NATHAN Wemyss says he will remain at the Ararat Eagles as a player for the 2015 Mininera and District Football League season despite stepping down as senior coach.
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Wemyss, who was the Eagles' 2014 best and fairest winner, will be replaced in the top job by his assistant coach this year Lewis Baker.
The 35-year-old said it was a personal decision to relinquish the coaching role, however Wemyss remains committed to the Ararat Eagles.
"I am actually in the process of applying to join the police force," he said.
"I am a couple of months into that and have done the entrance exam and gone really well, so if successful it could take me away from the club from being able to coach perhaps by mid-season, could be earlier, could be later - it was just the unknown.
"I was happy to keep going and the club was happy to keep me going, but we thought it would be in the best interests of everyone if we had definiteness and stability.
"I am more than happy to stay on and continue playing. What ever I can do to put the club first and help out I will.
"I have really enjoyed my time here and I want to keep going."
Wemyss joined the Eagles from Carngham-Linton as an assistant coach for the 2012 season.
He took over the top role midway through the 2013 season and continued on as the senior coach in 2014.
Wemyss said his on-field highlight while at the club has been the development of the club's junior brigade.
"The growth in the junior kids has been amazing, particularly this year," he said.
"We had three junior kids all season play under 16s and seniors, they put their hand up and wanted to play. They trained with us, they trained with the kids too, and just did everything that was asked of them and performed really well.
"We also had another two or three kids from last year come out of the juniors and play senior football, so just the development has also been fantastic to see.
"From last year the club wasn't going as well off-field ... and the social side of things really died off.
"So just getting the club really united, with the footballers and netballers coming together as one club this year has worked well.
"The social functions have been tenfold what they were last year and just the spirit around the place has been fantastic too."
Baker will take the reigns at the Eagles following a strong debut year at the club which has seen him finish runner-up in the best and fairest.
Wemyss said he had full confidence in the former Navarre player to take the Eagles in the right direction.
"Lewis will do fantastically well, he has been such a good acquisition to the club this season," he said.
"He brought a couple of players with him that have been really valuable too in Joel Turner, while Corey Flenley came across late in the season.
"Just the enthusiasm and good nature they bring around the club and how well they are liked, they've come in as outsiders and it has really helped bring the football and netballers together."
