MURRAY United continues to push the envelope not just on the playing front but with its coaches.
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Every coach in the Border’s premier league club has this season attained elite coaching status.
Topping the list is acting technical director and senior coach James Coutts along with the under-16s Azar Levenston.
Both have been granted B licences by Football Australia allowing them to walk into a technical director role at any NPL club as well as coach elite youth and state teams.
Coutts said it was a “massive” effort from all involved.
“I know how big a shock it was when I started on the C Licence and now each coach has attained that level this year,” he said.
“So that means on top of their commitment to training three times a week and weekend game preparations they have put in countless hours on homework, preparing lesson plans and the many other requirements that these licences demand.
“It is the simple ideal of every session having an objective, planning for those sessions, understanding the need to keep the session flowing.
“The club has really pushed this part of our development this year.
“We understand that it is the coach delivering the product, we may attract the best players in the region but we also need to develop that talent and that comes from the skills and knowledge of the team leader.”
Coutts said there were also spin-offs for the AWFA competition.
Murray United has commenced recruiting for coaches in the National Premier league next year across all of its age and senior divisions.
“We understand that coaching, and playing, at this level is a huge commitment,” he said.
“We start early and finish late and are lucky that FFV has accepted a plan that will see us play two-thirds of our games on the Border next year.
“The reality is people have other commitments and some will go back to coach at AWFA level after a season or two with Murray United but we believe that can only be good for football.
“It means the knowledge and experience picked up at this level, along with the coaching licences adds greater depth to those coaching ranks too, grows the game across the region.
“We are advertising for senior and junior coaches but also would help people looking to be assistants, in the SAP or community coaching roles – we want to get the best people involved in whatever way we can at the club and share their development with the football community.”