By Jonty Ralphsmith
2022 Hampton Park coach Nathan Wilson has informed the club he will not continue next year, stepping back from the role for family reasons.
He informed the club of his decision on Tuesday and leaves on good terms, saying he will remain involved either in a lesser official capacity or as a supporter going forward.
When the club begun to plan for 2023 in early July, Wilson informed footy manager Paul McGowan of his family dilemma, giving his blessing for the club to pursue other options.
Nathan’s son, Jack, is in the Dandenong Stingrays squad, and daughter, Sienna, plays representative netball, with Nathan wanting to make sure he is available for them.
“Before this year, I’d never missed a game of Jack’s footy,” Wison said.
“I’d always been at his junior games at Narre South or been assistant coach.
“There were stages through the middle of the year where we went through a bad patch and Jack was playing in Tassie or elsewhere at the same time we were, and I found myself questioning whether I was doing the right thing as a Dad.
“And missing Sienna on a Thursday night at Jells Park in her rep side because I’m at footy training, I question whether I am letting her down, so it started to get to me.”
Nathan got to coach Jack in eight games across the two seasons and names a five-point away win against Keysborough in round one last year as being among his coaching highlights.
“Jack kicked the winning goal in that game and it was his first senior game and the footy club started (the season) a little bit slowly so it was a desperate game,” he said.
With an eight and four record in 2021 before the season was closed down due to the pandemic, Hampton Park looked set to play finals, but this year the club recharged with youth to set itself for sustained success – a decision led by Wilson.
Hampton Park won four of its final five games of the home and away season this year, looking likely to sneak into finals, before East Brighton upset Chelsea in the last round to sneak into fifth position.
Their sixth placed finish in 2022 means ‘Nanga’ ends his time with 15 wins, 12 losses and a draw from his two seasons in charge.
“What will really irk me looking back is not getting the opportunity to play finals because I definitely think the footy club is good enough to play division two finals so that is a bit disappointing,” Wilson said.
“But I think I have left the club in a much stronger place than when I started at the start of last year so I’m proud of that.”
Wife, Melinda, is also involved with the club, a key figure on the netball side.
Wilson thanked the committee and wider club for its support of him as a first time coach.
“He’s probably one of the best blokes I’ve met through footy – a fun guy, he takes his footy seriously, but he makes it enjoyable for everyone and he put in hours of work that people don’t see,” McGowan said.
“His commitment levels were enormous and we definitely want him to stay involved because he’s a good football person and his net is enormous.
“He’s got a lure to him because he has so many friends – nobody dislikes him.”
McGowan said the club has been in talks with a potential coach for more than two weeks.
