06/11/2025
We’ve known Danyel Waters for years and have loved watching her passion for football grow into a career that’s shaping the next generation of athletes.
She’s just been appointed Head Coach of the Darley Football Club Women’s Program — a role that reflects her experience, knowledge, and commitment to helping women thrive in sport and life.
Danyel’s holistic approach to coaching is so great to see!
We couldn’t be prouder. Go Danyel! 🖤🤍
📸: Darley Football Netball Club
“I want to make Darley the destination club for women’s footy”
A football coach with AFLW experience has been appointed the Head Coach of the DFNC female football department for 2026.
Danyel Waters joins the Devils next season as the Seniors Women's Head Coach, bringing a wealth of coaching experience from her time in the AFLW, VFLW, Coates League and local level footy.
Coming off the back of her most recent roles as Head Coach for Essendon Football Club's AFLW Pathway Program and Assistant Coach for Calder Cannons U18 female program, Danyel said she was impressed by Darley's reputation and its plans to evolve its women's program.
“Darley has such strong support for their female program."
“It’s a testament to a club when they take an already successful team and ask ‘how can we make this even better?’
Danyel had been looking for a club who were willing and ready to take their women's program to the next level. “When the role came up, it felt like it was meant to be,” she said.
“It’s one thing to have a winning side, but to have a club truly invested in the success of their program, beyond wins and losses, as well as alignment between their women’s and men’s programs, and a stellar culture as well - Darley ticked all the boxes for me."
Drawing upon her background in nutrition and human movement, Danyel feels she has more to give back to community level footy after three years in the pathways space.
“I hope to bring a high performance layer to the program. Looking at holistic player development, not just at their football skills,” she said.
“Obviously a high standard of football is the end product, but making a better athlete along the way, that’s my goal. Being able to give players knowledge of how to fuel for performance or minimise injury through adequate prep and recovery, that's something that will set this program apart from the rest" Danyel said.
She plans to “design a training program specifically for women's development, rather than the stock standard cookie cutter approach".
"Women aren't small men. We have different bodies, different injury risks, different preparation and recovery requirements, we play a different game out there. Developing a program that takes all that into account, wouldn’t you want to be a part of that?"
When asked what her hopes are for the 2026 season beyond a fourth consecutive premiership, Danyel candidly spoke of her passion to contribute to the club's growth into the future.
“I want to make Darley the destination club; the premier development hub for the Ballarat and Western region."
“I want it to be known as the place female footballers want to come to. That Darley is the gold standard of the league, and not just ours, but other leagues as well" she continued.
“To find a club so willing to pour resources into the women’s department and start from the ground up in terms of development, that’s what makes me so excited about my partnership with Darley,” Danyel said.
If you’re looking to join our women’s football team for 2026, please don’t hesitate to send us a message.
