The Ararat Eagles have announced their coaches for the 2018 Mininera District Football League season.
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Scott Jackson and and George Cooper will share the role of senior coaches for next year.
Oakley Taylor and Reagan Hughes will coach the Eagles’ reserves team.
Jackson and Cooper take over from Jenkins who stepped down in early October.
The two coaches were unveiled at the Eagles’ first pre-season training session on Wednesday night.
Jackson said he believes it is important for the team to get back to training early to ensure they are in top shape going into next season.
“We had about 20 guys there at the first session and they are all ready and willing to improve,” he said.
“Early on we want to focus on our fitness base to make sure we can run out games better next year.”
Jackson, who has been involved in the club for nearly 15 years, will take on his first coaching role next season, with 23-year-old Cooper by his side.
“George and I have been mates for a while so it will be good to work with him,” Jackson said.
Cooper returns to the club after spending the last few years at Ballarat studying.
He said he is excited to be back with the Eagles.
“I have been away from the club for a couple of years so it is great to be back and we have a really good group of blokes on board,” he said.
“I have been around the club for a while, the same as Scott, so we want to continue to improve on where we have come from and give it a red hot crack next year.”
The Eagles had a tough season in 2017, winning just two of 17 senior matches.
Cooper said he is “up for the challenge”.
“We both know it is not going to be an easy task, but we want to tackle the season head on,” he said.
“I know where the club is at and we have got a plan of where to go,” Jackson said.
The Eagles improved steadily under Jenkins, but Cooper said he is hoping to take the club even further.
“One main thing we want to do is improve our win-loss record and get our guys to be able to experience winning football games more regularly,” he said.
“We will also try to recruit fairly heavily and bring new faces to the club.”
The Ararat Eagles will train on Monday and Wednesday nights throughout the pre-season.
“Anyone that wants to come and have a run around is welcome,” Jackson said.