In the Spotlight – Daniel Dickson (Coach & Club Treasurer)

DD: Firm but fair, and enjoy yourself.

Respect, attitude and discipline are important, especially at this age. Little things like turning up to training and games on time demonstrates respect for yourself, your teammates and your coach.

I do my part to come to training prepared and I expect the same. Part of my role is player management. I need to make sure that people are playing in the right position for their body type, skill level and speed while also taking into consideration their preferred position. My role is also to identify players who are struggling in specific areas and support them to overcome challenges.

Ultimately, I want everyone to enjoy themselves. Each week, I give the team three things to focus on. Two of the three change week to week such as defence, passing or speed in the ruck. The one constant that never changes is to enjoy yourself.

DD: I love seeing kids come back year after year. That is a strong indication that they are not only enjoying themselves but that they are part of this community.

I have been coaching this cohort since under 6s and I love seeing the friendships develop and their skills and ability improve. I also love seeing the parents getting along. In the same way I never want to see any kids in my team disconnected, I don’t want to see any parents disconnected.