A FORMER Hampden league coach is excited to work closely with the south-west football community again in his capacity as North Ballarat Rebels mentor.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Gerard FitzGerald cast an eye over TAC Cup hopefuls in Terang on Tuesday night and will do likewise at a testing session in Warrnambool on Wednesday.
The training sessions kick-off the Rebels’ 2016 pre-season.
FitzGerald said he was thrilled to reignite his involvement in the south-west, having coached Mortlake and Camperdown before embarking on a successful VFL coaching career at North Ballarat Roosters.
The VFL premiership mentor said the chance to coach the region’s elite teenagers and work with strong junior leaders, such as Bernie Harris, Aaron Sinnott and Chris McLaren, was exciting.
“I am coaching the coaches, trying to impart my knowledge and experience. I will learn from them because they know the area,” he said.
FitzGerald said the Rebels’ pre-season allowed hopefuls to train at their home bases. He said the TAC Cup was “a step from club land to the wider system”.
“It’s a bit of an eye-opener for them too because it shows the big picture,” he said.
FitzGerald said coaching juniors was all encompassing making with schools and families crucial.
“The principles of how I coach will remain the same but there will be a modification on the emphasises,” he said. “It will be slightly less on the team and more on the individual.”
