WINIS Imbi says "the love and care" from the Port Fairy Football Netball Club encouraged him to extend his tenure as senior football coach.
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The club is backing Imbi to lead its revival up the Hampden league ladder, locking in the respected mentor for another season.
Imbi has re-signed for 2022, having had COVID-19 restrictions impact his first two years at the helm.
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His first season was completely wiped out while his second was limited to 13 games - the final round is this weekend - due to state government lockdowns.
They have won one of their 12 games to date.
Imbi, a schoolteacher and father-of-two, said the Seagulls' second-heaviest defeat of the season on Saturday, a 108-point loss to Terang Mortlake, had a silver lining.
"I am at peace with the decision (to re-sign). Strangely enough, Saturday's performance and the response from our A grade netball coach Renae Taylor, the old stalwarts and players as well, just checking in, showed a lot of love and care," he told The Standard.
"When you struggle you can either see the worst in people but you can also see the best and as a family we're seeing the best of this club.
"The dream will be to have that on-field success as well."
Imbi said "sometimes you have to live the experience" before achieving success.
He believes the Seagulls' playing group is now invested and eager to improve.
"Even with the Olympic Games, using our men's basketball team as an example, to hear Andrew Gaze get so emotional," Imbi said.
"For him it was 'yes, the boys finally won a medal' but it was the journey of everyone to get them to that point.
"'Gazey' and co had to do the hard yards. I am not going to crystal ball anything but sometimes you have to sow seeds."
Imbi, who has experience in the South West District league too, said he was always working to improve as a coach.
"I know if the boys let me and the other coaches as well that we can give them a system that will be our own and hopefully can challenge (the top teams)," he said.
"I think this year, and this is what has given me hope, is there has been some really strong foundations laid with our connection and our relationships.
"Hopefully that will be the backbone of whatever systems and structures we come up with because I think the committee and the boys are now invested in what they need to do to be competitive at Hampden level."
The non-playing mentor said he wanted to finish what they started as a group.
"For me, the club had to deliver on two things - one was to get our current group signed and the other one was for the playing group to say they would do a pre-season," he said.
"Both of those boxes for the majority have been ticked.
"On a selfish note, that is what I needed and they have delivered on that."
Among those to re-sign are co-captains Matt Sully and Isaac Martin, while Andy McMeel is in the first year of a two-year deal.
Former AFL player Shane Savage is yet to re-sign.
"We are very respectful of his situation," Imbi said.
"Everyone knows they are wanted, needed and valued at our club but everyone has to make their own decisions."
Port Fairy president Noel Black said the club was rapt to have a person of Imbi's calibre onboard.
"It's wonderful news. We are happy to get him across the line for another season," he said.
"He is an outstanding leader."
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