Bombers rarin’ to go

By Tania Martin
THE Emerald Football Club is on track for a good 2006 season appointing three new senior coaches.
Rowan Pascoe will lead the seniors with the assistance of Jamie Marshall, Andrew Rolfs the Reserves and Graeme Steer the under 18s.
The club has sought local talent for season 2006 to take the club forward. Rowan Pascoe has a long history with the Emerald Club, firstly as a young player with the junior club, and then progressing to senior ranks.
This year will be the first time Rowan has coached a senior side, but he has coached the Reserves, the under 16s and the under 18s. Rowan’s assistant, Jamie Marshall, has recently moved into the area after a junior career with Hampton Park (eight years) and three years with Edithvale – Aspendale Football Club.
Rowan has also sought a local leadership group with Blair Kuys as captain for the second year.
Blair commenced playing with the Emerald Junior Football Club and has continued his playing career, spanning 17 years and over 250 games with the Emerald clubs.
Other members of the senior leadership team are Wes Wright, Josh Huisinveld, Dean MaCumber and Clinton Marsh and Tony Mason who has played the last couple of years. These players, with the exception of Tony, have all come up from the Junior Football Club.
Andrew Rolfs will be taking charge of the reserves. Andrew has played for Emerald for the last four years and has a strong coaching background.
Coming from the Emerald Junior Football Club, Graeme Steer is the under 18’s coach. Graeme has been an assistant coach for the juniors and coached the under 14s last year.
This is the first time that the Emerald Football Club has a netball team added to its ranks. The netballers are again all local players and have already stamped their force by winning the Yarra Valley Mountain District Football League Lightning Premiership last Saturday at Emerald. Congratulations and well done.
The club’s major focus this year will be to build a very close relationship with the junior club, with each senior player sponsoring a junior player from the under 14s and 16s. This in turn will make for a much smoother transition into senior football in years to come.
The three coaches are looking forward to the 2006 season and would still like to invite any player who may be thinking of having a kick, to come and join a club that is looking to be a force in the future.