Tara Murray
Epping is growing in confidence in the Northern Football League women’s division 3 competition.
Fielding a women’s side for the first time in many, many years the Pingers are hoping to build a team for the long term future.
Coach Alex Bonacci said things had been going really well so far.
“It was an interesting start to the year with a few things happening and the girls getting used to playing footy,” he said.
“A lot are new to the sport and we are teaching them the skills and the greater game.
“We’re making sure we have the right atmosphere around the club and a good culture not just for this year but for future years as well.”
Bonacci started the pre-season as an assistant coach before taking on the head coaching role.
He said having already been involved, it made it easier to stick to the similar styles and tasks they had in place once he took over the senior coaching role.
Bonacci said it was so exciting watching the side run out and play each week.
“On Sunday the enjoyment for all of them after the draw, it was almost like they won,” he said. “For us it wasn’t necessarily about winning or losing this year, if we win, we win.”
Bonacci said he’d seen a lot of improvement in the group’s skills in both games and at training.
He said they wanted to make sure they got the basic skills right and then work out how to play.
“The overall improvement has been massive,” he said. “A lot started from nothing and were really new to the game and having no understanding of some of the rules.
“It’s a lot of the small stuff that they are able to do now that has improved the most.”
With a win and draw already, Bonacci said the confidence was growing the more they played together.
He said there were still plenty of things to work on.
“We started playing with one good quarter put with more confidence we are better for longer,” he said.
“We’re working on the small things like attacking the ball, marking.”
The Pingers face Wallan this weekend before two weeks off, first with a bye and then the King’s Birthday long weekend break.
