Canterbury’s Coastal Spirit have named former Football Fern Kelly Almond as their head coach ahead of the Women’s South Island League due to start in late June.
Almond, who played 13 full internationals for New Zealand between 1997 and 2003, has been coaching women’s and men’s teams since 2006.
She is a former Mainland Coach of the Year and was Western Australia’s Coach of the Year after leading Bassendean to promotion to Australia’s Premier League.
Main photo: Kelly Amond … experienced player and coach. Photo credit: Coastal Spirit.
Joining her as Spirit’s assistant coach will be another former Football Fern, Mel Anngow, who won two caps for New Zealand in 2003.
Almond and Anngow are former captains of Mainland Pride.
Announcing their appointments on social media, Coastal Spirit said the pair would work with current team managers Heather Hepburn and Rebecca Huddy to complete an all-female coaching staff.
The club thanked Faiz Syed, who stepped up to coach the team during the qualifying series for the South Island League.
How they qualified
The top three clubs from the South Island’s two qualifying leagues will play in the Women’s South Island League that starts over the weekend of June 22-23, 2024.
Here’s how the two qualifying leagues finished: