Junior footy coaches give back to their communities
Tailem Bend’s Blake Zadow, and his counterparts at River Murray Football League clubs around the Murraylands, are developing both their players and communities.
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As the River Murray Football League season approaches, players around the Murraylands are gearing up for their first-round clashes – and their coaches are bringing them, and their communities, together.
Tailem Bend’s under 15.5 coach, Blake Zadow, and assistant junior coach, Luke Medlow, both of Tailem Bend, take great pleasure in giving back to the club and sport they truly love.
Zadow started coaching Tailem Bend Football Club’s under-13s in 2023 and found it particularly gratifying.
“It gave me a profound feeling of satisfaction,” he said.
“From day one, we made so much progress, all the way to the end of (the) season.”
“This year’s a new challenge – the older kids have much higher expectations.”
Training are Aden Wilson with Tyrone Beinke; Boyd Mitchell and Kane Jones; Mitchell with Luke Medlow; Vernon Jackson, breaking away from Leo Rigney, Jaxon Martin and Lucas Piggott; Wilson, from Kane Jones; and Jackson with Alexandra White. Photos: Glenn Power.
As an exercise physiologist with Pro-Health, based at Murray Bridge’s Inner Soul Physical Rehabilitation, Zadow is well qualified to help his juniors meet their full fitness potential.
His assistant coach, Medlow, is a property solutions manager with Coorong Realty at Tailem Bend.
Both are born and bred Eagles footy players, enjoying giving back to their community in whatever way is possible.
“I like to think that having senior players as junior coaches creates a connection through the club; and as we know, our juniors are our future,” Zadow said.
“I have developed many connections with our junior players over the past four years.
“That’s what makes coaching so much more rewarding.”
