Coaching, as they say, is the toughest gig in footy. And it’s hard to disagree. Whether it’s Paul Roos joking around at a press conference, Mark Williams waving to the crowd, or Mark Thompson munching on a sandwich, it’s clear that coaching requires somebody who is committed, tough, and dedicated.
At Macquarie Uni, we’ve been blessed with some great coaches in 2010. And not only do they grind away at training and on match days, but they also keep themselves busy off the field as well. The Gammatron is busy being a radio star. Buster is busy building bridges. Matty Scoular is busy studying and missing footy games for church-related activities. And then there’s DK, who has been busy… um, gettin’ busy. A newborn is proof of just how busy this man has been. Congrats big fella! Don’t stop now!
Unfortunately, with all this dedication to “life”, some minor things get overlooked. Minor things like the MATCH REPORTS, which as a qualified journalist, I find upsetting. And you’ve gotta feel for these coaches too; some of those match reports can take up to a massive three minutes to write, even when they are handed to other people.
But all is not lost, because Ronnie is here to save the day! With my expert skills in journalism coming to the fore, those three minutes won’t be a waste of time any more! The coaches can now spend that precious time moving the magnets aimlessly around on the board, pretending to look interested in our observations of the game, or yelling about game plans we weren’t listening to at training. And whatever else those guys do.
So for the benefit of the coaches, and anyone else who will be delegated the job of match-reporting, I have provided a simple Mac Uni template for you to use. You can use this at any time for the rest of the season, and you won’t have to pay me a cent in royalties. And you don’t need to thank me. It’s just what I do.
Generic Footy Report
After a last start [win/loss] against [opposition], Macquarie Uni was pumped up on [Saturday / Sunday] for a big result at [ground]. The conditions were [great / tough] for football, and after some late inclusions, the focus was all about winning this important match against our arch rivals.
A fast start by [our team/their team], put us on the [front foot/back foot] before the match settled into a good rhythm throughout the first quarter. Early goals to [Cations / Benji / Stumpy / Koshie] kept up the scoreboard pressure, while our halfback and centre lines were working hard to stop the opposition scoring goals before quarter time.
The second quarter saw the boys lift their intensity, and winning the ball out of the middle became a priority. There was an even contribution across the field, with a special mention going to [Deano / Razzle / Dave Munday / Chris Day] who won plenty of the footy. Some controversial umpire interpretations shortly before halftime saw the scoreboard [stay even / blow out / tighten up], but the lads knew that the third quarter was when the game was going to be decided.
After half time, winning the rucks became vital as [Claw / Grizz / Addo / Tomi] contested well in the middle, and the halfback line worked hard to stop [opposition] from entering their forward fifty. Leading the backline was [Latte / Hobo / Timmy Lawson / Chappo] who looked to get in front and spoil at every opportunity.
Some fast run off the wing was required, and [Hot Jacko / Jism / Gareth Smith / Pup] got plenty of the footy as usual, and pushed forward wherever possible. [Stix / Stix / Stix / Stix] was in everything, or lazing around off his man, with a couple of late goals in the quarter by [Rig / Slime / Butch / Kenty] kept the game interesting as the match was looming as a [close one / percentage booster / disappointing defeat].
To the boys credit, they fought hard in the final quarter, with a fantastic effort from best on ground [Buttercup / Buster / Jockey / Party / Luke Gemmill] who racked up the possessions. The crowd on the hill was getting vocal as the siren sounded, and the beer flowed for the [celebrations / commiserations] at the end of the game. The scoreboard in the end told the final tale, as Macquarie Uni [won/lost] a bruising match which will certainly have an effect our ladder position.
A big thanks to all the support staff, water runners, the physios, and especially [Suze / the other one] who helped tremendously.
We’ll be looking for a big turnout on Tuesday night as the boys will be working hard on the training track, in preparation for our upcoming vital game against [opposition] at [ground], where we will try to make our way further up the ladder.
[Coach]
See? Easy.
Lads, enjoy your weekend off if you have one! Otherwise go along and support the Kookas if you can too.
Any gossip or requests for feature articles can be sent to Ronnie.landas@gmail.com.
Peace.
Yours in sport
Ronnie Landas
Last Modified on 23/07/2010 09:49