O’Loughlin announced as AIS coach
The AFL today announced that Michael O’Loughlin has been appointed the AIS-AFL Academy High Performance Coach.
O’Loughlin, the Sydney Swans games record holder and premiership player, replaces Jason McCartney, who has accepted a development coach role with Fremantle Football Club.
AFL General Manager National and International Development David Matthews said he was delighted Michael was continuing his involvement with the AFL.
“Michael brings an enormous amount of knowledge and experience to an important component of the NAB AFL Rising Stars Program. His leadership on and off the field as a player was outstanding and he has excelled in managing AFL programs this year, including his role as an AIS-AFL Academy mentor,” Mr Matthews said.
O’Loughlin said he was thrilled to have the opportunity to coach the country’s elite young football talent.
“I’m excited to have the chance to coach and mentor the Academy players. The strength of the Academy program is it offers the participants skills not only to be better players, but to be better people.
“The AFL and the AIS have done an amazing job to create the Academy program and working closely with Jason McCartney this year has been a great experience. I’ve also enjoyed working with Chris Johnson on the AFL’s Indigenous programs.
“This is a wonderful opportunity and I am really looking forward to continuing to work with future AFL players and developing in the role under the guidance of Kevin Sheehan and Peter Schwab” O’Loughlin said.
The Director of the AIS, Professor Peter Fricker, welcomed the appointment.
“Michael is a person of tremendous character who will greatly enhance the AIS-AFL Academy in helping build Australia’s future in the Australian Football arena through the development of talented young players,” Professor Fricker said.
“He has an intimate knowledge of the program, having worked under Jason McCartney as an assistant coach, and having played a record 303 AFL games for the Sydney Swans across a 15-season career he is perfectly placed to guide Australia’s talented young athletes in their quest for excellence.”
O’Loughlin joined the AFL in September 2009 to lead and develop the AFL Indigenous Program, as well as assisting with high performance and talent programs. He managed the 2010 Qantas AFL KickStart Camp and toured South Africa with the 2009-10 AIS-AFL Academy intake.
The AIS-AFL Academy is a joint initiative of the AFL and the Australian Institute of Sport. The non-residential program involves 30 scholarship holders at three camps including an international tour over a 12-month period.
Michael O’Loughlin
• Recruited from Central Districts (South Australia) to Sydney Swans with selection 40 at the 1994 national draft
• 303 games with Sydney Swans 1995-2009
• 521 goals
• Member of 2005 Premiership team
• 1998 Best and Fairest
• 2000, 2001 Leading goal-kicker
• 1997, 2000 All Australian
• 1995 Rising Star nominee
• Indigenous Team of the Century
• 2009 Madden Medallist
• 2009-2010 AFL Engagement and Talent Co-Ordinator and AIS-AFL Academy mentor
