After a gruelling pre-season on the beaches around Lakes Entrance, culminating in a training camp last weekend at Mingling Waters in Nowa Nowa, the Lakes Entrance footballers were back on the familiar surrounds of the footy oval on Monday night to kick off training for the season proper.
Throughout the pre-season the numbers were strong with more than 20 players at most sessions during the week with the optional Friday night sessions also being well attended.
Coach Rod Bills was pleased with how the pre-season went under the watchful eye of Dave Richardson from the Lakes Entrance Surf Lifesaving Club.
“Richo was great. He took the fitness training throughout the summer,” Rod said.
“It was hard work for a lot of the blokes, but they certainly got out of it what they put in.
“It gave the players a good fitness base and they are now ready to hit the ground running on the grass.”
The club has a number of training events planned prior to its round one engagement with Lindenow at Lindenow on April 6.
“This Friday (March 1) we will be having a full club triathlon including both the footballers, netballers and even some of our junior players,” club president Ray Burgess said.
“We had a go at this last year and, despite the ordinary weather, had a really successful night.
“This year we hope that the weather is a little better and we can have even better numbers this Friday.”
“It’s a great chance for footballers and netballers to work together as a team and, ideally, that is what we aim for at a club level – to make the place as inclusive and appealing for all of our members as we can.
“The night will also offer players the opportunity to fill in their registration forms for season 2013, pay their respective memberships and order apparel to be ready for the season proper.”
In the weeks following the triathlon, the Seagulls have two practice matches booked in and ready to go.“We travel to Boisdale with the footballers on March 16 for a thirds match and a six quarter senior match.
“The following week (Saturday, March 23) the club will host Gormandale at Lakes Entrance with what we hope will be a full complement of football and netball sides ready to take the field.”
Both Bills and Burgess remained tight lipped on their recruiting over the summer months.
“We’ve had the feelers out there a bit and touched base with a number of quality people who are also quality players,” Bills said.
“We signed Jarrod Matthews before Christmas as our playing assistant coach. He has been outstanding over the pre-season.
“He learnt a lot during the last couple of seasons at Bairnsdale and is beginning to pass that knowledge onto our young playing group.
“It’s great to have him back at the club.
“As for any others, you will know more in the coming weeks,” he said.
“We are aiming to bring quality people to our club first and foremost.
“That is what we identified as the most important attribute of any possible recruit.
“If they are quality players to boot, well that makes it all worthwhile,” Burgess added.
“That’s what we’ve got with Jarrod Matthews already and hopefully a couple of others.”
The club is still on the lookout for trainers and other volunteers for the season.
“Trainers are always hard to come by,” Burgess said.
“We have a terrific trainer at the moment who would dearly love some help.
“We are certainly in the hunt for anyone that may be interested in helping out at training and on match days.
“Be it as a trainer, scoreboard attendant, in the canteen – you name it. There is always a job to be done at a Football Netball Club.”
Training will continue on Monday and Wednesday nights from 5.45pm at the footy oval.
Meanwhile the netballers have also kicked off their training with huge numbers. With a mixture of netball drills, fitness based work, running and swimming, the girls are shaping up for another successful season on the back of their “A” and “C” grade premierships in 2012.
Reigning “A” grade premiership coach, Lidia Thorpe, has been reappointed in the role while the other senior coaching positions have also been filled.
The club is also pleased to announce the appointment of Brian Nolan to the “D” grade job for season 2013.
The Seagulls are hoping to build on their very successful 2012 season where they took out four of the available premierships while also winning four of the league best and fairest awards.
Last Modified on 03/03/2013 09:10