THE Blue Lake Rangers will be under new guidance for the 2020 Limestone Coast Football Association season, with the announcement of a new A Grade coach.
Sergio Cesaro – pictured above right with club president Stuart Cooper – will take the reins of the Rangers’ senior team, which faced a year of hardship in 2019.
A dramatic drop in numbers, plagued further by injuries throughout the season and the lack of an Under 17 team saw Blue Lake players required to back up two senior games every week.
The club was left with a single squad for both its reserves and A Grade teams, which took its toll on players by the end of the year.
However, it is hoped that will all change this year and the club will return to a position similar to the 2018 season.
From Brighton, about 20km south of Adelaide, Cesaro moved to Mount Gambier early in 2019 after a career-ending knee injury,
Being forced from the game he loves gave him time to weigh up his options.
“I had knee replacement surgery at the beginning of the year and with that I was told I would never be able to play again,” Cesaro said.
“Making the move to Mount Gambier, it gave me a lot of time to think about what I want to do.”
It did not take long for Cesaro to become involved with the sport again and his passion for coaching was soon rekindled.
“I went and watched the Inter women’s team play and I could see they needed a little bit of help,” he said.
“I offered to help them and they were very welcoming.
“During that time I started to get the passion back to coach again and then when the season finished I had more time to sit and think.”
As a strong supporter of the “underdog”, Cesaro looked for the club which he believed needed help the most.
“A couple of my friends in Adelaide contacted me and said go to Blue Lake Rangers, they could use your experience,” he said.
“We had a bit of a chat with (club president Stuart Cooper) and a couple of the previous coaches and they were all very supportive of me taking on the role.
“It has been a bit of a buzz since then – people getting interested to see what this new coach is all about.”
Cesaro’s experience in the game cannot be questioned and he will be a valuable asset to Blue Lake during its rebuilding period.
“To give you the short version, I have been involved in the game for almost 50 years,” he said.
“I started as a 15 year old playing amateur league and over the years got involved in coaching.
“I am one season away from 700 senior games – that is what annoyed me (about my injury) – I was hoping to crack the 700 mark.
“I have coached over 600 games as well, sometimes coaching up to three teams a week.”
Cesaro has also had a strong involvement in women’s soccer, with a passion for passing on his knowledge on and off the field.
Blue Lake Soccer Club president Stuart Cooper is excited to have Cesaro on board for 2020 and looks forward to the season ahead.
He said the club is in the process of sowing some seeds with players who did not play last season, with the main focus for the Rangers to put two full senior squads on the park, along with the reintroduction of the Under 17 team after a year in the wilderness.
“We are in discussions with a few players who did not play last year,” Cooper said.
“We have poached a lot of guys who are half keen who have friends involved, so we are trying to build up a team where there are groups of two or three mates.
“One thing I really enjoyed from my playing days was playing with good friends.
“That has been a high priority and I have had great help from some of the senior players with that, which has been really good.”
Cooper said the club has never been one to poach players from other clubs, with a focus on those already involved with Blue Lake, who may not have played for a season or two, as well as any new players in the region.
However, any players opting for a change of club scenery will be welcomed with open arms.
Cooper said at this early stage it looks promising for the return of an Under 17 side, which would go a long way to returning the club to its former glory.
He hopes to see the weight of responsibility shared more evenly this season.
“People were doing far too much last year, including coaches,” Cooper said.
“You cannot put your heart and soul into training two nights a week if come Tuesday you are still limping and getting over playing two games.
“I have to take my hat off to Jared (Vause) and Tristan (Guess) for the effort they put in as coaches.”
Cesaro is a strong believer in introducing youth to the senior game and that is another aspect which can be expected from the Rangers again this season.
Open to all demographics, Cesaro is also eager to include players on the opposite end of the spectrum, to give the up-and-coming members mentors on the field.
“To me age is just a number,” he said.
“I did not win a premiership until I was 42.
“I was lucky I found a club who was predominately all young kids and they wanted one or two experienced players amongst them.
“We ended up winning the league and the cup, which for me was a big bonus.
“Then 12 years later I won best and fairest in Division 5 and last year I was one of the oldest players in reserves and scored a goal.”
While it is still early days, the atmosphere at Blue Lake certainly has a more positive aura and if all goes to plan we will see a more competitive Rangers take to the park when the 2020 season tips off.
