Despite little or no football at all for many teams this year, this hasn’t dampened the enthusiasm of players learning or improving the game’s skills.
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Take the Murray Felines Under 17 girls squad for example, which went through season 2018 undefeated and lost the elimination final last year by two points.
“The girls are that keen,” the coach, former VFL Footscray player for 34 games, Brad Nicholson, told The Free Press.
“When I put it to them about training twice a week they all agreed. Training has increased from weekly to Mondays and Wednesdays, and more girls have joined.
“We are going ahead for the season, just waiting on dates but early July to up to mid-September looks like the situation.”
The Victorian government have confirmed juniors to return to full-contact training and competition from Monday, 22 June with the original announcement that adults will return to full-contact training on 13 July, ahead of a competition start date of 20 July. now up in the air.
The Under 17s are a group of 20 enthusiastic girls who train at one end of the oval if another team trains on the same day.
“They’re bonding, a very dedicated bunch willing to listen,” Nicholson said of the Rutherglen-based squad which comprises mainly Corowa and Rutherglen girls but also consists of Yarrawonga, Wangaratta, Howlong and Stanley girls.
“They love a chat but they get back into it. The girls know they don’t know everything. They’re a great bunch of kids.
“We treat everyone equal in the side. There’s no-one ‘better’ than anyone else.”
Listening to the highly respected coach and plenty of practice have paid dividends for the girls. As a result, the skills acquired by the girls have impressed the coach.
“There’s a lot of basic stuff before ball movement – a lot of stationary skills, getting their hands on the football,” Nicholson said. “You see the improvement which is very pleasing.
“We have a girl who wouldn’t have had 10 possessions in two years then last year won the league’s best and fairest player – Mietta Habets (of Rutherglen).
“Yasmine Budic (also from Rutherglen) is really starring. But I’ve seen improvement in all girls at training. Some just do extra training on their own.”
Nicholson’s wife Nadine is team manager and has a strong sporting background herself. Not wanting to elaborate “because this is about football”, she learnt to spring dive at age six, was Australian champion for her 17-year-old age group, won eight gold medals in Australian national championships and represented Australia in the World Junior Games in Madrid; is currently a swim coach in Albury.
Nadine appreciates the willingness of people lending support for the Murray Felines and other Rutherglen-based teams.
“Rutherglen Football Netball Club supports us in everything we do and makes the ground available whenever we want it,” she said. “All families help out.”
The Nicholsons have lived in Rutherglen for 11 years and lead busy and enjoyable lives. Unfortunately Brad was made redundant from his Corowa RSL Club job due to COVID-19.
His commitment to junior football coaching over many years is complemented by his current on-line 18-month study course of Youth Work.
“Full credit to the girls who are just so keen to get back into playing football matches,” Nicholson said.