A year without football was a bitter pill to swallow for fast-improving youngster Andrew Phelan.
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Phelan, 20, joined Taylors Lake from the Southern Mallee Giants in 2019, and made an immediate impact in the Horsham District football league.
He was thrust into a young Taylors Lake midfield and helped the club to its most successful senior football season since 2016.
Phelan has since been rewarded for an impressive year with an assistant coaching role for 2021.
"It's always something I've thought about," Phelan said of his new role.
"I'm excited to get an insight into what coaching is like, and maybe it's a path I want to follow in the future.
"There's a fair few boys at the club who I get along with really well, there are good people around the club and I just thought while I was in the position, I would give it a crack and see how we go."
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Phelan joined the Lakers after moving into Horsham from a family farm in Beulah.
The young leader said the opportunity for growth was a key motivator behind his move to Dock Lake.
"At the Giants, they're so successful, it was really difficult to get into the senior side," he said.
"At Taylors, to get thrown in there, straight into the midfield, I really learnt a lot last year. Watching other midfielders and older players, learning what to do and what not to do, I feel like I grew a lot as a player.
"It was basically like getting thrown in the deep end and learning to swim again. You have your ups and downs, but I find as long as you're willing to improve, there's no error really."
Phelan said the improvement he was making as a player made a cancelled 2020 season even more deflating.
"When I found out that both leagues were cancelled, it was pretty disheartening," he said.
"I feel like I was getting to that age where you feel like you can start to be a really dominant player, but now I can't even play.
"You've worked all pre-season to get yourself fit but there's nothing you can do. It was very disappointing.
"Sport has always been a massive part of my life. When it's taken away from you, you realise how much you miss it.
"It's definitely got me very keen to get back out there."
Phelan said he felt the Lakers were also due for a big year in 2020, with the likes new recruits Lee Marshall, Billy Finnigan and Taylor Milner potentially pushing them toward finals contention.
Phelan hoped the momentum the club had built would roll on into 2021.
"Coming from the Giants, who were a very successful club, to a club that hadn't won a game in the last couple of years, there was a fair bit of difference," Phelan said.
"But in the end, they are all friendly people who made me feel welcome from the start.
"I want to help the club succeed, and I was really excited about what this year might bring.
"Hopefully we can keep on improving, and maybe encouraging a few more people to get out there and get on board, because I think we're going in the right direction."
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