Gilmore appointed High Performance Manager

Former Fremantle player Daniel Gilmore has been appointed Sydney University High Performance Manager to lead the Club forward in its debut year in the North East Australian Football League (NEAFL) this season.

The Sydney University Australian National Football Club (SUANFC) is an affiliate club of Sydney University Sport Fitness and initially established a high performance program for Australian Football in 2007.

The high performance program presents three key opportunities to elite athletes:
 1. To gain a tertiary degree or education with the support of scholarships and elite athlete management,
 2. To develop a professional career with support from Club and University alumni and
 3. To play NEAFL football with the support of a professionally managed high performance program.

In this new role at SUANFC, Gilmore will coordinate the expanded program set over four days, plus game day. Players entering the football component of the program will have the support of:
 1. Professional program management,
 2. Elite coaching & skills development,
 3. Tailored strength and conditioning programs,
 4. World class high performance staff,
 5. Elite training facilities,
 6. AFL specific allied health and player welfare services and
 7. Professional management of AFL draft opportunities.

Gilmore brings a university background, having studied as an elite athlete at Murdoch University and graduating as a Chiropractor. A former Fremantle Docker and dual premiership WAFL player, Gilmore is recognised as a talented development coach, having played a significant role in the recruitment of four South Fremantle players through the National Draft and a further three via the Rookie Draft over the past two years.

“Both the Club [SUANFC] and program come with runs on the board,” Gilmore said.

“In recruiting me to the high performance role, they have also been able to source me employment as a Chiropractor from within their own network. Over the past five years, the program has also assisted produce three AFL draftees, win two U18 premierships, a senior minor premiership as well as establishing several interstate playing and coaching careers.”

“This program is fantastic, it has the support of the University and SUSF, one a leading national educator, the other the leading university based sporting program in Australia; there is nothing like it in Australia, it’s a unique offering within the AFL community. While remaining sensitive to the demands of study and work, we are looking to provide an AFL experience, through a program set over four week days and of course game day.”

The Club has access to a vast array of resources comparable to those offered at AFL clubs and will adopt a sharp focus on developing the best talent outside the Swans and Giants, particularly footballers in the under 20 age group.

SUANFC is well placed to become a great feeder club to AFL in NSW and become a strong club in the NEAFL competition in years to come.

The program also has an important role to play as a platform from which, for example delisted AFL players can look to relaunch an assault on an AFL career whilst focusing on study and a career post football.

“If you are an elite athlete who wants to achieve academically, then Sydney Uni is the place to be,” said Gilmore.

SUANFC will play its first game in the North East Australian Football League on March 23rd, 2012 in a game against local rivals the Sydney Hills Eagles.

For further enquiries please contact Daniel Gilmore at dgilmore@suanfc.com.