Words: Michael Flynn

Newly appointed SWQ Thunder Women’s coach Keren Thomas says mental strength will be a priority for the PlayStation® 4 NPL Queensland 2016 season.

Thomas, 37, was the 2013 Football Queensland Female Coach of the Year winner and is held in high regard in the south-west region after previously guiding Toowoomba Raiders Women.

She also has spent several years working with various Queensland Girl’s state teams.

Thomas replaces Craig Burgess in charge of the squad and will be assisted by Ken Bosence, previously with FNQ Heat, and Anthony Bigby, who coached Thunder’s Youth Women’s side last season.

“I want to work with the culture of the girls and I want them to have a winning mentality,” Thomas explained.

“Last year the girls were sort of going in to games thinking they were defeated already and you can’t be approaching games that way.”

“I will be working with how they view themselves and the opposition but keep it simple and playing with the curriculum in mind and keeping possession.”

She said pre-season preparations are going well with 12 players being formally invited to join the squad for the PlayStation 4 NPL Queensland 2016 season.

Thomas said there was still scope for players whose interest may be renewed in joining the squad following recent changes to competition age rules announced by Football Queensland.

“We just wondered whether there are some more older players who didn’t trial because they didn’t think they would make those (previous) senior positions available.”

Thunder finished ninth in the inaugural PlayStation 4 NPL Queensland Women’s campaign, but Thomas said the team was yet to discuss their target for where they hope to finish next season.

“Because the playing group hasn’t been fully established yet we haven’t set our goals just yet.”

“We would love to be in the top four in the longer term but we will set shorter term goals once we have a full squad and then look to build on that,” she concluded.