THE 2020 State Country Women’s Football Championships will be held at Kadina this July, with Mundulla’s Michael Hunt to coach the South East side.
Limestone Coast women’s footballers will compete against five other country zone teams on Saturday July 11, with a grand final played the following day.
The carnival coincides with the men’s State Country Championships also at Kadina and will showcase some of the state’s top football talent.
Hunt takes over the South East zone reigns from Reece Duncan, who coached the representative team the past two years.
Last year Hunt coached Mundulla to the Limestone Coast Women’s Football League premiership in the team’s first season in the competition and he will hope to use that – as well as his own past experiences – to help the South East to a successful campaign.
Hunt has a wealth of knowledge, having played senior football at Mundulla Football Club in the Tatiara and Kowree Naracoorte Tatiara leagues, where he played over 500 senior games.
He has a passion for women’s football and is excited for the challenge Country Championships will provide.
“I helped Reece Duncan last year and it was quite a challenge with the standard of the competition,” Hunt said.
“I thought it was a pretty good thing to be involved with
“I am coaching Mundulla and find that very enjoyable.
“Taking it to the next level will be a good challenge for myself and a challenge for the Limestone Coast girls – hopefully we can all improve together.”
Hunt has coached men’s reserves and assisted A Grade throughout his career, but said the women’s game is something he has come to greatly enjoy.
“It is probably the most enjoyable coaching I have done because they are so willing to learn,” he said.
“I enjoy seeing them take on challenges like tackling and playing in a bigger side and seeing how they interact.
“They certainly enjoy it and I enjoy watching them learn and improve.”
Hunt hopes to put forward a competitive team, with plenty of skilled players to choose from in the Limestone Coast.
“There are some very talented girls in the South East,” he said.
“If they all put their hand up and are ready to have a fair go of it they could go pretty well.”
One factor which has affected the South East in the past is the form of rival zones, who are in the middle of their local competitions during the Country Championships, while the Limestone Coast season wraps up in March.
“The biggest trouble we have is our competition is finished when the zone championship is held,” Hunt said.
“Keeping the intensity up and being prepared for the physicality of it when you haven’t been playing week to week, that has been a big challenge for the Limestone Coast.
“Hopefully we can address that and be ready for the intensity of the zone championships.”
