The Ipswich Jets have announced their full team of coaching staff for a busy 2022 season at the club.
The Jets announced late last year that Dean Daylight had been appointed as their head coach for their inaugural Harvey Norman Under 19 girls team, with Sarah Ryan joining as assistant coach. Ryan is an established teacher and rugby league coach who has done a lot of work at Ipswich State High School in the development of girls within their rugby league program with much success.
Daylight has been part of the A Grade local competition and was once a senior side representative player for the Jets and therefore understands the culture and fabric of the club.
During his more than 10 years of experience as a coach, he has enjoyed a lot of success and recently took the 2019 Ipswich Brothers Women to one game away from winning the SEQ Division 1 premiership.
In 2020, he gained further coaching experience with a BHP Premiership team and understands the systems and processes required to compete in an elite competition.
Daylight’s experiences as a player, combined with his coaching education, is the foundation of his abilities to coach in the modern game, whilst balancing the game’s traditions.
This is a huge advantage to some female players who were denied development during their teenage years. Daylight and Ryan both understand the obstacles that have been there in the past for women to compete in rugby league at the highest level and they are excited that the Ipswich Jets are embracing this and moving into a new era for the club.
They are also aware that they are developing the foundations for a successful senior women’s side in 2023 and with that in mind, both were perfect candidates for their respective roles.
Daylight and his team will oversee the trials, selection, recruitment, retention, and training schedules of the girls, as well as everything related to game day and athlete wellbeing, whilst working closely with the club’s high-performance manager.
Daylight will also work closely with the club’s head of football Ben Cross to ensure there is a correlation and collaboration to all aspects of the rugby league program. Cross will also be able to provide valuable insights as someone who has achieved success in the women’s game at the highest level.
This appointment is the last head coach appointment the Ipswich Jets needed to make for 2022. The head coaching staff for the club are listed below:
Hostplus Cup – Ben Cross
Hastings Deering Colts: Christopher Ash
Harvey Norman Under 19 girls: Dean Daylight
Auswide Bank Mal Meninga Cup: Shane Harris
Cyril Connell Challenge: Jye Tuaimau-Gadsdon
Main image: Dean Daylight coached Brothers Ipswich in the inaugural QRLW Premiership season in 2020. Photo: Jorja Brinums / QRL
