SWFL 2022: Kade East keen to build resilience and improve in second season as Collie Eagles head coach

After being put through the ringer with a tough first season at the helm, Kade East is keen to help the Collie Eagles build some resilience ahead of the 2023 SWFL season. East was recently named to stay on as the Collie Eagles’ league coach for the 2023 SWFL season, in an announcement posted to social media by the club. The Collie Eagles had a less-than-ideal campaign this year, finishing in the wooden spoon position with a 1-16-1 record. Speaking to the South Western Times, East said this year was a “really tough season” for the club but felt it was something the club needed to go through. “Personally with the win-loss ratio it was really tough but I did still manage to enjoy myself and feel like I grew into the role more as the year went on,” he said. “I learnt a lot, most things probably the hard way, but I took a lot away from the year and now see a lot of areas where myself personally, the league squad and the club itself can improve and together have a far more clear view on what we’d like to implement to improve.” Ahead of pre-season training for 2023, East said there would be a number of focus points but wanted to prioritise keeping players healthy. “As most will say, our fitness and our ball use will be a huge focus which generally go hand in hand,” he said. “I’ll then look to get some real structure and direction on our game style to get more consistency into our side. “Keeping our boys healthy is another really important area for us. “We had far too many rounds with a fair number of players unavailable for different reasons, which always makes it tough.” The Collie Eagles also announced there will be several new faces within the club’s coaching panel for next year, with Leon Khan, Mark Lincoln and Matt Stevens named to take the reins for their reserves, colts and women’s squads respectively. East said the club made some “quality appointments” that harbour great football knowledge and experience, while remaining hopeful the Eagles will be able to finally field a women’s team after several unsuccessful attempts. “I think for us to be able to field a women’s side next year, it’s super important for our culture as well as having a stable platform for our youth girls’ sides to progress into,” he said. “It’s our job as a whole club and committee to create an environment that everyone wants to be a part of and feel welcome in throughout all grades.”