Echuca United has appointed its junior coaches as the club looks ahead to the 2010 season.
And, this year, an under 14 side looks almost certain to hit the park.
Echuca United's Mark McGann has taken on the role as junior development officer, while Jarrad Nuttall and Cameron McMullan will co-coach the under 17 side, John Taylor will take the under 14 role and Dean Anderson will make his coaching debut with the under 12s.
McGann said the club was happy it had put a strong structure in place for the coming season.
``We are very happy with those guys coming into the club, particularly those guys coming into under 17 level,'' he said.
``Jarrad and Cam bring a lot of experience to the club.
``Jarrad with his football career and Cam with his international career in canoeing brings a lot to the club training wise and fitness wise, so I think those guys will work well together.
``It will be great to see (the under 14s out there) after not being able to put a team on the field last year.
``We have had great interest and we are really looking forward to getting them back up and running.''
McGann said he was also excited about his own role after many years of coaching.
``After six years of coaching junior footy it will be a different role for me as junior development officer, but hopefully it is something I will take on and embrace and help all the coaches out,'' he said.
Nuttall said he was looking forward to taking the reins of the under 17s with McMullan.
``It has come as a bit of a surprise, but I am definitely looking forward to it,'' he said.
``It's a new opportunity for me and I am going to take it along with Cam to help these kids develop a bit more and have some success along the way.''
Nuttall, 23, has had an extensive playing career but has never coached. He has been an interleague representative, played with the North Ballarat Rebels and Bendigo Pioneers under 18s, was a senior best and fairest runner-up at Echuca United in 2005, played in United's 2006 senior grand final and has spent the past three years at Leitchville-Gunbower.
``I'm coming off a knee reconstruction, so I'm not sure if I'll play too many (senior) games, but I'll help build these kids up,'' Nuttall said.
``I've had no past coaching (experience). Just senior roles, leadership roles, that's all. It's a good way to start I suppose, in a junior role. You find out if you can or you can't coach I suppose.''
Nuttall said he was also pleased to have a co-coach along for the ride.
``You have someone to bounce off, especially with the experience of Cam which is going to be fantastic,'' he said.
``He has competed at international level at a different sport. And, he has knowledge of the kids already, he knows most of them where as I don't. We're looking forward to February.''
Taylor said he hoped United could field a successful side when they bring an under 14s team back into the fold next year.
``In the five years I have been at the club . . . the under 14s have played finals every year,'' he said.
``It was just last year a big mass of boys stepped up to the under 17s and left us short in the under 14s.
``But, this year hopefully we can entice a few more boys up to the club and make it worth their while and play some good footy.''
Taylor, who has coached the Eagles under 12s side for the past two years, said he was happy to be coaching the under 14s.
``It will be a good challenge with the under 14s this year, stepping up from the under 12s,'' he said.
``It will be good for me, it will be good for the boys.''
The 38-year-old, who was under 12 Goulburn-Campaspe Junior Football League coach of the year in 2008, said while the side was looking promising, more numbers were needed.
``We need some numbers down here for sure,'' he said.
``There are 10 boys from the under 12s that have stepped up which will be bottom age under 14s, so therefore we are looking for some middle and top-age under 14s.''
Anderson is another new to coaching but believes his extensive past playing experience should be invaluable for the under 12s.
The 34-year-old played football with Echuca and Bamawm and also spent a couple of years in Melbourne with Hurstbridge and Eltham in the Northern Football League.
``It should be a really good year for us,'' he said.
``It (coaching) is something I thought about half way through last season when I got to learn all the kids names and the parents and that. It was nice that John (Taylor) actually looked at me as coach and I took it on board and they accepted me.''
Anderson said his focus would be on a competitive yet fun season for the team.
``I hope to get a bit of enthusiasm going with the kids but just make sure they have fun,'' he said.
``It's their first year of real footy so you want them to have fun and enjoy themselves and then step up to the under 14s and 17s.''
_ Chris Cavanagh
Last Modified on 09/12/2009 07:57