Winless Canberra United are without a high performance manager after the departure of Sarah Kelly a fortnight ago. With four games in 11 days, Kelly’s absence will be felt even more so by the playing group.
Kelly was the club’s strength and conditioning coach as well as head physiotherapist.
She left United after four seasons due to differences with coach Vicki Linton. Her departure devastated the playing group, a number of whom have privately paid tribute to their much loved physio.
It is understood the club haven’t found a new coach, but Nathan Bizjak has stepped in as head physiotherapist.
Kelly is the Managing Director and Senior Sports Physiotherapist of SportsTec Clinic, who still have the contract with Canberra United to provide physiotherapy and rehabilitation services, making her departure even more bizarre. Bizjak works for SportsTec as well.
Under Kelly’s watch, Canberra United had one of the lowest number of soft tissue injuries in the league. The number of games missed by Canberra players over the past four years was minimal, especially compared to other clubs in the A-League Women.
Canberra players and staff, past and present, including Emma Stanbury as well as former head coach Heather Garriock have previously lauded Kelly for her revolutionary methods and industry leading injury management protocols. It is understood Linton was also happy with her methods for injury prevention and treatment.
Kelly declined to comment when approached, but wished the club well going forward.
Michelle Heyman of United looks on during the round four A-League Womens match between Canberra United and Brisbane Roar at Viking Park, on December 23, 2021, in Canberra, Australia. (Photo by Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images)
Kelly won’t be short of offers in the future.
She has extensive experience in the sporting industry. Over the past decade she has worked in ice hockey and basketball as well as football. She was also a physiotherapist for the Australian Paralympic Committee for the goalball team for seven years from 2012 to 2019.
Football though is her main love, being a former Canberra Eclipse player in the now-defunct National Women’s Soccer League. Apart from Canberra United, Kelly also worked for the Young Matildas in the national set-up, ACT Academy of Sport men’s and women’s teams, the Capital Futsal men’s and women’s teams.
Matildas’ legend Melissa Barbieri last week spoke of how one of the legacies of the 2023 Women’s World Cup will be women having prominent roles in football beyond the field, from medical roles to administrative and leadership roles.
Kelly is the perfect example of this, with her credentials in the medical room well known across football.
Meanwhile, after making finals in 2020/21, Canberra are struggling on and off the field this season. They have only four draws to show from nine games.
Apart from the departure of Kelly, the club also lost CEO Phil Brown and Technical Director Scott O’Donnell recently.
Chris Gardiner is taking on the role of CEO on a temporary basis.
The long term future of Canberra United and their ability to compete against cashed up A-League clubs is a concern.
Unlike other clubs, they are not a stakeholder in the newly formed – $420 million valued – APL. Capital Football runs the club but have lost over $300,000 over the past five years in running the club. After the completion of the current season, this figure is expected to be higher.
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