Former Warragul coach Ash Green has been appointed as an assistant coach with TAC Cup side Gippsland Power.GIPPSLAND Power has welcomed Ashley Green as an assistant coach for 2007.
Ashley started his football career with Warragul through its junior program and was recruited by Essendon in 1989 where he played under19s and reserves and then went to the Brisbane Bears in 1992 where he played 25 senior games.
From Brisbane he then moved to West Adelaide in 1994 where he played four seasons in the SANFL.
In 1997 he returned to Gippsland and was assistant coach and then coached Pakenham winning a senior flag in 2000.
He came ‘home’ to Warragul in 2001 and coached it in the West Gippsland Latrobe Football League for five years.
Ashley brings a broad range of experiences at an elite level to the club. He has been coached by Kevin Sheedy, Ray Jordan, Robert Walls, Michael Taylor and fully understands what it’s like to be a young player beginning a career at the highest level.
He also has a thorough understanding of the Gippsland region and its football culture.
The Power feels he will be highly qualified to support the young players as they work to take the big step into the TAC Cup competition and from there on to a wide range of top quality senior football competitions,
The 2007 TAC Cup season preparations began for the Gippsland Power with a recent information session in Morwell.
The 80 boys, the under16 development squad and the 120 in the under18 program were welcomed by regional manager Peter Francis who introduced them and their parents to the key club officials.
Unfortunately he was unable to introduce the under18 coach, as the selection process to replace Paul Hudson was not completed.
Under16 squad coach Rob Reid outlined the basic commitments required by boys undertaking this program and club fitness guru Les Ponton outlined the two specific preseason programs tailored for the under16 and 18 squads.
Training started on 15 November at a range of local training bases throughout the Gippsland Power’s region.
The club has Paul Clavarino supervising training in Yarram, Steve Martin in Bairnsdale, Richard Coulthard in Sale, Les Ponton in Morwell, Joe Lenders in the Warragul area and Chris Dallinger in Wonthaggi.
They will work together on Monday and Wednesday nights and they will focus on skills and fitness in these sessions.
This training pattern will operate until Christmas and then players will regroup in late January where the whole group will then train in Morwell until the start of the 2007 TAC Cup season.
There will be a series of cuts made in the squad in the preseason so the pressure is on to commit to the mental and physical demands of the program.
