July 18th, 2026Central Highlands Coaches Collective launch

Sports Central and FedUni WestVic Academy of Sport are proud to be launching the Central Highlands Coaches Collective. Taking place on Wednesday, July 22 at Federation University’s Mount Helen Campus, the Central Highlands Coaches Collective seeks to bring together current and aspiring coaches and leaders from the Central Highlands region.
An insightful evening to be held at Fed Uni’s Geoffrey Blainey Auditorium, the evening will feature keynote speakers who are Australian legends of their sporting fields:
– Hannah Every-Hall OLY, GM High Performance at the Victorian Institute of Sport, former Australian Rower, world champion and Olympian;
– Brad Dubberley, Former Australian Wheelchair Rugby Head Coach and Paralympic Athlete; and
– Mick Malthouse, Australian Rules player and premiership coach as well as Ballarat native.
Each will bring their insights on coaching, teams, leadership, resilience & mental health.
Executive Manager of Sports Central, Michael Flynn, said: “This event captures the very essence of what Sports Central is all about: supporting all clubs and associations across the Central Highlands to be the best they can be. Encouraging participation and leadership through sport by promoting welcoming and inclusive opportunities for all to socially connect, grow, play and compete. On the 22nd July, our Central Highlands community are warmly invited to come together to gather inspiration from the greats.”
CEO of FedUni WestVic Academy of Sport, Scott Allison, strongly agreed and added: “We value our partnerships with organisations (such as Sports Central), coaches, health
professionals and facilities across the western region of Victoria. The Coaches Collective will bring all of these players together and the launch will be just the beginning of what is planned to be an ongoing opportunity for our region’s sporting network to learn and growing together. By bringing legends of sport to our region, we hope to inspire, motivate and empower our Central Highlands’ sporting leaders, now and into the future.”
Hosted by Federation University’s Head of Discipline, Exercise and Sports Science, Rob Aughey, the evening will kick off at 6pm at the Geoffrey Blainey Auditorium, Building C, Federation University, Chancellor Drive, Mount Helen. After the launch, refreshments and a networking opportunity will allow attendees to connect face-to-face with each other and the speakers.
The launch is free to attend however bookings are essential due to limited seating. Bookings can be made via this link: https://shorturl.at/23IMi
Free parking is available nearby, and free accessible car parks are located close to the venue.