By JARROD POTTER
ONE team is enough for most footy coaches – let alone what Scott Gowans has embarked upon in 2016.
Adding to an already jam-packed football schedule, the Longwarry and Dandenong Stingrays Youth Girls Academy coach is now at the helm of his third side – the Vic Country Youth Girls.
He’s made the switch from Vic Metro Youth Girls assistant to taking the reins of Vic Country for the 2016 AFL Youth Girls National Championships, held in May across Melbourne.
“I was quite excited when I was announced and just looking forward to the challenge as it’s a big challenge,” Gowans said.
While it’s weird to leave the Metro ranks – and face the prospect of coaching against some of his Stingrays squad members and former Vic Metro players – Gowans thought it was the right time to take on the new role.
“The accepting thing was I got a lot of supportive messages from the Metro girls – that makes me feel a little better but obviously when we play Metro it will be a little bit funny,” Gowans said.
“I’ve also learned heaps off (Vic Metro coach) Wayne (Siekman) – he’s very structured in time management and game plans … and if you’ve got a particular game plan, you’re recruiting girls to play to that plan, not just picking the best 27 girls to play footy.”
Numbers have already been impressive for the Country contingent as the first round of tryouts had 55 elite players attend.
Gowans admits Vic Country’s winless national championship record is his first port of call and hopes to bring the best metropolitan strategies to the regional squad to turn the form around.
“The big difference between Country and Metro was the professionalism,” Gowans said.
“Country was a little bit, I suppose, had a country feel to it … just not as professional, but I’m going to bring in that professionalism and metro feel – they’ll be a lot more serious.
“They haven’t won a game yet at the nationals – they’re 0-8 – and I want to be able to win our first game.”
It all boils down to the players he can put on the park and Gowans thinks the rest of the competition is set for a surprise as his Vic Country contingent has advanced drastically.
