Steve Clark coached sons Billy and Jhye to an U/16 premiership this season
FOOTBALL – One of Queenscliff's favourite sons is coming home. In a major pre-season coup, the Coutas have secured Steve "Otis" Clark as coach for the 2018 season.
And he says he can’t wait to get his teeth into the role.
A life member of the Club, Clark played junior football here before coaching the Coutas for seven years between 2000 and 2006.
“This has all happened a bit quick but it’s exciting to be back around the club and back around family, the father of three says.
Last year Clark coached GFL side Leopold to a drought-breaking premiership and this season coached his own sons, Billy and Jhye, to a Queenscliff U/16 premiership.
He takes over the reigns from Jonno Casey and Andrew Hodgson, who stood down after the Coutas narrowly missed the finals.
“There have obviously been reasons for that but the blokes that I’ve spoken to – Jonno, Hodgy and Tom [former captain coach Tom Limb] have been really positive about where the improvement can come from,” Clark says.“
“I haven’t seen much of them playing obviously in the last few years so I’m watching a bit of vision at the moment and talking to a few people.
"Looking as an outsider you raw with Newcomb, then you beat Torquay, so for whatever reasons there were inconsistencies but the difference between making the finals and not making the finals can be minute.
“I think it’s exciting that there’s improvement there straight away and you’ve just got to get your teeth into it. “
Clark’s arrival I likely to be a draw card for new players to the club, with players from Leopold and elsewhere indicating an interest in following him here. He’s also sounded a willingness to give young players a better go.
“You’ve definitely got to play the juniors at your club, there’s no doubt about that.
"Everywhere I’ve coached I’ve played kids, that’s something I have done. I’ll recruit, no doubt as we need to, at the same time you always have to get a balance of the youth that you’ve got coming through.”
And he says he can’t wait to get his teeth into the role.
A life member of the Club, Clark played junior football here before coaching the Coutas for seven years between 2000 and 2006.
“This has all happened a bit quick but it’s exciting to be back around the club and back around family, the father of three says.
Last year Clark coached GFL side Leopold to a drought-breaking premiership and this season coached his own sons, Billy and Jhye, to a Queenscliff U/16 premiership.
He takes over the reigns from Jonno Casey and Andrew Hodgson, who stood down after the Coutas narrowly missed the finals.
“There have obviously been reasons for that but the blokes that I’ve spoken to – Jonno, Hodgy and Tom [former captain coach Tom Limb] have been really positive about where the improvement can come from,” Clark says.“
“I haven’t seen much of them playing obviously in the last few years so I’m watching a bit of vision at the moment and talking to a few people.
"Looking as an outsider you raw with Newcomb, then you beat Torquay, so for whatever reasons there were inconsistencies but the difference between making the finals and not making the finals can be minute.
“I think it’s exciting that there’s improvement there straight away and you’ve just got to get your teeth into it. “
Clark’s arrival I likely to be a draw card for new players to the club, with players from Leopold and elsewhere indicating an interest in following him here. He’s also sounded a willingness to give young players a better go.
“You’ve definitely got to play the juniors at your club, there’s no doubt about that.
"Everywhere I’ve coached I’ve played kids, that’s something I have done. I’ll recruit, no doubt as we need to, at the same time you always have to get a balance of the youth that you’ve got coming through.”