Mangoplah-Cookardinia United-Eastlakes appoint three new A grade coaches

Reynoldson and Hope both have experience coaching at the club while this will be Russell's first opportunity to take on a coaching role.

While admitting that appointing three co-coaches is a bit unusual, Hope said the opportunity had come at a great time for all three ladies.

"It's essentially a job share, just in a coaching capacity," Hope said.

"It works really well because there are times where I might have some family stuff on so I can't make all the games, whereas during the week I know Lisa's work often runs into the evening so I'm more available to be there at training sessions, and Shannan is an absolute fitness freak so she'll certainly be making sure that trainings are nice and suitably hard."

Hope said she is excited to work alongside her co-coaches and that having eyes and ears on the court through Russell will be beneficial.

With a great combination of both skill and netball knowledge, Hope would like to see Russell continue to build on her leadership skills within the team.

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"Hopefully it'll bring her more confidence to speak up about different decisions within the team," Hope said.

"We'll have those on court eyes, where Lisa and I are off court watching, but she's also right in the mix of the dynamic of the team as well, so she'll bring that fresh player perspective, without giving her the full responsibility of the playing coach role, which is a pretty tough gig."

MCUE have had an incredibly successful netball program in recent years and won the 2022 Riverina Football Netball League A grade premiership in September.

Hope said outgoing coach Mikaela Cole had done a fantastic job leading the team in the incredibly difficult playing-coach role.

Having previously taken on a playing-coach position within the club, Hope said she now enjoys her time coaching while off court.

Though heading into the 2023 season as premiers, Hope doesn't believe the team has reached their best yet.

"It's going to sound really strange but I still don't think that the team has necessarily peaked within itself," she said.

Though a very successful team, Hope said she believes there is room for improvement and for play to mature.

"It's only natural, young girls are developing and going through their own phases, different things affect different players, but I think hopefully we can have a culmination of the physical and mental, and that gelling within the team so they're really playing at their best as a team and not just individuals," Hope said.

With the introduction of rolling substitutions confirmed for A grade next season, Hope is excited to see how it will impact the groups coaching style and open up their game.

"If anything I think it helps the strategy of the game, I think it makes it more powerful and impactful," she said.

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