CARLTON assistant coach Shannon McFerran is part of the Women’s Coaching Crusade.

In partnership with Lucky Chicken Eggs, the AFL Coaches Association identified the need for a pathway to grow the number of women getting into coaching.

McFerran is one of those leading the way, with Carlton’s AFLW senior assistant coach and inaugural VFLW senior coach enjoying a fruitful playing career. She was a five-time competition best-and-fairest winner and won her club’s best-and-fairest award 10 times.

The program will provide an opportunity for two AFLW players to help realise their coaching potential as part of the AFL Coaches and Lucky Chicken Eggs Coaching Pathway Scholarship.

McFerran will also be one of four female AFLW coaches who will feature on the cartons of Lucky Chicken Eggs throughout the 2019 season.

McFerran said such a program would have an “incredible” impact on the up-and-coming coaches in football.

“To offer this scholarship is great. I know there’s a lot of players out there looking to do something in the coaching field when they’re done playing,” McFerran said.

“Coaching is a lot different — when you’re playing, you’re looking at the game from a different point of view.

“This gives the girls an opportunity to get involved straight away and it’s a pathway that hasn’t existed before.”

AFL Coaches Association CEO Mark Bradshaw said the initiative was something which will be “really important for the growth of women coaching football at the highest level”.

“It behoves the industry to highlight the AFL Coaches Association’s Coaching Pathway to more women, so that they can equip themselves for a career of coaching at the highest level,” Brayshaw said.

“Through the Women’s Coaching Crusade, our aim is to upskill AFLW players now with a view that within the next 5-10 years, maybe sooner, there should be enough former AFLW players who have received opportunities to become qualified and developed through the coaching pathway which will facilitate a rise in females coaching at the highest level.”