By Marcus Uhe
Brad Coller is finishing his coaching tenure at Gembrook Cockatoo with a sense of pride for what the club was able to achieve during his time as senior football coach.
Coller, Reserves football coach Vinnie Del Nigro and senior netball coach Shanae Ingram all announced to the club last week that they would be stepping down from their current roles at the conclusion of the 2023 campaign.
Coller believes it’s the right move for the playing group.
“I was getting to a point where, after five years, there’s probably enough of the boys hearing my voice, and it was time for a change,” he said.
“It was a sad day given I won’t have that position anymore and I didn’t want to leave the boys, I’m heavily invested in the group, but it’s also a happy day to look back and reflect on what we’ve done.
“For me it’s relief to know that I can have a bit of a rest and knowing that we’ve definitely left the club in a good position.”
All three have indicated that they will remain involved with the club in some capacity next season.
Del Nigro reach across a number of club’s in Melbourne is vast, having coached at Gembrook earlier in his tenure and played at Beaconsfield, among other clubs.
Ingram, meanwhile, grew up on the netball courts at Kooweerup and coached juniors there before taking the reins at Gembrook Cockatoo, along with joining the coaching program at Victorian Netball League club Casey Demons.
After winning 2022 Division One football premierships in both the seniors and the reserves, the elevation to premier division has posed it’s challenges across both the football and netball programs for the Brookers, with the senior football and A-Grade netball sides currently last on their respective ladders and the Reserves football side second-last.
The football program has endured a torrid run on the injury front, with senior players such as Matt Frazzetto, Frank Didonato and Dean Smith, among others, all spending considerable time on the sidelines.
The A-Grade netball side, however, finished second-last on the Division One ladder in 2022, suggesting the step-up in competition was likely to be difficult.
For Coller, the club holds special place in his heart, having played junior football in green and white and won senior premierships there as both a player and a coach.
While the 2022 Division One flag will take pride of place in his trophy cabinet, it’s the intangible elements of coaching that carry the most weight for him.
“We talk about premierships being the ultimate, and coaching is pretty much assessed by the win-loss column, but as a coach I think there’s more to having success than just winning flags; it’s about the relationships you build with people, not just the playing list but the committee, supporters, netball, everything else along the way.
“I can definitely say I’m rich in that sense with the relationships and friendships I’ve built, not just in the last five years but the 15 years I’ve done it as a senior coach, at Thornton as well.”
Michael Firrito will replace Coller as senior football coach next season in a non-playing capacity.
