WHEN it comes to coaching, Deanne Jaynes has learnt from the best.
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The former Australian netball squad member and perennial Victorian representative spent years following the tutelage of revered netball coach Norma Plummer.
Now Jaynes will try her own hand at the top job at East Warrnambool this year.
Like netballers across the district, the new leader is using Western Regional State League to prepare for the season ahead.
Jaynes is co-coaching Warrnambool and District Football Netball League’s (WDFNL) under 21 side, WDFNL White, in the open state league division. But in April, she will go it alone at the Bombers, guiding the A grade, A reserve and B grade outfits.
It is a demanding portfolio for the mother-of-two, who is also recovering from a debilitating Achilles injury suffered in a semi-final last year.
Jaynes has held assistant and joint-coaching roles in the past.
“But this will be the first time I will be having a good crack,” she said yesterday.
“I hope to be someone people can talk to.
“I’ve enjoyed teaching juniors new skills and seniors aren’t any different.
“It doesn’t matter how old you are, you can still learn new things.”
Jaynes takes over the reins from Katie Burt, who is taking a break from the game.
Other confirmed departures are Melissa Burt and Brooke Rudesky.
Jaynes, last year’s joint league best and fairest winner, will also be absent from the court due to her injury.
“It’s a bit of an unknown at the moment,” she said.
“We’re going to be a young group but we have a lot of talent coming through.
“I don’t have extremely high expectations that we will make finals, but I just hope to see consistency across the board.”
Jaynes, who is sticking to a strict rehabilitation regime, said it was “highly unlikely” that she would play this season.
“I’ve still got a long way to go,” she laughed. Tonight Jaynes will guide the WDFNL under 21s alongside Kim Jamieson.
White confronts South West District Football Netball League (SWDFNL) at 8pm and is looking for redemption after stumbling against WDFNL Yellow, the league’s top side, last week.
“It was good for them to get out and have a run,” Jaynes said.
“They didn’t get thrown by the seniors and really knuckled down in the second half.”
State league action starts at 6.45pm at Warrnambool Stadium tonight.
