“He is in a league of his own for ideas.” Kevin Sheedy has a remarkably fertile imagination, an insatiable desire to be different and the determination and confidence necessary to push his case, no matter how bizarre it may sound. As such, a keynote speech by Kevin Sheedy is truly something to behold.
Kevin Sheedy has been a catalyst for many changes in AFL: respect for interstate football during the 1980’s, an expanded interchange bench at the state and club level, a new level of versatility among players, the growing influence and confidence of Aboriginal players, clever manipulation of the draft and apprenticeships in football.
Kevin Sheedy began at Richmond in 1967 and played 251 games before retiring in 1979. He was a member of the Premiership Teams in 1969, 1973 and 1974. Kevin was also a Skills Coach at Richmond when they won the 1980 Premiership.
In 1981 he was appointed Senior Coach at the Essendon Football Club, where he coached the club for a record of 635 games in 26 years of continuous coaching during which time the club competed in 19 finals series.
During his time at Essendon, the club has competed in 7 Grand Finals. Premiers in 1984,1985,1993 and 2000, and won 6 of the 8 “Night” Grand Finals in which they have competed.
“Sheeds” was “All Australian” coach in 1985, 1993 & 2000 and during his time at Essendon the club’s membership has increased from approximately 15,000 in 1980 – to 36,000+ by 2002.
At the end of the 2007 AFL Premiership season, “Sheeds” incredible run as Essendon coach came to a close and with it the end of one of the most successful coaching appointments in Australian sporting history. Kevin Sheedy continues in Footbal in an ambassadorial position with the AFL.
As an AFL Coach the number of requests for “Inspirational Presentations” by companies Victorian and national have been impossible to fulfil.
Kevin Sheedy excels at Presentations on “Positive And Lateral Thinking’” encouraging staff and management to “think outside the square: for company and personal pride”. Presentation requests include: “Building a Team”: “Developing Young Employees”: “Coping With Change”: “Empowerment AND/OR Leadership In The Workplace.”
Kevin Sheedy’s successful coaching career anecdotes coupled with a selection of inspirational video clips produce powerful motivational sessions.
Kevin Sheedy received the Advance Australia Award in 1993, was Honoured in1998 as a Member of the Order of Australia in recognition of his service to sport and the community, awarded the Australia Sports Commission Coach of the Year for 2000 [Domestic] and was also awarded an Australian Sports Medal in recognition of his service to Australian Football. Kevin is a member of the Team of the Century of the Richmond Football Club, and in 2003 he was awarded the Australian Centenary Medal.
Kevin Sheedy was one of 3 finalists for ‘Coach of the Year” in the 2000 Australian Sports Awards, and the Essendon Football Team were judged as the National Team of 2000. Which in an Olympic year is an award that both the EFC and “Sheeds” are justifiably very proud of.
