WHAT do Kevin Walters, Gary Belcher and David Furner have in common?
They may have all played rugby league for Australia but they were also the graduating classmates of North West rugby league coach Lynette Kim Sing.
"In 2003 I was invited to do my Level 3 National Coaching Accreditation Scheme (NCAS ) course at the Australian Institute of Sport in Sydney alongside some former rugby league greats," Kim Sing said.
The NCAS Level 3 High Performance Coach's badge technically means Kim Sing is qualified to coach the Australian, Queensland (she is a diehard Maroons fan) and an NRL side.
However in her 20th year as a rugby league coach Kim Sing who is a school teacher in Cloncurry said while it would be sensational to coach at the highest level of the game she would rather bring her elite level knowledge to grass roots rugby league.
That's why said she would like to gauge the feasibility of establishing and operating an elite squad development program based in Mount Isa.
"If possible and with further consultation with the relevant authorities I would love to supplement club training with a weekly session geared towards junior and senior players looking to advance their skill levels," she said.
Kim Sing said she had heard several former North West rugby league players lamenting the death of the game in the region.
"It's true times are tough for the game in the bush but I believe fresh ideas can further develop the game and increase interest," she said.
"I find satisfaction in having the chance to share my knowledge of rugby league by coaching the school teams and with my involvement with senior players," she said.
"My love of the game continues to drive me as a coach and hopefully I am making a difference to those who want to improve and develop as players."
Kim Sing is under no illusions she is in the minority as a female coach in the predominantly male world of rugby league but said her gender had not been a disadvantage.
"It's always been that way ever since I first got into coaching and it's just been something I've had to accept," she said.
"I remember my first accreditation course to become a Level 1 coach where I was the only female in a group of around 60 males.
"The clinic was being held in Brisbane next to a shopping centre and when I entered the room all the guys looked at me and I was told the shops were next door."
Twenty years on, Kim Sing joked most of the players she has coached through her career actually thought they were being coached by a bloke.
To coincide with her 20th year of coaching, Kim Sing recently attended a National Rugby League (NRL) High Performance Coaching seminar in Sydney.
The two-day clinic featured presentations by elite level NRL and former NRL coaches, elite athletes from other sporting fields and specialists in health and fitness.
Kim Sing said she got the opportunity to glean further knowledge from the likes of Maroons assistant coach Michael Hagan and former Penrith Panthers coach Matthew Elliott.
Once again she found herself to be the odd one out due to her gender.
"I was the only female coach in the room out of 45 participants, so when Matt Elliott started by saying he didn't want to offend anyone by saying the F-word, I replied 'Matthew, you can say whatever you f-king want to'" Kim Sing said.
"The whole room laughed and I think they realised I could handle myself."
Despite her two decades as a coach, Kim Sing said her desire to increase her knowledge base and continue to improve as a coach means she is always happy to learn from the best.
"New knowledge and learning in any field never stops and the best to learn from are those who are operating at the highest level," she said.
The high school teacher said she was once offered a job by the Queensland Rugby League (QRL).
But while coaching is a passion Kim Sing said first and foremost she was a teacher.
"I suppose I know that being a teacher is my true calling in life and despite having the highest level of coaching accreditation I can't see myself leaving the classroom," she said.
However, one thing the dedicated and experienced rugby league mentor can see herself doing is coaching for another two decades.
"I definitely feel like I can go another 20 years as a coach and involved in the game,"
she said.
"This season I will be taking a break from coaching the senior Cloncurry side but I would like to look at some other ideas."
"Sometimes you just have to have a go and see if you can make a difference."
If anyone is interested in participating or funding Kim Sing's elite training clinics they can forward expressions of interest to sport@starnews.com.au
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