Navarre Football Club is locked and loaded for a big 2021 season after confirming their football coaches for all of their senior and junior sides in the Maryborough Castlemaine District Football Netball League.
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Across the board, there is a common theme, love for a family and community club as all the different coaches have been involved with the club since they were juniors themselves.
And after a tough season in 2019 and the obvious challenges of 2020 the coaching group are looking to build a club ready for future success.
The club announced Jimmy Driscoll as the new senior coach in 2020, and after a year of waiting, he said he and the club are ready to go.
"We are starting to get some new blokes, some different fellas, and we are also having some of the older fellas coming back too so will have some good numbers," he said.
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"The best thing is that this is a family club and so when someone comes, then they bring their mates and that's how we build our club and our fanbase."
In 2019 Navarre had a mixed season as they finished 11th on the ladder, with just five wins, but they held a strong percentage of almost 100.
"We are focusing a little bit more defensively and structure wise, but from what I saw in 2019 there were stages when we were very competitive," Driscoll said.
"So in terms of massive improvement, I don't think there needs to be huge improvement, but with a few personal changes and tweaking a few things here and there and we should be more than competitive."
Driscoll steps into the roles after a wide range of coaching experience, including time as a TAC Cup assistant coach and as the senior coach of the Northern Territory Thunder under-18 and under-16 programs.
"Coaching my own team up there (NT) made me want to keep doing it and then allowed me to learn how to do it and how to change things as you go along.
"I grew up with the club and it was a chance to give something back, so I thought I might as well.
The president has a good feeling this year
One man who is very happy about the appointment of the football coaches is Navarre president Tim Bibby.
Bibby is entering his third year in the role and is hoping the club can help provide some much-needed enjoyment for the town after a tough 2020.
"As far as money not coming in, that wasn't that big of an issue, it was more of the locals not being able to come and get together," he said.
"We don't have a hotel in town, it's here on a Thursday night, and people from 18 year-olds to 80 year-olds and they come and have a beer and everyone just missed everyone's company. That was a lot harder than our financial situation."
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Having been involved with the club for almost all his life, Bibby has enjoyed his time as president and wants to see the cub climb up the ladder towards success in 2021.
"It has its ups and downs but we have a strong committee, we always have," he said
"I can remember seeing all the hard work that goes on from a young age, and you appreciate that and want to contribute when it's your turn and having some success over the journey makes it easier to stay too I guess.
"The local lads that have come up through the ranks and have stuck with us they have been great.
"We certainly needed a bit of an influx of players, a change of scenery coaching-wise and a bit of natural improvement from the local lads and hopefully you claw yourself back up again and have another crack at it."
A new direction
The Grasshoppers have also locked in Darcy Bibby as their reserves coach, who wants to build a fit and skilful side.
In 2019 the Navarre reserves finished 10th on the ladder, but Bibby wants to help shift the way the team play.
"I started off with Nigel Greenaway as an assistant because I wanted to get myself involved at the club and take it in a new direction, and now I have taken over the reigns and this is my second year in the role," he said.
"The game has involved into a quick, clean sport, instead of your old-school rough and tough, and so I want to develop a lot of skill and clean-possession, and we want to build our fitness as a priority in the reserves.
"I just do it to give back to my club, I would love to taste some success and obviously you want to play finals, so that is our goal."
Another former Navarre junior and longtime club member Aiden Lee has also been locked in as the under 17.5s coach for this season.
Lee has spent over 15 years with the club and said he is looking forward to helping build a successful next generation.
"I love it, it's really enjoyable its great to see all the kids especially when you coach the kids and then you get to play with them in reserves and seniors," he said.
"It's really good and makes you feel like you've achieved something because you've helped them and taught them something about the game, so it's great to watch them develop.
"We definitely need more (players) we had a good group last year who were gonna play, but they were all top-age players, so we are really starting fresh this year and we would love to have some new players at the club."
The junior teams will start training at the Navarre Oval at 47 Cambridge St, Navarre from 5:30pm on Thursday, February 18.
Building a foundation
Reigning Navarre senior best and fairest Billy Parry will also be stepping up to teach the next wave of Grasshoppers' talent as the under 14.5s coach.
Parry had played with Navarre for all of his life and started with the club in the under 14's when he was in grade two.
"I am just born and bred here, it's where I'm from and while it's still going I'll still be here," he said.
"From my perspective, when I was their age, when you had the older ones come down and help out, you always took a lot on board, and it made you feel special.
"Especially because in a few years time they'll be playing with you and that's the whole joy of it.
"It was really good then and that's why I just want to give back while I can."
Finally, Luke Martin will again coach the Navarre under-11.5s as the club looks to give the region's youngest players a place to start their football careers.
Martin has been involved with the club for nearly 30 years, including being involved with the juniors for the last five seasons.
Five years ago, the club started an under-11.5s side for the first time, before claiming a premiership in 2019.
"I took a bit of organising but we ended up getting a lot of kids from Stawell, Ararat and St Arnaud and all around so it was really good," he said.
"I said to my wife 'we need juniors coming through the to keep the club alive, to get the support and build success like we had a few years ago and to try and get that wave of juniors coming through again'. That's why we started the team.
"It was successful because it gave those younger kids and alternative place to go and play footy, rather than playing against some of the older and bigger kids in other leagues.
"We are always looking for numbers, having this gap year is the biggest challenge, you kind of lose touch a bit and that contact, so the challenge is just trying to get those numbers back.
"The biggest thing is, it is a great club. All the families that have brought their juniors out here have thoroughly enjoyed it, and our motto is 'come for a season and stay for a lifetime'.
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