CoastBhoy
19 May 2009, 19:33
Jeff White gets a kick out of coaching role
AAP
- FORMER All-Australian ruckman Jeff White never imagined he would get into coaching. Now the recently retired Melbourne big man cannot imagine life without it.
The 32-year-old is combining an assistant coaching position with Redland in the QAFL competition with a part-time role as ruck coach with the fledgling Gold Coast Football Club.
The veteran of 268 games with Fremantle and the Demons moved to the Gold Coast at the end of last year when his 13-year career in the AFL came to an end.
A phone call to GCFC senior coach Guy McKenna helped secure a place on the Coast's staff alongside the likes of Brisbane Lions triple-premiership heroes Shaun Hart and Marcus Ashcroft.
"To be honest, there was nothing about coaching that interested me for a long time, but since I've been a part of it, I've thoroughly enjoyed it, and you never know what the future holds," said White, the No. 1 pick in the 1994 draft.
"I think it would have been selfish of me to just walk away and not give something back to the game.
"If I can pass on some experience and expertise to these young blokes coming through, then that would be great."
White attends one GCFC training session a week to help Hart with the club's midfield coaching and to work with the ruck division, led by the promising trio of Charlie Dixon, Zac Smith and Rory Thompson.
"There's five or six guys who are taller than me, and I'm six feet five (195cm), so, there's some tall timber there," White said.
"I spend about 10 to 15 minutes with each of them and communicate with them throughout the week to pass on any advice I can.
"With modern football, it's just not about their ruck work, but their kicking, marking and skills around the ground that can make them better players.
"They are strong boys and they work very hard on all aspects of their game, so, it's been a very enjoyable experience."
White, who is working as an account manager with Gold Coast radio station Hot Tomato, played his first match in the QAFL last weekend and said he was enjoying his time in the state league alongside brother Ricky.
"It (the QAFL) is a really good standard and the tempo is pretty quick," he said.
"It's been a lot of fun at Redland, and it reminds you of why you played footy in the first place, because you loved it."
AAP
- FORMER All-Australian ruckman Jeff White never imagined he would get into coaching. Now the recently retired Melbourne big man cannot imagine life without it.
The 32-year-old is combining an assistant coaching position with Redland in the QAFL competition with a part-time role as ruck coach with the fledgling Gold Coast Football Club.
The veteran of 268 games with Fremantle and the Demons moved to the Gold Coast at the end of last year when his 13-year career in the AFL came to an end.
A phone call to GCFC senior coach Guy McKenna helped secure a place on the Coast's staff alongside the likes of Brisbane Lions triple-premiership heroes Shaun Hart and Marcus Ashcroft.
"To be honest, there was nothing about coaching that interested me for a long time, but since I've been a part of it, I've thoroughly enjoyed it, and you never know what the future holds," said White, the No. 1 pick in the 1994 draft.
"I think it would have been selfish of me to just walk away and not give something back to the game.
"If I can pass on some experience and expertise to these young blokes coming through, then that would be great."
White attends one GCFC training session a week to help Hart with the club's midfield coaching and to work with the ruck division, led by the promising trio of Charlie Dixon, Zac Smith and Rory Thompson.
"There's five or six guys who are taller than me, and I'm six feet five (195cm), so, there's some tall timber there," White said.
"I spend about 10 to 15 minutes with each of them and communicate with them throughout the week to pass on any advice I can.
"With modern football, it's just not about their ruck work, but their kicking, marking and skills around the ground that can make them better players.
"They are strong boys and they work very hard on all aspects of their game, so, it's been a very enjoyable experience."
White, who is working as an account manager with Gold Coast radio station Hot Tomato, played his first match in the QAFL last weekend and said he was enjoying his time in the state league alongside brother Ricky.
"It (the QAFL) is a really good standard and the tempo is pretty quick," he said.
"It's been a lot of fun at Redland, and it reminds you of why you played footy in the first place, because you loved it."