Bombers on the March – Killarney Vale in Experienced Hands

Written By David Redden

 

Killarney Vale AFC President Paul Forster says that his beloved club “is in a good place at the moment”.

Forster says that the new Black Diamond Cup coaching due of Bombers Life Members Corey Shackleton and Brendan Lewis are doing a great job. “Corey and Brendan have really stressed our club culture to all of our players since they took over. They have instilled great commitment from our playing group and as a result, there is a real buzz around the club this season in terms of being positive and getting the right messages across.

The dynamic between our coaches and players is excellent and to use an AFL term, all the players are buying into it, which is a great sign. It’s worth noting that four of our 5 AFLHCC Coaches are Life Members of the footy club (Shackleton, Lewis and Womens’ co-Coaches Peter Kelleher & Murray Schubert) and the fifth coach, Plate mentor Jimmy Newburn, has an outstanding and distinguished CV as a Coach over many years”.

Forster stated that Schubert, in particular, has installed “a hard-nosed edge to our Womens team, and that teams that have played in the Womens Comp in the first part of the season have felt the physicality of our players. We are lucky to have recruited both Sasha Edwards and Ange Jones this season, with both of these players adding great quality and experience to our Squad, helping guide our younger players around the park”.

Wyong Lakes and Killarney Vale meet at Don Small Oval in Tacoma on May 11 in both the Womens & Cup Competitions, with both games being broadcast live on BARTV. Forster stated, “this is always a big game for both clubs, being local rivals. An extra element this season will be that the Magpies Cup Coach Michael Solomons transferred from Killarney Vale to Wyong Lakes in the off-season. The two clubs have a fierce rivalry on-field but we always get together for a beer and a laugh afterwards”.

Killarney Vale is moving towards a new Amenities Block at Adelaide St Oval. Forster advised, “as you know, it’s a Central Coast Council building and Council is in the process of creating a design for the new Amenities Complex.

Council, the club and AFL Regional Manager Simon Smyth have consulted extensively as to the optimum design for the complex, in relation to change rooms, Public Toilets & Umpires Rooms. Council will now go away and come up with the best design.

Council has indicated that, at this stage, construction could commence in 2020 at Adelaide St, with a new configuration including four change rooms instead of the current two, so it will be a much larger building than the current Amenities Block. Four change rooms obviously suits the changeover between Womens and Mens teams without having to share rooms”.

Paul Forster advised that KVAFC is very grateful to their sponsors;

First-time sponsor Diggers@The Entrance (“where the club will hold its Senior Presentation Night);
Mortgage Choice;
Fox Group;
Rite Price Tyres;
Central Coast Physiotherapy;
NAB;
Safetyone

Forster advised that the Killarney Vale AFC will be staging a big Sportsmans Night on July 27;

“Jimmy Newburn has organised a huge night for us, with guest speakers Doug Walters and Foostcray/Fitzroy legend Doug Hawkins, at the Adelaide St Oval club rooms. That will be our Past Players day, we host the Gosford Tigers that day, and that will segue into the Sportsmans Night.

Check the club website (https://www.kvbombers.com/) for more details; we thank Jimmy for all of his hard work in arranging this event.”

We thank Paul Forster for his time and wish Killarney Vale AFC all the best for this season and beyond.