation to the conditioning program.
11. Match day input of player fatigue levels and other relevant performance indicators
12. Attend Match Committee and all training sessions
13. Provide input for match review.
14. Coordinate a regular medical planning meeting.
15. Other duties as may be directed by the Senior Coach from time to time

SPECIFIC FITNESS ACCOUNTABILITIES

The Head Fitness Coach is responsible for:

  • Development and implementation of the best holistic fitness program in the AFL
  • Establishment and maintenance of a quality relationship culture between all fitness department operatives
  • Development and maintenance of an “eye for detail and 100% completion” culture in the fitness department
  • Ensuring all players adopt processes which prepare them to perform onfield at a consistently high level.

    DECISION MAKING AUTHORITY OF THE POSITION

  • Recommend fitness programs and heart rate specific training drills and activities to the Senior Coach and the Match Committee
  • Team selection recommendations regarding players fitness and medical status
    INTERNAL CONTACTS OF THE POSITION

    In achieving the objectives of this position, the Head Fitness Coach has significant interface with:
  • Senior Coach & Assistant Coaches
  • Development Coach
  • National Recruiting & List Manager
  • Team Manager
  • Football Administration & Development Manager
  • Assistant Fitness Coach
  • Medical Staff
  • Fitness and Medical Support Staff

    EXTERNAL CONTACTS OF THE POSITION

  • Other AFL Clubs fitness operatives
  • National and International fitness expertise (best practice specific) Statistical data reporting agencies
  • Fitness information agencies