A popular Northam Senior High School teacher is taking on her next challenge - pursuing her love of sports mentoring in her newly appointed role as coach for the Swan Districts Football Club women's league team.
Leith Woods, affectionately known as 'Woodsy' by her students, has long been associated with the game of AFL, playing, coaching and mentoring over the past decade.
She was an assistant league coach for Swan Districts in last year's inaugural WAFL women's season and played six seasons of football from 2013 to 2018.
Leith said moving to Northam a decade ago inspired her to get involved in the sport again.
"When I moved, there was a girls competition going and they all loved it," she said.
"I had always loved football but had never had the opportunity to play after primary school.
"I thought if I was to get into coaching I should play as well. At that point I was already 30 and knew I wasn't going to have a long career.
"I had some contacts with Swan Districts so I went down there, they were very welcoming. We won our league and reserves premierships in my first year of playing and I helped out with the juniors and learnt how to coach."
Leith said the evolution of WAFLW made her role heavily focused on giving girls the chance to play football at a professional level.
"Working as an assistant coach with the team last year, I know I can keep the continuity, keep the game plan similar to the way we had been playing," she said.
"We made the grand final last year so there has been some success in our club. We don't want to drop off, but it is about giving girls the opportunity to get drafted.
"There are a lot of girls who are going into their draft year, we have a strong youth program and want to support those who want to get into the AFL.
"We are the platform to have them be seen."
Leith has previously coached the club's Rogers Cup team for four seasons between 2015 and 2018 which included a premiership in 2017 and been involved in coaching the state 16s and 18s and the State Academy.
Swan Districts Football Club president Peter Hodyl said he was delighted to promote Leith to the role.
"We get the best of both worlds in that we get a coach that understands our club's women's football history, values and philosophy and is also a successful coach in her own right," he said.
An Australian champion goalkeeper in floorball, Leith said her passion for coaching spanned across the two sports and that she had not ruled out pursuing coaching opportunities in either path in the future.
