Joanne Lane
Jo Lane
Brisbane based coach working across jumps, sprints, hurdles and relays, currently progressing through Level 4. Jo values a collaborative mentoring style that supports coach growth while prioritising athlete wellbeing, with experience developing beginners through to senior competition and building strong communication systems with athletes and families.
Why I want to mentor
I want to be a mentor as I benefited enormously from the AIS and ASC mentor training program I participated in last year, and from having an Australian Athletics mentor within the high performance system. The support, insight and guidance I received made a significant difference to my coaching, and I am keen to pass that onto others.
What I can offer mentee coaches
As a coach still progressing through my Level 4 qualification, I am very aware that I am still learning. I hope to offer mentees not just what I have learned so far, but also an open, collaborative approach where we can explore challenges together, share knowledge and identify areas for growth.
What I hope to gain from being a mentor
From this programme, I would like to continue developing as a coach and mentor, learning from the experiences of others, strengthening my ability to support coaches, and ultimately improving the environment we create for athletes and their families.
My mentoring style
- Catch ups can be informal or structured, but jointly driven rather than instruction based
- Mentees are welcome to ask as many questions as they wish
- Encourages mentees to make decisions independently and be self motivated
- Values open discussion and a safe place where no one should fear judgement
- Can provide guidance on session planning, technical development, athlete management and navigating coaching pathways
- Happy to connect mentees to other experts where appropriate
- Flexible scheduling to suit everyone
- Focus on supporting coach growth while prioritising athlete wellbeing
Qualifications
Occupation
- Copy Editor by day, coach by afternoon and weekend
Coaching experience and key coaching achievements
- Coached state and national medallists in hurdles, high jump and multi events
- Senior season 2025 and 2026 highlights so far: seven sprint hurdlers, six long hurdlers and three heptathletes achieved national qualification, along with sprinters in the 100m, 200m and 400m
- Coached GPS, AIC and QGSSSA medallists
- Athletes selected in state teams, Pacific Games teams, and Little Athletics travelling teams to New Zealand
- Successful development of beginner and junior athletes through to senior competition
- Expanded high jump, sprints and hurdles squads from about 10 to 50 athletes
- Supported athletes transitioning into coaching roles
- Delivered coach masterclass days for Queensland Little Athletics, hurdles and high jump
- Attendee, 2025 Athletics Australia women’s conference
- Experience managing injuries and return to sport processes working with physios
- Developed strong parent and athlete communication systems
- Contributed to positive club culture at Toowong Harriers and school culture at multiple schools
- Developed integrative programmes for hurdlers, jumpers and sprinters including strength and conditioning, speed and technical work
- Developed cohesive co coaching systems for athletes with multiple coaches
- Active participation in coaching networks to support peer development
Current squads
- Three hurdles groups: senior sprint hurdles, senior long hurdles, junior sprint hurdles
- Three high jump groups: beginner to advanced
- Four sprints groups: senior, junior and mixed ages
Roles and experience within athletics
- State team coach, 2025 ALAC team
- Club coach, Toowong Harriers
- School coaching: BSHS boys hurdles coach and boys and girls high jump coach, GPS and QGSSSA
- School coaching: All Hallows high jump coach, CASSA
- School coaching: Ambrose Treacy boys hurdles and high jump coach, AIC
- Previous schools: Nudgee Junior, St Peter’s, BBC, Brigidine
- Strength and conditioning days for jumpers and hurdlers
- Professional development requests for PE teachers coaching high jump and or running PE classes, for 2026
