Georgina Kenaghan

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Georgina Kenaghan (born 1984) is an Australian goalball coach who leads the Australia women’s national goalball team. She won the 2012 NSW/ACT Inspiration Medal in the Pride of Australia Awards.

As head coach, she guided the team at the 2010 World Championships in Great Britain—the first time the team had competed internationally in three years. In 2011 she coached the team at the IBSA Goalball Continental Championships and Paralympic Qualifier, helping Australia qualify for the 2012 Summer Paralympics with wins including 6–2 over New Zealand and a victory against Israel.

Kenaghan was the head coach of the Aussie Belles at the 2012 Paralympics. The Games qualification came as a surprise, since Australia had not participated since 2000 and had not medaled in goalball since 1976. At the Paralympics, the team lost all three group games. In the match against Canada, she substituted players to try to improve the team’s chances.

She took leave from her job to prepare for the 2012 Paralympics at age 28. Her father, Terry Kenaghan, helped bring goalball to Australia in 1980. In 2012 she was nominated for an Inspiration Medal by Peter Corr and won the NSW/ACT award; her father accepted the trophy on her behalf as she was in London coaching.

The Daily Telegraph has called her “one of Australia’s most successful sports coaches.” She continues to coach the Australia women’s national goalball team and has coached players such as Meica Christensen. In 2011 she also participated in a Come & Try Day in Western Australia and used the national goalball competition to evaluate players.