Part of that planning centres around pre-season training – when to start and what to do?

Is longer better or does a short, sharp lead-in do the trick?

Sports journalist Sean Hardeman asked five football and netball coaches, across different competitions and age groups, what their motto is when it comes to preparation.

Read what they had to say: The ultimate road to glory is all in the timing

Speaking of timing, has Warrnambool golfer Marc Leishman timed his run at the Tournament of Champions in Hawaii to perfection?

He’ll start just four shots off the pace entering the final round on Monday morning, Australian Standard Time.

It would the be the ideal start to 2019 for the laidback Aussie who enjoyed a two-week break in Warrnambool over Christmas.

January is always a busy time for sport in the south-west.

The Surf ‘T’ Surf fun run, Shipwreck Coast Swim Series and speedway fill up the calendar, giving fans something outside the traditional sports to follow.

Here’s a selection of stories from the past week. 

Happy reading,

Justine McCullagh-Beasy