Clark in the mix to keep coaching Coutas

STEVE Clark looks likely to get the chance to break the BFL’s coaching record with talks on a new one-year deal with Queenscliff set to start.
Clark, who has coached the Coutas on 164 occasions, is just 14 games behind former Ocean Grove, Modewarre and Portarlington coach Matthew Sproule’s mark of 178 games.
Discussions on a new deal had been delayed due to uncertainty around the 2020 season as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“There’s just been too much going on with other stuff,” Clark said.
“We just wanted to make sure everyone else was sorted. There’s been enough pressure on the footy club with the situation that we’ve got.
It’s both our intentions to continue; it’s just been on the backburner.
“The plan is to sit down over the next 2-3 weeks when things have settled down and go through our planning for next year and coaching staff and those sorts of things.”
Queenscliff has joined the other nine BFL clubs in opting out of AFL Barwon’s plans for a modified season.
“We put a survey out, and there weren’t enough players interested in it,” Clark said.
“The group was far and wide in regard to the age and the skill – those sorts of components – to put
it together.
“We thought at that early stage if we couldn’t get enough numbers, by the time it rolled around we didn’t want to be ringing around and trying to chase down guys.
“We decided to flick away from that.”
Clark said the Coutas will now keep the group connected with a range of sessions, including AFL 9s, soccer, golf and ultimate frisbee.
“We got together as a leadership group and a committee to see what we could do the for the guys,” Clark said.
“We wanted to see what they wanted to do and how we could support them.
“We’ll run 4-5 sessions over the next ten weeks to make sure we stay connected and have a bit of fun with it, and the new blokes get to know one another and the existing blokes.
While the senior football season isn’t going ahead, Clark, who guided Leopold to the 2016 GFL premiership, will get the chance to coach in 2020.
He will again lead Queenscliff’s under-17 team, with senior captain Jake Hedley and the experienced Tim Connolly taking on assistant coaching roles.
Tom King is the editor of krockfootball.com.au. Head to the site for more regional football coverage.