Swans line up new coach
SOUTH Barwon is close to naming its senior netball coach after the off-season departure of Adam Sloan to VNL club Yarra Ariels.
Sloan had been at the helm for three seasons at McDonald Reserve and led the Swans to the finals — including two grand finals in 2015 and 2016 — each year.
But South Barwon president Fiona Taylor said the travelling from Melbourne through the week for training and again on weekends for matches took its toll, and the opportunity to lead a VNL club in his own right proved too enticing.
“Three years is a great effort from Adam,” Taylor said.
“We wish him well and he has certainly brought a level of professionalism to our club, especially in training and in helping our juniors.
“It’s been a big commitment travelling from Melbourne but he will keep a connection with us.”
Sloan is based in Melbourne and said if he lived closer to Geelong he would have been more inclined to stay on at South Barwon.
The schoolteacher is still keen to maintain a role with the Swans, however, but what form that takes has still to be decided.
“I was with (the Ariels) a while ago coaching their under-19s and with the opportunity to go back and take over as head coach, the timing was just right for me to do so,” Sloan said.
“But South Barwon is definitely a place I like to call home. The club is very supportive and welcoming, and the development that is going on is fantastic.
“Fiona and her committee have been great. It would be great if I was a little bit closer, because getting down to train- ing through all the traffic was a bit of a nightmare.
“But I’d like to be involved at some level, whether that be consulting or helping out the new coach. I don’t want to remove myself completely, I want to be involved and would love to support the club as much as I can.”
Sloan will have his work cut out for him with the Ariels, who finished bottom of the ladder in the VNL championship division without a win.