NICK Pekin will lead out the Horsham District Football Netball League’s senior football side in this year’s interleague fixture.
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Pekin, who captained last year’s side, takes over the reins from Geoff Burdett as senior coach.
“I originally was asked a couple years ago to coach the Wimmera Football League interleague side and I didn’t do it and I always regretted it,” Pekin said.
“When they asked me this year I jumped at the chance. It’s always good to play at a higher standard. The more you play the better you become at it and you get to meet other people.”
Pekin has been involved with a number of representative football sides.
He said he hoped to build a positive culture in the HDFNL side this year.
“It’s a good standard and I want to help bring the HDFNL rank up a bit,” he said.
“I’d like to build a culture for the players so they want to be there and hopefully we can keep winning.
“There are some very talented people out there that haven’t put their hands up to play before, and I’d like to try and get those blokes on board.”
Horsham District Football Netball League president Graeme King said Pekin was the perfect candidate to coach the side.
“He is extremely passionate about interleague football and has been when he was involved with the Wimmera league as well,” he said.
“He has always seen it as an avenue for guys to play at a higher level.
“He is a well-respected coach by his peers and opposition players. He ticked all boxes from our point of view to see if he was interested and he jumped at it.”
The side will be taking on the Ellinbank and District Football League from West Gippsland, with the two leagues set to meet in Ballarat.
Pekin said: “From all reports they have some handy players.”
Pekin will have assistance from Noradjuha-Quantong coach Gareth Hose, Jeparit-Rainbow coach Tim Inkster as well as former Horsham Demons premiership coach Guy Smith.
Pekin will have to recruit some new players, with the Southern Mallee Giants representatives from last season no longer available in 2018.
“I will have some work to do in putting the list together but we have some good players,” Pekin said.
“The more we get at training the better we will perform, just like a normal home and away game.
“You might not have the best people but you will always get the right people and the dedicated ones who want to be there.”
The HDFNL side will train on April 29, May 6 and May 16 with the game on May 19.