Football Coaches Australia announces Kelly Rourke as new CEO

Liam Watson
Kelly Rourke
Image via Football Coaches Australia

Football Coaches Australia (FCA) has announced Kelly Rourke as the new Chief Executive Officer (CEO).

An experienced leader with a wealth of industry background, Rourke has spent 20 years in the UK police force and has built a strong reputation in Australia.

Her past roles include Greyhound Racing NSW and Head of Control and Compliance with Tabcorp, while she spent five years with National Rugby League South Australia as the State Manager, making significant strides for the sport in South Australia.

Rourke was also the Chair for The Marjorie Jackson-Nelson Centre for Women’s Sport, offering the chance to empower women in various sporting roles from athletes and coaches to officials, administrators, board members and community players. This supports females to play, lead and change the game for future generations.

Currently, Rourke is with Greyhound Racing SA as General Manager, while she also volunteered for the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 events in Adelaide and even plays as an attacking defender in her home state.

Speaking to Soccerscene, Rourke shared what the CEO role means to her.

“I’m a big football fan and being English it’s something that I’ve been involved in my whole life,” she said.

“It’s an amazing opportunity to give back to coaches who generally get forgotten about.

“Everything that FCA does has the greatest intention for the game – the Australian coaching community has a lot of potential and it’s something I wanted to be part of.”

Working with President Gary Cole, Rourke will be a forward-thinker to drive the standards for coaching in Australia.

“Gary goes above and beyond and his background in the game speaks for itself,” Rourke said.

“His enthusiasm emanates through – for example with The Football Coaching Life Podcast and it’s going to be great to hear more stories.

“He was one of the first people I spoke to and was instrumental in wanting me to take the CEO role.”

As she settles into the CEO position, Rourke outlined what she hopes to achieve in the coming weeks and months.

“We just need to take some time to figure out where we want to take FCA, for grassroots right up to elite coaching,” she said.

“I really need to understand what coaches want from us and from there that’s where I can direct my focus.”

“Being English, I look at the Premier League and see the opportunities created down in the lower divisions and the amount of jobs created, with female coaches involved in that.

“Holistically from grassroots, we’ll look at the pyramid of coaching – if Australia want to be the best in the world we need investment in this area.

“For example, what happens when players get to the end of their career – we need a clear and established pathway, and with my background I can bring a different lens to see what can be improved.”

Off the back of FIFA World Cup exploits for both the Socceroos and Matildas, the future of Australian coaching will remain an integral growth area for the game.

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The Athlete Management System changing the Data Game

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Image Credit: Teamworks

In today’s high-performance sports landscape, data is a game-changer, and the Teamworks AMS has been regarded as the gold standard in Athlete Management Systems (AMS)

Teamworks is a company dedicated to helping athletes, and the people who support them, reach their full potential through innovative technology.

The company is built by athletes, for athletes, and exists to serve and support the world of sport.

Since its founding in 2006, Teamworks has experienced strong and steady growth.

By continually investing in its team and bringing together top-tier tech companies through strategic acquisitions, Teamworks has been able to offer even greater value and service to its customers.

What started in Durham, North Carolina, has now grown into a global presence—spanning 11 countries and supporting athletes and elite sports organisations around the world.

As of 2025, the company has grown to over 450 employees and has secured $165 million in funding.

The company offers a variety of products and services, however, it’s one of their products, the Teamworks AMS that is changing the data game.

Teamworks AMS is part of the Teamworks Performance lineup, which also includes Teamworks Nutrition (formerly Notemeal).

Together, these connected tools help practitioners and sports scientists provide personalised, well-coordinated care for athletes—boosting performance while helping to prevent injuries.

Teamworks’ AMS helps integrated and multidisciplinary sports performance teams deliver personalised and unified support to elite athletes.

By bringing all the data into one place, it gives coaches and specialists a clear, real-time picture of each player and the team as a whole—so they can make smarter decisions that drive performance every single week.

Teamworks AMS focuses on three key areas to support athlete performance: keeping athletes ready, reducing injuries, and driving long-term development.

Keep Athletes Ready to Perform

By bringing together data on workload, fitness testing and nutrition, users can create tailored programs that help each athlete stay healthy, prepared, and performing at their best.

Reduce Injury Risk and Support Recovery

Integrating performance and medical data makes it easier to identify athletes at risk or in recovery. Foster collaboration to speed recovery and help the athlete return to peak performance.

Develop Each Athlete’s Potential

Leverage data to create personalised development plans built around each athlete’s strengths and areas for improvement—supporting growth both physically and mentally.

Teamworks AMS aggregates performance, health, and medical data from over 100 connected wearables and technologies—giving users more time to focus on analysis and action.

Through the use of the Teamworks AMS app, athletes can build custom, visually rich dashboards to spot trends, make smarter decisions, and help boost performance while reducing injury risk.

So why should Australian soccer clubs and organisations use Teamworks AMS?

In a sport where every detail matters—player readiness, injury prevention, and long-term development—Teamworks AMS offers a cutting-edge solution that will Australian soccer clubs elevate performance and stay competitive at all levels.

Soccer is fast-paced, physically demanding, and leaves little room for unpreparedness.

Teamworks AMS pulls together data to create tailored programs that keep players fit, fresh, and ready for matchday.

With a long season and tight schedules, injury risk is constant.

Teamworks AMS integrates medical and performance data to help identify early warning signs and streamline return-to-play strategies.

This collaborative approach ensures better communication at clubs between coaches and medical staff—minimising downtime and maximising impact on the field.

Whether nurturing academy talent or refining senior players, Teamworks AMS helps coaches and performance staff build data-driven Individual Development Plans.

These plans are tailored to each player’s strengths and weaknesses, supporting both physical growth and mental resilience—critical for consistent performance in competitive soccer.

With the A-Leagues, NPL, and youth academies continuing to grow in professionalism and player expectations, Australian soccer clubs need tools that keep pace.

In a world where performance is defined by precision, Teamworks AMS stands out as the gold standard in athlete management—empowering teams with the data, tools, and insights they need to unlock peak potential and stay ahead of the game.

Inaugural Female Referee Mentoring Program Launched by Football NSW

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Credit: Football NSW

Football NSW has launched the Female Referees Mentoring Program, a groundbreaking initiative which aims to support and develop  female referees throughout the state.

This unique program builds on the groundwork set by recent NSW Football Legacy scholarship initiatives, continuing to create opportunities and support greater gender diversity in football officiating.

It’s another strong example of Football NSW’s ongoing commitment to developing and supporting female referees.

Football NSW’s Referees Development & Education Manager Emma Kocbek highlighted the organisation’s commitment to empowering female referees through mentorship, fostering inclusion and strengthening the game with greater diversity.

“Football NSW is committed to creating an inclusive environment that encourages women to thrive in all aspects of the game,” Kocbek said in a press release.

“This mentoring program is a significant step forward in empowering female referees, providing them with the tools, confidence, and mentorship needed to succeed at higher levels.

“We believe that diverse refereeing panels lead to a more dynamic, fair, and engaging game for everyone.”

The Mentoring Program is designed to support Level 3 and Level 4 female referees by connecting them with experienced mentors.

Through tailored guidance, real-world advice, and ongoing support, participants will grow their skills, build confidence, and develop as leaders on and off the field.

This support will help them advance in their refereeing careers while also playing a part in encouraging more women to get involved in officiating—across NSW and beyond.

This innovative initiative is part of Football NSW’s wider commitment to increasing female involvement and leadership at all levels of the game.

By backing and developing female referees, Football NSW hopes to inspire more women to take up officiating and help build a football community that is more inclusive, diverse, and representative of everyone who loves the game.

Football NSW’s Head of Women’s and Schools Football Hayley Todd emphasised that ongoing government funding is vital to grow mentoring programs, boost referee numbers, and build a stronger, more supportive sporting community.

“Government funding plays a crucial role in the successful implementation and growth of the mentoring programs,” Todd said in a press release.

“As participation numbers continue to rise, sustained investment is essential to ensure we are not only increasing the number of referees but also enhancing their skills and confidence.

“By prioritising this investment, we can build a more robust and well-supported sporting community that benefits players, coaches, and referees alike.”

In the coming weeks, Football NSW will be working closely with Referee Branches to identify both mentors and mentees for the program.

This project is proudly backed by the NSW Office of Sport through the NSW Football Legacy Program, and by the Australian Government’s Department of Health and Aged Care through its Play Our Way Program.

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