Lakes Entrance Football Netball Club kicked off its eight session pre Christmas training last week with solid numbers.
New senior coach Rod Bills wanted to get some training in prior to the festive season where most tend to over indulge a little.
“You’ve got to do a little bit prior to Christmas, just to start to build a bit of a fitness base for when we resume after the break,” Bills said.
“Otherwise time gets away and all of a sudden it is round one and you’re not quite ready to go.
“If you’re fit you have less injuries, get more game time, get more of the ball and enjoy the game more.”
Training involved plenty of ball work straight away with the old adage of running the guts out of blokes a thing of the past.
“You’ve got to make it enjoyable,” Bills said.
“You want the players to want to train. You can get plenty of running in while you’ve got the footy in your hands. It mightn’t feel like you’re doing that much, but you are.”
Last year’s senior captain and new thirds coach Nathan Pegler lead the way on the track with fellow senior players Xavier Ryan, Steve Battista, James Beha and John Hooper among many others.
Pegler was pleased to see some of next year’s thirds players also hitting the training track with 2011 U16 league best and fairest winner Brandon Sauer looking keen for 2012.
“It would be great to see the thirds boys down here at training prior to Christmas,” Pegler said.
“Even if they get down for only one or two sessions, but at least show their faces heading into next season.
“The more runs we can get in our legs the better.”
Players moving from thirds into senior football next year including Brendan Gallus, Matt Dalton and Ryan Hooper have also been on the track. All three boys tasted senior footy in 2011 and will be looking to become regulars in 2012 and beyond.
The club is continuing it’s off season recruiting and is hoping to see several new players on the track in coming weeks.
“We’re aiming to get a lot of the former Lakes Entrance players back to the club for 2012, guys that have played footy here before and moved on for whatever reasons,” Bills said.
“Getting some of those quality guys back puts pressure on the senior group knowing that there are plenty of blokes breathing down their necks looking for a game.”
Training will continue tonight and for the next two weeks on a Monday and Wednesday at the footy club starting at 6pm sharp.
Meanwhile several of Lakes Entrance’s finest young footballers have been selected to do pre-season with Gippsland Power. The training gives players a chance to be selected on the official Gippsland Power list for 2012.
Josh Scott is again on the U18 list after a stellar season in 2011 and he will be joined in the pre season by Jesse Beha and Luke Reggardo. Others to be selected to try out in the U16s and the U15s include Ben Timms, Lukas Webb and Nick Woodland (under 16s) and Riley Frost, Andrew Moore and Brandon Scott (under 15s). .
“It’s great to have nine Lakes players with the opportunity to get on the Gippsland Power lists in the different age groups for 2012,” president, Ray Burgess said.
“It shows that our junior program here at Lakes Entrance is strong and in good hands.
“Josh (Scott) had an excellent year at Power in 2011 and he hasn’t missed a beat in the off season, while Jesse and Luke were both solid contributors for us in the seniors last season.
“It shows that kids don’t have to play Gippsland League footy to be noticed by Gippsland Power, they can do it at their local clubs.”
Josh Scott has also been invited to the under 18 Vic Country tryouts which is another feather in his cap.
Last Modified on 01/12/2011 16:34