Tara Murray
Daniel Smith jumped at the chance to take on the senior coaching role at Wyndhamvale for next year’s Western Football League division 2 season.
Smith, who has been the club’s reserves coach, will take over from Rob May and Jason Parker, who have decided to step down after two years in the role.
Smith said it’s an exciting new challenge.
“I retired from playing football and then took on the reserves job [this year] to stay in footy,” he said. “They needed a coach and I put my hand up and I was lucky enough to get it.
“With Rob and Jason not going on, an opportunity arose to coach the senior side. I was more than happy to throw my hat in the ring.”
Smith, who has played more than 300 games of football, is no stranger to coaching.
He first started when he was just 16.
“It’s always something that I’ve done,” he said. “Once my playing days were over I wanted to stay involved in footy, that is the best way to stay involved.”
Smith said taking on the role at a club he’s been heavily involved with makes stepping into the role easier.
He takes on the role at an interesting time.
There will be no promotion of relegation next season, meaning the Falcons will play in division 2 no matter the results. With the other three teams in this year’s top four being promoted, they will be the team to beat heading into next season.
Smith said it was a slightly weird situation.
“I have two years to really push my game plan and get the guys up to a division 1 standard,” he said.
“We’ll do a lot of work over the next couple of years.To be successful in division 1 you need a good junior program and under-18s coming through.”
For Smith, his coaching this season is done with the Falcons reserves losing in the first week of finals.
He is still hoping to have an impact on field.
“I played one reserves game this season and Rob and Jason said you are playing seniors,” he said.
“Hopefully I’m playing this weekend. If I’m not, I’ll do anything off field to help them win.”
Having retired once, Smith said this season will be his final season playing and he will just focus on coaching.
“I’m 40 at the end of the year,” he said. “The mind is still willing, the body is starting to let me down.
“I think I’d be divorced if I still played on.”
