Northern NSW Football (NNSWF) is pleased to announce the Newcastle Permanent Coach of the Month for June 2017 across the zones.
Football enriches character, intelligence, coordination and skill and each season, brave men and women step up to the plate and take on the task of helping our young athletes reach their potential: The Coach.
“Coaching is one of the most important factors in the football experience had by our players. It is important that coaches like these continue the great work they are doing at their club so that their players develop a love for the game and continue to have the best football experience possible,” Community Football Manager, Peter Haynes said.
Each month, one registered coach from each of NNSWF’s seven Member Zones will be awarded the Newcastle Permanent Community Coach of the Month award.
Each winner will receive a Newcastle Permanent Community Coaching kit consisting of 6 balls, 20 markers, 10 bibs and a whistle, as well as a polo shirt and cap, to assist in fulfilling their roles at their respective club.
At the end of the season, each Zone will nominate one community coach from their pool of winners, to represent their Zone for the opportunity to be named “Newcastle Permanent Community Coach of the Year” announced at NNSWF annual awards night.
“Each of the June winners has brought a lot of enthusiasm, support, and dedication to their team’s improvement and worked hard to ensure their players enjoy their time within football,” Haynes said.
Newcastle Permanent Chief Executive Officer, Terry Millett echoes Haynes sentiments and applauds those who received the award.
“Newcastle Permanent is proud to support community football across Northern NSW and it is great to be able to recognise the efforts of a local coach who shows such dedication to developing their team,” Millett said.
The June Newcastle Permanent Coach of the Month Award recipients from across each of its seven Member Zones are as follows:
Tai Lonergan
Suffolk Park FC
Football Far North Coast
Tai is a mentor as well as being the coach of the Suffolk Park Phoenix Women’ Division 5 Team. He assists the players socially and within the community, with many within the team being young mums, most who are new to the sport. Tai is enthusiastic and creates a positive environment for the women to play. His mantra is, “to encourage and support each other”. His selfless time and energy have created a team with a great sense of camaraderie which is reflected in the comments regularly offered by opposing teams. who praise their sense of fair play and good skills. Suffolk Park FC is a small club that has only existed for about 5 years. Tai is passionate about developing more female participation and helping to grow participation numbers.
Matt Thompson
Tuncurry Forster Football Club
Football Mid North Coast
Matt Thompson has shown great commitment to coaching over the past few seasons. Up until last season, he ran our club’s junior academy and since then he has successfully coached our club’s ladies side, which was reformed last season. Matt is committed to learning how to coach, having completed several coaching education courses and attending coaching conferences, and is one of the most talented coaches at our club.
Dominic Lieb
Tenambit Sharks
Hunter Valley Football
Dominic was thrown into the role and has not looked back. The children have accepted the coaching and have improved leaps and bounds.
Rex Judd
Kahibah Football Club
Macquarie Football
Amazing Coach, Amazing Role Model to the boys. We lose games each week but he’s back training twice a week, never puts the kids down. He is disciplined but very fair. Couldn’t find a greater role model in sport or life. Love him to bits and so does our son.
Jason Powell
Kotara South
Newcastle Football
I’d like to nominate Jason Powell. Jason is a 1st Grade player with Kotara South Seniors and approached the KS Juniors last season wanting to help the juniors via Coaching. He coached our U’15 Bs in 2016 to the Minor and Major Premierships. Last season he also coached an AA Women’s team. He has returned this season and the same team are now in U’16 A div. After 7 rounds they are undefeated and sit top of the table. More importantly, Jason is creating a connection and pathway for young men to begin to aspire to Senior football. Some of this team now train 1 night per week or fortnight with the Seniors club, with Jason guiding them carefully into training alongside men & more talented footballers. Jason trains the 16s 2 nights per week (Mon & Wed, with Mon by himself as I’m away with work), trains himself Tues and Thurs nights as a player with Kotara Seniors, & turns up to every game that the 16s are playing when he is not playing himself.
The boys love having him around. He is a real inspiration to these young men and I feel he would be a worthy recipient of such an award.
Skye Davidson
Maclean FC
North Coast Football
Skye trains her players twice a week, straight from work. She gives so much positive encouragement to her players. She is also enthusiastic about learning and is willing to do more coaching course for next year. I find her enthusiasm, passion, positive attitude and encouraging attitude brings out the best sportsmanship in her team. I would like to nominate her for this award as I feel as she would be the most deserved coach in our club.
Chris Wilson
Glen Innes & District Football Association
Northern Inland Football
Chris has been coaching his son’s team for 2 years, since taking over from the previous coach who moved away. This year he is also the Division Leader for that age. He joined the committee 3 years ago. Last year he helped organise our rep teams to travel to carnivals in our region. This year he stepped up and not only coaches our U12 Rep team, he also organises all the rep teams for carnivals. He has sourced other carnivals and we will attend at least 4 more carnivals than last year. He is fundraising for his team to travel to the Inverell Mini World cup, and he and his wife’s efforts will see a very substantial amount being donated back to the club as well. He is always eager to help, and he will assist other coaches with their teams whenever requested. He has encouraged a lot of the older kids to referee the younger ages games to help out the team leaders and encourage the little ones. This has been a positive thing from all the feedback I have received
