{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2018}} {{Use Australian English|date=October 2016}} {{Infobox AFL biography | name = Kate Sheahan | image = Kate Sheahan 07.02.20.jpg | alt = | caption = Sheahan as Richmond administrator in February 2020 | nickname = | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1982|01|9|df=y}} | birth_place = | death_date = | death_place = | originalteam = | draftpick = Rookie signing 2016: {{AFLW|Col}} | debutdate = Round 4, 2017 | debutteam = {{AFLW|Col}} | debutopponent = {{AFLW|WB}} | debutstadium = VU Whitten Oval | height = 165 cm | position = Utility | currentclub = | guernsey = | years1 = 2017 | club1 = {{AFLW|Col}} | games_goals1 = 1 (0) | statsend = 2017 | careerhighlights = }}
'''Kate Sheahan''' (born 9 January 1982) is the {{AFL Ric}} AFLW (Australian Football League Women) football operations manager,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://au.linkedin.com/in/kate-sheahan-9b941037|website=Linkedin|title=Kate Sheahan - Head of Women's Football}}</ref> a professional tennis coach noted for helping Daria Gavrilova return from a knee injury,<ref>{{cite news|last1=Gullan|first1=Scott|title=Hamish skates around the ban|url=http://www.couriermail.com.au/sport/tennis/the-score-seven-host-hamish-mclachlan-forced-to-skate-around-security-ban/news-story/3e8c43b862d2354cf2b6961bdcd7437a|accessdate=29 May 2017|work=Courier Mail|agency=Herald Sun|date=20 January 2015}}</ref> and a former Australian rules football player who played for {{AFLW|Col}} in the 2017 AFL Women's season. She is the daughter of sports journalist Mike Sheahan.<ref name=foxsports>{{cite web|last1=Harrington|first1=Anna|title=New Magpie Kate Sheahan says she still can’t believe she’ll be a part of the 2017 AFL women’s competition|url=http://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/new-magpie-kate-sheahan-says-she-still-cant-believe-shell-be-a-part-of-the-2017-afl-womens-competition/news-story/017b115659c7597eb28375b55e8e2d6f|website=Fox Sports|accessdate=29 May 2017|date=8 September 2016}}</ref> ==Biography== Sheahan played Australian football until she was fourteen as the only girl in a boys' league.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Sewell|first1=Eliza|title=AFL boss recruits Sheahan to NWL|url=http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/kate-sheahan-was-convinced-to-play-in-the-national-womens-league-by-gillon-mclachlan/news-story/ef64a4ae4fbc8b675e4ab9541b0a88f4|accessdate=29 May 2017|work=Herald Sun|publisher=News Corp|date=6 September 2016}}</ref> She returned to football in 2005, but again ceased playing to concentrate on her tennis career after breaking her wrist while playing for Melbourne University Mugars in the Victorian Women's Football League.<ref name=foxsports/> However, she was approached by Australian Football League CEO Gillon McLachlan to consider playing in the inaugural season of AFL Women's (AFLW), and was a rookie signing by Collingwood prior to the 2016 AFL Women's draft.<ref name=foxsports/>
Sheahan was on the bench for most of the first half against {{AFL WB}} in round four of the 2017 AFLW season. Within a minute of interchanging into the forward line, she received a season-ending knee injury.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Cherny|first1=Daniel|title=Kate Sheahan happy to make dad Mike proud despite knee injury in AFLW debut for Collingwood|url=http://www.theage.com.au/afl/womens-afl/kate-sheahan-happy-to-make-dad-mike-proud-despite-knee-injury-in-aflw-debut-for-collingwood-20170226-gulgg0.html|accessdate=29 May 2017|work=The Age|publisher=Fairfax Media|date=26 February 2017}}</ref> The injury may have ended her football career, but Sheahan stated she would play again if offered the opportunity.<ref>{{cite web|title=I'd do it again, says shattered AFLW debutant Kate Sheahan|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-02-27/id-do-it-again-says-shattered-aflw-debutant-kate-sheahan/8306588|website=ABC News|accessdate=29 May 2017|language=en-AU|date=27 February 2017}}</ref>
The Richmond Football Club announced in May 2017 that they had hired Sheahan as full-time AFLW football operations manager in their push to obtain a licence for an expansion team in the 2019 season.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Wood|first1=Lauren|title=Ex-Pie Kate Sheahan joins Richmond as AFLW football operations manager|url=http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/teams/richmond/expie-kate-sheahan-joins-richmond-as-afl-football-operations-manager/news-story/503353e453199466fe82e7ceecd81f2f|accessdate=29 May 2017|work=Herald Sun|publisher=News Corp|date=27 May 2017}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
== External links == {{Commons category}} *{{AustralianFootball|ref=Kate%2BSheahan/20014}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sheahan, Kate}} Category:1982 births Category:Living people Category:Richmond Football Club administrators Category:Collingwood Football Club (AFLW) players Category:Australian rules footballers from Victoria (state) Category:Melbourne University Football Club (VFLW) players Category:Australian tennis coaches