2024 NPLW coaching staff announced

UWANFC is excited to make our first coaching announcements of our NPLW era, having been promoted into the highest tier of WA women’s football for 2024. The program will be built on credentialed coaches delivering high quality sessions, with demonstrated experience in the women’s game, and will bring new coaching perspectives into the leagues.

We are pleased to welcome back Lawrence Lewis as the Head Coach of the program, for his 6th year at the club. His dedication to player development, professionalism, and continuous improvement with his squads is a key reason for his re-appointment, as well as a shared vision for the Club.

Working alongside Lawrence will be Ross Paul, who will lead the U21s team, supported by Nigel Burke. Both bring significant development expertise, and years of experience working with young women in a safe and encouraging environment to reach their potentials.

We have also appointed a highly credentialed First Team Assistant Coach (to be announced publicly in the coming weeks), and the program will include strength & conditioning coaching, goalkeeper coaching, and in-depth video analysis sessions and expertise. It will also be delivered alongside our ongoing mentoring program, where our more experienced Women’s players will provide provide guidance and encouragement for our younger girls, promoting women-women leadership.

To be part of our inaugural NPLW squads, fill in an Expression of Interest at www.uwanfc.com.au/womens

For the key credentials of Lawrence, Ross, and Nigel, please see below.

Left to right: Ross Paul, Lawrence Lewis, and Nigel Burke

First Team and Program Head Coach - Lawrence Lewis

Lawrence is a B Licensed coach with 16+ years of experience in coaching and developing players across Australia, the UK, and the US. He has worked with a number of clubs around Perth during his time as a full-time coach for academies and coaching companies.

His role as Womens & Girls Technical Director since 2019 at UWANFC has seen him build a junior and senior female program that produces players through our juniors to then move into our top teams in the seniors, as well as WA representation.

In addition to his FFA B License, Lawrence also holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Football Studies, a National Diploma in Sport, First Diploma in Sport, and a Diploma of Management. Off the pitch, his knowledge areas include sports psychology, healthy eating and behavioural change, fitness testing principles, and health, safety and injury assessment.

U21s Head Coach - Ross Paul

Ross was an experienced player and highly credentialed coach in Scotland prior to moving to Australia in 2019, having played at a semi-professional level, and coaching Clark Drive youth and then professional club Kilmarnock Ladies.

Since his relocation to Perth, he has spent the last 4 years coaching at Perth Soccer Club, where he spent two years as the Head of Female Youth Development. In the last two years his junior girls teams have seen significant success, winning the U16s Girls Division 1 League and Top 4 Cup in 2023, and win tournament wins the year prior.

Ross is a great development coach with a view to build our young players’ technical abilities to push for first team football, and will be a fantastic asset to UWANFC’s female program.

U21s Assistant Coach - Nigel Burke

Nigel was also a successful player in his time, both in Ireland and in Australia. In WA he has played across a variety of leagues from NPL to Amateurs, winning leagues in Division 1 and 2, with some Golden Boot awards along the way.

Nigels’s girls coaching experience extends from U10s through to U16s, in both WA and Europe, and understands the right environment needed for young female players to succeed in. His dedication to supporting players in their discovery of hidden talents, and his drive to help players to become the best they can be, is fantastic.