Sanctuary Lakes Football Club interim president Rod Davies is rapt to have Nick Waddell on board as senior coach for the 2013 season. 89447_03 Picture: DAMJAN JANEVSKI
By LIAM TWOMEY
NICK Waddell will coach Sanctuary Lakes for the club’s first season in the Western Region Football League.
Waddell takes on the role after coaching Altona’s under-18 side last season.
Sanctuary Lakes’ interim president Rod Davies said the club was rapt to have made the appointment as it prepares for its 2013 debut.
It was originally thought the club would enter only junior sides for its inaugural season however, after huge interest, seniors will also be competing in Division Two.
“I think a lot of it comes down to the booming population,” Davies said.
“Some clubs like for instance Altona last year fielded two sides, won two premierships and they had 15 players that didn’t get a game.
“Obviously there are a lot of under-18s moving up through the ranks of all teams so there is going to be an influx of senior players.”
At this stage Sanctuary Lakes has 40 players committed to playing in its senior sides.
Davies said the club was hoping to secure at least another 10 players and encouraged anyone interested to attend pre-season training. The club will also be entering at least six junior sides.
Last year more than 200 juniors took part in Aus-Kick at Sanctuary Lakes.
Davies said one of the main focuses of setting up the new club was creating a family-friendly environment.
“We are lucky that the old style football club where you have your own social rooms and your own bar, we don’t have that,” he said.
“We are looking at having a family-friendly culture.
“We are not going to be having drinks after the game and drinks after training with everyone getting drunk and that sort of thing.
“If people want to do that there is a hotel across the road where they can do all that.”
The club is set to hold its first annual general meeting this week when the committee and board will be voted in.
With large numbers already keen to get involved off the field, Davies said the next step would be to fill coaching positions and attract sponsors.
“One thing we will be talking about at the meeting is sponsorship,” he said.
“Everyone who has shown an interest in joining the committee has been out and about talking to people. We have got good feedback from a lot of local businesses and so forth.
“We don’t have a cent in the bank so we will have to get sponsorship and go from there.”
Anyone interested in joining Sanctuary Lakes for the new season can contact Rod Davies on 0437 751 855.
