Coach’s new pride and joy

NEW Gippsland Power coach and former champion Springvale/Casey Scorpions midfielder Damian Carroll is one of those rare few who can say they do everything they can to succeed.
And it’s why the 36-year-old Warragul resident can look back on his magnificent playing career with such pride – not in an arrogant way, just purely from a satisfaction point of view.
Carroll’s achievements include VFA/VFL premierships in 1995, 1998 and 1999, a spot in the VFL’s team of the 1990s, two-time VFL representation and a Scorpions best-and-fairest award.
He would have played in another premiership in 1996 if not for a broken jaw he suffered in the preliminary final that year.
Carroll is also the club’s games record-holder with 233 and did not miss a match in his final six seasons for the Scorpions – a run that continued until he hung up the boots last year after four seasons as Bonbeach’s playing coach.
“I think I got the most out of myself as a player. I didn’t really leave any stone unturned in preparation and fitness,” he reflected last Friday.
“From a pre-season point of view, I was fairly obsessed with training.
“Even when we joined with the AFL clubs (the Scorpions were aligned with St Kilda), I probably upped myself to maybe 13 sessions a week myself to make sure I could compete with the AFL guys.
“I knew they were doing that much. I was doing two sessions a day and probably haven’t got any regrets about my footy.”
If Carroll has one minor regret it is that he did not assert himself enough when he had stints with Melbourne’s under-19s and St Kilda’s reserves.
“I probably played my best footy when I was 25 or 26 and those opportunities were when I was 19 or 20,” he said.
“I gave it everything I could and probably wasn’t quick enough for a smaller guy.
“I played on guys later in my career who were getting AFL games and I probably thought I may have been good enough, but it was all about timing and so forth and I could certainly understand why people drew a line (through my name).
“I maybe didn’t believe in myself enough to put myself out there and probably was a bit overawed … but I think even if I had’ve done that I don’t know whether I would have been seen in their eyes as an AFL player anyway.”
Carroll’s family embraced the Scorpions just as much as he did.
His three brothers – Brendan, John and Paul – all played seniors or reserves for the club, while his father, Brian, who played 10 VFL/AFL games for Fitzroy in 1963, and late mother, Mary, were at most games.
Carroll’s sister, Jayne, was also a keen sportswoman and avid Scorpions fan.
John played only four seasons in the VFL – making the league’s team of the year on each occasion – before retiring prematurely due to a debilitating back injury after moving to South Australian club Woodville-West Torrens.
Mary lost her long battle with cancer in 2002 and Carroll is eternally grateful for the Scorpions’ support during that difficult time.
“The footy club was great when she had her illness and was very helpful and supportive because it was a very tough time,” he said.
“She was pretty protective of us and probably thought we were always the best players or getting belted around.
“She probably liked to be in the background a little bit. She didn’t like too much fuss, but she was certainly a positive influence on all of our careers and our lives as well.”
Carroll always knew his next phase in football would be coaching.
He taught at Marist-Sion College in Warragul before moving to Rowville’s Mazenod College and ultimately becoming the school’s director of inter-school sport.
Carroll combined his teaching with his playing coach role at Bonbeach and his amazing work-ethic appears to have carried over from his playing days into the coaches’ box.
“I’m pretty well-prepared and diligent in terms of my own preparation of the players,” he said.
“Being a non-playing coach compared to a playing coach, you can analyse the game a lot better from the sidelines and I’m probably still developing my off-field side.
“Now I’m a lot more individual and specific on match day. I think if I was to describe myself I’d say I’m pretty thorough in preparation and I’d like to think I communicate pretty well with the players – whether that’s individual or team.”
The Power broke through for its first win of the year on Saturday – a 43-point victory over the Northern Knights at Morwell – to finally reward Carroll for his hard work.
“It is a tough caper. Our worst loss we had, I thought I might have coached the best I did in that game,” he said.
“I’m really enjoying the coaching apart from our win-loss (record). I’m not actually missing the playing side.
“There is nothing like playing footy, so it is sad when your days are over from a playing perspective, but I haven’t really had time at the moment to miss it.”
Football will not be Carroll’s biggest challenge for long.
His wife, Kellie, who is a primary school teacher, is due to give birth to their first child in early June and Carroll knows he will have even less time than he already had.
“We’re excited and it will be a big change for us both. I think it’s a boy; she thinks it’s a girl,” he said.
“It’ll be big – all I’ve heard is how much life changes … but I’m definitely ready for it and probably have been for a couple of years now.
“It’s probably coincided well with finishing playing, so hopefully I can be a good support for Kellie and the baby.”
Carroll is adamant he won’t push his child into football, but is in no doubt as to what the sport has done for him.
“Football means life, it means ups and downs, it means character-building, appreciating the good times, it means relationships with people who are special, and great times,” he said.
“I think it’s mirrored life for me, it’s always challenging – especially as a coach – but it’s very rewarding at the same time.
“It’s not life or death, but you can play and prepare like it is … I think it’s a really important part of Australian society.”