Women rarely coached high-level footy when Michelle Cowan forged her path, but that has changed with the AFLW

When coaching trailblazer Michelle Cowan did her AFL level two accreditation in 2008, she was the only woman in the room, surrounded by 86 men. 

Now, 13 years on — as one of only three women to have been head coach of an AFLW side — the 39-year-old is excited about the growing number of female coaches in the league.

«I reflect on doing my level two, being the only female in that room, and compare it to now where it would probably be a majority of females in the room and think, 'Wow'.

»Seeing these women come through, it's really great," Cowan said.

While AFLW doesn't have a single female head coach this season, there are 28 women in varying secondary coaching roles with the 14 sides. That includes 13 assistant coaches and 15 at the more junior development level.

Across the AFLW coaching ecosystem, 30 per cent of all coaches are now women.

The next generation, which includes a number of ex-AFLW players, energises Cowan, who is now the head of operations and player wellbeing for the West Coast Eagles' women's program.

«The interest is there because there's more opportunities these days,» she said.

«If AFLW hadn't come along, these coaches would probably be stagnant and hitting their ceiling at state or academy level.»

Cowan was the first female assistant coach in the West Australian Football League (WAFL) and led Melbourne's fledgling women's side when it played historic exhibition matches between 2013 and 2016.

After that stint, she headed up Fremantle's AFLW side in 2017 and 2018.

She says league-wide and club-based academies and programs are bearing fruit.

The Eagles, she says, are a case in point. This year they boast three development coaches – Kerry O'Sullivan (backs), Pia Faletti (forwards) and Lauren Stammers (midfield) – the