THE Wimmera Whippets club has appointed Jaye Macumber and Lateesha Gascoyne as coaches of its football and netball sides ahead of the 2017 Football Intergration Development Association season.
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Wimmera Regional Sports Assembly Access All Abilities manager Matthew Berry said the signings were hugely exciting for the teams.
“They’re going to bring something completely different that we haven’t had before,” Berry said.
“When they both put their names forward we knew that they would likely be the best we would get.”
Macumber brings extensive experience as a football coach to the role.
He stepped down as the seniors coach at Minyip-Murtoa after guiding the side to a grand final in his second season at the helm.
“I wanted to take the year off from full-time coaching to have more time with the family in 2017,” Macumber said.
“My wife’s business has been taking off and I wanted to let her focus on her career.”
Two months after the Wimmera league season had finished he was contacted by several clubs, including Port Adelaide, and his passion for football was stirred up once more.
“I needed to do something this year but just not full-time,” Macumber said.
“My passion to help was also stirred when I saw the Whippets were advertising. It seemed perfect.
“Four to five on a Wednesday works well for me and Matt mentioned the club wants to build up its on-field performance a bit more.”
His plan for the season will be to have fun, while learning as much as he can.
“We might throw things back to the game plans of the 1990s and open up our forward line for someone like Lachie Young,” Macumber said.
“We’ll let him weave his magic down there to finish off the good work of our midfield and backline.”
Berry was excited by Macumber’s signing.
“He’s a really high profile name in footy in this area,” Berry said.
“That will be brilliant for the team.
“People are starting to expect a little bit more from the team now and Jaye will be able to bring that little bit extra.”
Berry said that Gascoyne would also bring something different to the role as the Whippets’ netball coach.
“Lateesha has just moved back to the area and is an A Grade netballer with Minyip-Murtoa,” he said.
“She has a great mind for fitness and a background in working with disabled athletes.
“We have not had someone like her before and she will definitely be good for the team.”
Gascoyne said she knew straight away she would accept the role when approached by Berry and Scott Davidson.
“They said I would be perfect for the role and I knew then and there that I wanted to do it,” she said.
“I like working with people with disabilities and giving them the best chance to enjoy what they are doing.
“From a personal trainer’s perspective, I just love changing people’s lives, and this is another opportunity to do that.
The signings come in the same week the Whippets released a new club logo.
“The whole re-brand is going well,” Berry said.
“We have our new logo and we are just finalising some stuff for the jumpers. Fingers crossed we will have them ready for the first round of the new season.”
The Whippets’ first training session of the season is at Coughlin Park on March 22.
The session will run from 4pm to 5.30pm.
