WHILE he is loath to make any rash
predictions about where his side may finish at the end of the season, newly appointed Cootamundra Strikers senior grade coach Shane Jervis has listed a short-term goal, one that encapsulates his objectives for the club.
“My short term aim is to win all four grades at our first home game,” Jervis said.
“That would be a perfect start to the season and we can build from there.”
Jervis takes over the reins from George Dimitropoulos and, having been part of the Strikers’ fabric since he moved to town a few years back, he has a delicate understanding of the workings of the club.
“My focus will be all about family
orientation and working on an all-in mantra,” he said.
“I may have been appointed as coach of firsts and reserves, but the focus will be the club as a whole.”
While many of Jervis’s teammates and Strikers fans would have seen him plying his trade on the paddock, few would be aware of the experience he boasts.
Having played at Premier League level for Canberra, Wollongong and in Queensland, Jervis also represented at State and NSW Country level, while he was also selected in an Australian juniors train-on squad as a keeper.
“I got injured playing rugby league and that was the end of that in terms of soccer representation,” he said.
“I played my junior soccer for Southern Branch in the Umbro League in Sydney which was the strongest nursery for kids in the country.”
Jervis said his initial association with the Strikers came by accident.
“When I first moved to town I had all intentions of playing rugby league as that’s what I had been playing at that time,
however I missed the June 30 deadline,” he said.
“It was just after that when Mick Simons signed me up for the Strikers and looking back it was a blessing in disguise.
“The Strikers have been fantastic to my family since we moved to town and now I have an opportunity to give something back.
“I’m committed to give it 100 per cent.
“I will be endeavouring to impart
everything I know and everything I’ve
forgotten about the game onto the club.”
Having identified January 31 as the
starting date for training, Jervis said his players can look forward to variety.
“We will be starting with block training with plenty of novelty exercises to keep the mind sharp,” he said.
“If you can make training fun the players can forget about how hard they are working.
“I have finalised a trial against Belconnen United on March 14 for all four grades and another trial against Leeton a week or so later again with all four grades.”
Jervis will have the services of long
serving Strikers devotee Col Ashley as
manager for both first and reserve grade, while Ian Wilson will again coach the youth league side assisted by Jimmy Hugo.
John Dorczak will take control of the women’s team for another season, with Annette Parkinson named as an assistant coach.
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