SWAN Hill Soccer Club is well positioned to take advantage of potential growth in the short term according to senior coach Kevin Tootell, ANDREW ROGERS reports.
A WORLD Cup will be staged next year and Kevin Tootell wants Swan Hill Soccer Club to make the most of it.
Tootell was appointed men’s coach of the Swans at the start of the season and said the year had been trying at times, despite having strong numbers between the division one and two sides.
“We’ve got good numbers… about 26 players.
With a new coach, you have new methods and new tactics so the players are trying to re-learn I suppose,” he said.
Now firmly ensconced in the position, Tootell said he was keen to see the club make the most of opportunities to grow.
And with the FIFA World Cup in Brazil falling in the middle of the Bendigo Amateur Soccer League season next June/July, Tootell said the Swans needed to make the most of a potential boost in participation rates.
“We’ve got some youth coming through already and next year we will be looking at implementing a youth team, enabling a bit of a pathway for the under 13s and 15s age group,” he said.
“That development program over time will build up into some good senior sides hopefully.”
Prior to this Tootell said utilising exposure from the World Cup would help Swan Hill soccer as it goes through a rebuilding stage.
“Next year will be good. A World Cup year always seems to attract additional numbers — young kids out there see what’s going on and it helps when you’re trying to get numbers up.”
The 44-year-old said the Swans needed to make the most of potential exposure to the club.
“The club is out there marketing and we have got to try and target our audience a bit more,” he said.
Tootell said getting Local Government involved would also be a challenge worth pursuing.
“[Soccer has] lower participatory rates in a lot of regions so it is looked at less favourably. All regions are the same unfortunately,” he said.
“Unfortunately soccer in small regions is the lesser known sport. But this might strengthen Swan Hill soccer for the next few years.”
Originally from Queensland, Tootell has played soccer since he was a child, as well as refereeing and other coaching appointments.
“Last year I was refereeing these guys and saw what they were like. I saw the advert for them for a coach and made the initial step to contact them and that led to where we are now,” he said.
Tootell moved to the area with wife Vicki and sons Gavin and Trevor, now 19 and 15 respectively. He works at Manangatang College as a business manager.
The challenge of coaching Swan Hill Soccer Club has been invigorating, Tootell said.
“I’ve stopped playing now, I’m past that. You get to the age where you think the body can’t take it anymore so you think about how you can stay involved with the sport,” he said.
“[Now coaching] I’m dealing with 25 individuals — all different personalities and traits… and it is a challenge.”
Tootell said Swan Hill soccer had potential and he was keen to see the club grow.
“If we can get the profile of the club to grow it will be better for everyone and we are looking at being around for a little while yet.”
