Last year was the best season to date for the local athletes, however head coach Cooper said his team had spent the winter months slogging it out in a tough pre-season regime in the hope of snaring even more gift glory in 2014/15.

"I sort of tinkered a little with the off-season training and included a fair bit of plyometrics this year, so lots of jumping exercises, jumping off boxes and things like that," he said.

"It is about building up strength, but also preventing injuries and I have noticed we aren't getting many niggles at the moment which is really good."

Leading the way for the stable last season were Sarah Blizzard, Tiffany Boatman, Fraser Heard, Zoe Nicholson and Brody Taylor.

Cooper said his senior runners have continued to mature with another pre-season under their belt and he has been particularly impressed with the way they have been welcoming of new members to the group.

"There are quite a few young ones around the 14 years old range that have joined us," he said.

"The senior guys have taken the newcomers under their wing and it is just fantastic to see, it makes my job a lot easier.

"It's quite interesting because you are looking at your group who has come through at 14 or 15 Tiffany, Sarah, Zoe, Brody and now they are leaving school and moving on to the next stage of life and already I've got the next generation coming through.

"I don't think I'll be retiring anytime soon!"

One of the highlights for the local stable last year was the rise of Blizzard, who won the 120-metre Women's Gift at Bendigo before finishing second in the State of Victoria Strickland Family 120m Women's Gift at Stawell.

Cooper said Blizzard had started showing signs of more improvement heading into the new season, with the year 12 Marian College student recording a personal best time in the Victorian School Track and Field Championships last Friday (see page 35).

After completing her VCE in the coming weeks, Blizzard will relocate to Canberra to further her studies.

Cooper said that move is already looking as though it will open doors for the talented athlete.

“She will be training at the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS), so we’ve been really lucky to get her up there,” he said.

“She went up there to check it all out earlier this year and ran into (Australian women’s 100m record holder) Mel Breen who was just about to start a training session.

“Sarah was doing hers too at the time and they asked if she wanted to join in with their group.

“So she did and ran really well. Mel was in front of her, but Sarah was right on her hammer and all the other guys were behind them and the coach said to her that she was more than welcome to join in anytime.

“So she has her foot in the door and is keeping in contact with them.”

Cooper said Blizzard may compete in an amateur event before joining her stable mates at the first major VAL gift at Sandringham.

The younger runners are likely to make their debut at the Warrnambool Gift on November 29.

After watching their team mates enjoy a successful season last year, Cooper said the fire had been lit in the belly of a lot of his runners that are on the cusp of a breakout season.

“Jacqui Scott is a classic example of that, she has just come out and been fl ying as soon as we hit the track,” he said.

“She is going to be one of the main senior runners soon, with all the other girls moving on, I didn’t need to tell her she’ll have to step it up, she is doing just that.”

The coach said talented middle distance runner and sprinter Heard will be looking for more consistency in his events this season, while Ruby Klemm is returning from injury.

Riley Taylor and Ben Boatman are two other emerging talents to keep an eye on as the year progresses.