Helping to steer: Shipperd
THE nostalgia of returning to the place where his coaching career began is not lost on Greg Shipperd.
Shipperd — who paved the way for the success of the Tasmanian cricket program during his 11 year stint at the helm which started in 1991-92 — has again donned the Tigers colours after answering the call to fill the void left by Jeff Vaughan.
He has started in his consultancy role alongside interim head coach Ali de Winter, a position he will hold until Cricket Tasmania finds its full time replacement.
Shipperd guided the Tigers to their first three Sheffield Shield finals in 1993-94, 97-98 and 2001-02, before heading to Victoria as an assistant coach.
He moved into the head coaching role following David Hookes’s death in mid-2002, leading the Bushrangers to four Shield titles, a one-day trophy and four state T20 competition victories.
After stints at the Melbourne Stars and the Delhi Daredevils, he has been at the helm of the Sydney Sixers, who have won the past two Big Bash League trophies.
“It’s quite exciting. It’s been a long time, but the memories are flooding back, quite a romantic notion in a sense to come back to where your coaching career started,” Shipperd said.
“I’m thrilled with what I’m seeing. I’m seeing a group that’s chock full of talent, both young and old, I’m seeing a great energy and a hunger to succeed this season.
“I guess at my stage of my career, it’s about helping people in cricket, helping coaches in cricket and players in cricket.
“I identified in Tasmania that they last four of their best coaches and they might need some assistance and I jumped at the opportunity, so long as I could still provide support to those that I’d already committed to.
“I’m really here to look and see and maybe provide ideas with the coaching staff that are here, who are doing a terrific job I might add, and nudge the team and challenge them to go that next step.
“I know there’s a hunger to win something. I think the talent exists in the group.”
Shipperd said applying for the full-time position was not on his agenda due to his existing commitments, with CT casting the net far and wide.
However, Shipperd will happily have a say in the appointment if he is asked.
“At this stage I’m running away from full time work,” he said.
Having started coaching in 1990 and still be coaching at this level in 2021 … it’s been a long journey.
“This was a fly in, fly out situation that just sort of tickled me and I’m working with some players that I do know and some that I don’t.
“To come back and reunite and see Tim Paine and Matty Wade, Jordan Silk, Jackson Bird, was certainly a drawcard.
“At the moment I’m focusing on the playing side of things and the preparation side of things and if Simon [Insley] and others wish me to be a part of that then certainly I’ll assist where I can.
“I guess I know what it takes to be a competitive coach in this environment, so if I can share those characteristics with the selection panel on Tasmania’s behalf, I will.”