International Football Coaching Conference Australia (IFCCA) has announced Sydney FC Academy Director Kelly Cross as a keynote speaker and panellist at the upcoming conference.
Cross will speak on behalf of Football Coaches Australia (FCA) at the conference, to be held at RACV Royal Pines Resort, Gold Coast on Saturday, 25 and Sunday, 26 May 2019.
Cross’ keynote presentation will discuss ‘Complex Systems and Football’ and the approach taken at Sydney FC, while he will also speak on the ‘Australian Professional Football Academies’ panel at the conference.
With an extensive background in elite level coaching on both a local and national stage, Cross remains Australia’s only FIFA Coaching Instructor and the country’s sole Pro Licence Instructor.
Having worked as the Football Federation Australia (FFA)’s Head of Coach Education from 2006 to 2013, Cross is credited with increasing the standard of Hyundai A-League coaching through his involvement in developing FFA’s National Curriculum and football philosophy.
Playing a key role in establishing and implementing the club’s playing style, long-term philosophy and youth training program, Cross has been able to transition his elite level coaching experiencing to assist in developing the next wave of Sydney FC players.
Alongside his current role as Sydney FC Academy Director, Cross is also a Deputy Chairman of the Technical Committee of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), a member of FIFA’s global list of Strategic Consultants, and an FCA Executive Committee Member.
Cross will join the likes of Caltex Socceroos Head Coach Graham Arnold at IFCCA, sharing his experiences in educating and mentoring Australia’s top coaches and developing young players within the framework of today’s game.
IFCCA will bring together experienced football professionals from around the world to share knowledge with coaches of all levels, from grassroots and community coaches to those in the National Premier Leagues and at professional clubs.