Christmas has come early for those at Emmaus St Leo’s Football Club, with the confirmation of a new man at helm of the men’s reserves team for the coming 2020 season. Outgoing reserves head coach Tom Clarke is one from one in terms of years coached and premierships won but is stepping down to continue his playing career, which leaves room for Luke Paramanathan to take the reins. Luckily for Paramanathan, he already knows that the blue and blue is a good look, after having been involved in the success of the reserves in 2019 when he came in as an assistant coach in the middle of the year.
The responsibility isn’t lost on Paramanathan, who is honoured to have even been considered for the coaching role, let alone actually getting it, stating ‘the club has shown a lot of faith in me, and I plan on repaying it.’ He’s excited by the opportunities and challenges he knows he’ll face especially as he aims to learn as a coach. ‘Once of the hardest things in football is sustaining a period of success. It’s one thing to be at the top and win a flag, but it’s another to try and be there over an extended period of time.’ The team he is now in charge of had a stunning finals series, claiming the premiership after ending the home and away season in 4th position on the ladder.
Paramanathan’s eyes may be firmly on the best prize of them all, but his goals for his time at Emmaus St Leo’s aren’t to just add more silverware to the cabinet. One of his focuses will be development, and not of just his own his personal coaching skills but he’ll also spend time with a lot of the reserves to hopefully see them break into the senior team on a consistent basis, believing it to be one of the ways the club can define itself. ‘It’s a way I can leave a mark at Emmaus St Leo’s and put the club in a successful position for years to come.’
Preseason has already kicked off for the Animals, with a month of hard, fitness-based sessions to see both new players and old into the Christmas break. The camaraderie that Emmaus St Leo’s prides themselves on has continued to show despite the physical and mental challenges thrown their way. With one more session left before everyone leaves Bennettswood Reserve for the last time in 2019, it’s easy to see why it’s been the place to be for so long and will continue to be as everyone supports and encourages each other. The appointment of Paramanathan is just further proof that once you get invested at Emmaus St Leo’s, you won’t want to leave. Preseason is back up again on the 29th of January to kickstart the 2020 campaigns all of teams, so hold yourself to at least one New Year’s resolution and be there, it’s set to be a good one.