HOCKEY
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HE will only be in the job for a little over a month, but temporary St Pat’s coach Jaden Ekert is excited about what the women’s Premier League Hockey side can do with a relatively young and new-look line-up.
The Saints kick off their campaign this afternoon against Souths in a local derby, the first match of his stint before the men’s competition begins.
At that point he will resume his duties in charge of the St Pat’s men’s side, handing over the reins to his wife Kristy who will act as a player-coach.
Before then, he wants to see the blue and whites get off to a winning start.
“I’m a competitor when I play and I always want to see us getting a win,” he said.
“Honestly, if we don’t get the win but get some positives out of the game given that it is the first of the season, then that’s okay by me, but if you do get some points on the board straight away it just makes things so much easier going forward.
“Straight away it tells the girls ‘Yes, you can compete, yes, you’re up to it and can get the job done.’”
St Pat’s have lost a handful of players on whom they have relied heavily over the years, including Amy Glenn, Amy Boye and Carly Sandry.
They do get back Kirallee Naylor and Bridget Cooke which will cover some of the experienced they have lost.
They are also without the input of former coach Bec Clayton who was the heart and soul of the side, along with Kristy Ekert, for over a decade.
Jaden Ekert is still positive that they have the necessary requirements to return to the finals having missed out last year.
“As a club in general, it is pretty exciting to see the young kids that are coming up,” he said.
“A lot of them were playing on and off in Premier League last year and getting a bit of a taste of it. Now we’ve bitten the bullet, they’re going to be playing week in, week out and will need to learn to adjust to that standard.
“At the moment we haven’t set any particular goals as far as the season goes. Firstly I just want to make sure that we focus on the basis of what hockey is all about, and that is having fun.
“But admittedly winning is fun, so it always makes it easier for players to enjoy themselves. I think we have a squad that is capable of getting back into the top five.”
Naturally the side is going to rely on Kristy Ekert for much of their attacking flair, a responsibility the Australian Country representative has carried for a long time.
But there are a few others the stand-in coach believes can hold their own and prove themselves as real assets.
“Georgie Adams is one for sure. She will have to step up a bit, but she’s made NSW under 16s and 17s sides, she showed a lot of talent last year and she is definitely capable,” he said.
“Sophie Conroy is another one. She is just 14, but she is going to surprise a lot of people this year, she can hold her own.”
St Pat’s and Souths meet for the first Bathurst derby of the season at 1.50pm at the Cooke Hockey Complex.