New coaching team at Hoppers

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Hoppers Crossing Football Club has announced its senior women’s coaching panel for next year’s season.

Kerry Saunders has been named head coach for 2022 and Ollie D’Rozario and Glen Murrell as assistant coaches.

Saunders has played more than 300 games with the Victorian Women’s Football League (VWFL), mainly with St Kilda Sharks where she also coached the team to a number of premierships.

Saunders began playing football with VWFL Wantirna South Warriors in 1989, before moving to the Parkville Scorpions in 1990.

She has also been the recipient of best and fairest awards from multiple clubs and served on the VWFL committee.

After saying farewell to the Sharks, Saunders spent time at the Wyndhamvale, Sunbury and Point Cook Football Clubs.

In 2002, she was awarded life membership of the VWFL.

As well, Saunders has represented both the state and the nation as a cricket player.

She played for the Victorian state women’s cricket team between 1983 and 1994, plus in 13 One Day Internationals for the Australian women’s cricket team.

D’Rozario, who started playing football at the Spurs in the 1990s, spent seven years as a premier league beach volleyball player and coach.

With a passion for teaching and developing female athletes, she has coached football and athletics.

D’Rozario is now coaching a senior women’s cricket program and runs one-on-one cricket coaching sessions for juniors.

Murrell will continue as an assistant coach, after his first year of coaching this season with the Hoppers Crossing women’s team.

He is a past player and senior best and fairest winner at Hoppers Crossing FC.