Edenhope-Apsley have appointed returning star Emma Ryan as its A Grade coach for the 2020 Horsham District netball league season.
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Ryan last played for the Saints in 2015, where she won her second league best and fairest and helped guide the Saints to an undefeated minor premiership.
Ryan said she was ecstatic to be returning to her home club.
"It's really exciting. Coaching is something that I've been wanting to do for the last five or six years," Ryan said. "I'm also just really excited to come back to the club with my whole family there, and a lot of my school friends. I'm really looking forward to it."
Ryan will be joined by sister Ash in returning to the club. While Ryan said there was still a lot to play out before the 2020 season gets underway, she was hopeful of a positive inaugural year at the helm.
"Of course every coaches goal is to go the whole way," Ryan said.
"It won't just happen, but it is definitely the ultimate goal, whether it happens next year or over the next few years."
Despite consistently possessing a strong A Grade netball side, Edenhope-Apsley are yet to break through for a long-awaited premiership since joining the district league in 2007.
Ryan said it provided extra motivation.
"It's definitely on the bucket list to win a flag with my home club," Ryan said.
"When I last played in 2015, we went through the season undefeated then went out in straight sets, so that is something I definitely want to rectify."
Ryan has spent the past several seasons playing predominately in the Goulburn Valley League, testing herself at a high standard.
"I've tried some really high level netball, so I'm pretty keen to take a bit of a step back from that really serious netball and come back to a country league," she said.
Ryan said she was not sure if 2019 Edenhope-Apsley co-coach Ellie Thomas would be staying at the club next season.
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