THE Ararat Rats Football Netball Club is on the hunt for an A grade coach after 2019 season coach Taylor Mason departed the league due to work requirements.
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The club has locked down joint coaches Catherine Bourizk and Ash Marx for its under 13 side, Mary-Lou Boatman for its under 15 side, and Lauren Armstrong for the B grade side.
Netball director Stacey Dale said there was still plenty of time to find an A grade and under 17 coach.
"We're not panicking," she said.
"There are plenty of senior girls there that have done it before that will probably step into it.
"I am in talks with someone but she's just seeing how everything aligns for her before she actually accepts it.
"But everyone is still really positive about it and now that the footy is together with the coaches everyone's got a bit of a spark about them.
"All of our playing groups are relatively the same."
The players are already demonstrating their enthusiasm for the 2020 season by organising pre-season training on their own.
"They are starting some pre-season fitness training in early January, so they've organised that themselves to get going," Dale said.
"So an A grade coach will fall into place.
"We may also have to find a Wimmera proposed C reserve team ... but we've got to make sure that's definite before we appoint that."
Try-outs will take place in February.
"If anyone wants to come along and try-out they're more than welcome to," Dale said.
Dale also said she was happy with the other appointments, like Boatman.
"Mary-Lou is very experienced and comes with a wealth of knowledge ... we're really lucky to have her back coaching," she said.
"She hasn't coached for a while because she's been on the commission for the Wimmera so now she's given up that role and come back to the club."
Boatman played with the club during her own netball days and then her children did.
"I've coached at the club before then had a few years break when I've been on the Wimmera Football Commission," she said.
"I have actually missed coaching so I thought I'd make a comeback while I still could. None of my kids play here anymore so this is my only involvement and it's nice to have an attachment.
"Even though I've been on the football commission I've always kept an interest in what's going on with the netball."
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