Catholic school coach persists for 34 years

By Marc McGowan
LAST Friday marked the end of an era for Andrew Sweeney, as his 34year association with football coaching at the St Francis Xavier College’s feeder schools came to an end.
Andrew, 51, has seen all seven of his children through the Catholic primary school sporting scene and with youngest son Joey to graduate to secondary school next year, he says it’s time to hand over the reins.
His five sons all play football and his two daughters are netballers – a major catalyst for his retirement from Catholic primary school coaching and even at a club level at Nar Nar Goon.
“I’ve missed out on a few of my kids’ footy and netball matches over the years,” Sweeney said. “I still hope to be involved with Nar Nar Goon next year in some sort of way.”
His father, Frank, coached St Michael’s Catholic Primary School for 10 years from 1962, before Andrew took over as an 18yearold.
He also spent two years coaching at Don Bosco Catholic Primary School at Narre Warren, before moving on to St James Catholic Primary School in Nar Nar Goon where he has spent the last 22 years coaching.
It all ended with the annual lightning premiership competition at St Francis Xavier College in Beaconsfield a series of roundrobin games of football, netball and Newcombe between all the feeder schools.
Typically modest, Andrew was reluctant to take any accolades for his achievement and preferred the spotlight be shined on the effort of St James to field competitive sides.
“There have been times when we have had to bolster numbers with girls,” he said.
“We’ve had a few very good girl players over the years.”
Andrew’s reward comes through contact with the kids he coaches, some of whom have gone on to teach and coach themselves.
“I just like seeing the kids improve themselves more than anything else,” he said. “When they start off they can’t kick and then all of a sudden they can mark and kick and they enjoy each other’s company.
He has a strong affinity with St James.
“My first two (children) went to Narre Warren and the rest went to St James,” he said. “I like the way the kids care for each other from prep to grade six. In other schools it’s just whatever grade you are in but here a boy in grade six will look after a kid in prep.”
It is the small things that Andrew enjoys.
“It’s good when they get older and 10 years down the track they still appreciate you and say ‘how’s it going?’, so I presume they kind of halflike me!”
For those not lucky enough to have been coached by Sweeney, he has made public his personal motto.
“Persistence – failure cannot compete with it. If you keep persisting you won’t fail,” he said.