Anthony Seibold, the South Wales Scorpions’ head coach and Head of Football for Wales Rugby League, has become only the 23rd current Australian coach to have been granted “Professional Coach Status” within the Australian Strength and Conditioning Professional coaching structure.

Being granted the ASCA Professional coach status gives him further recognition and places him within an elite band of recognised coaches, one that includes Jeremy Hickmans who is the current Head of Athletic Performance at the St George Illawarra Dragons in the Australian NRL under Head Coach Wayne Bennett. Hickmans is joining the England Rugby League Four Nations squad at the end of the year.

The Australian Professional Coaching structure has a unique pathway from Intern Coach to Graduate Coach to Professional Coach to Elite Coach to finally being recognised as a Master Coach. There are currently three elite coaches and eight master coaches.

Seibold has already completed a Masters of Education and Bachelor of Teaching and has the Australian Rugby League Senior Coaching Certificate and is an Australian Strength and Conditioning Level Two qualified Coach.

He said: “I am really proud to be recognised within the Australian Strength and Conditioning Professional Coaching structure. To be granted Professional Coach status is very rewarding for a lot of hard work and after a lengthy evidence based process.

“There are only 23 Australian coaches recognised as ASCA Professional coaches, most of whom work for the Australian Institute of Sport, or within the Australian National Rugby League, Australian Rules Football or Super 14 Rugby Union, so to be awarded that status places me within an elite band of coaches from Australian sport. The opportunity to use my expertise and experiences within and for Wales Rugby League is one I am really enjoying at present.”

ASCA PSP (Professional Coaches include:)
Jason Kurfurst – Indonesia (Indonesian Olympic Committee)
Michael Dobbin – WA (Fremantle Football Club)
Tony Wignell – NSW (Balmain & West Tigers)
Grant Jenkins – QLD (Tennis Australia & Brisbane Boys College)
Ross Smith – ACT (Australian Institute of Sport)
Gavin Thornley – ACT (Australian Institute of Sport)
Dave Clarke – ACT (Australian Institute of Sport)
Stuart Livingstone – VIC (Carlton Football Club)
Emily Nolan, ACT (Australian Institute of Sport)
Jan Legg, ACT (Australian Institute of Sport)
Aaron Holt, ACT (Australian Institute of Sport)
Naruhior Nori, WA (WA Institute of Sport)
Glen Workman, QLD (AIS Kayak/Canoe Centre)
Jeremy Hickmans, NSW (St. George Illawarra Dragons)
Tim Mosey, TAS (Tasmanian Institute of Sport)
Anthony Seibold (Wales Rugby League)