Veteran football coach Peter Scheuffele takes on latest challenge at amateur club Rosewater

PETER Scheuffele was just 18 when he fell into footy coaching after being sidelined with a serious shoulder injury — five decades on he is still chasing flags.

PETER Scheuffele was just 18 when he fell into footy coaching after being sidelined with a serious shoulder injury.

He had been under-18s captain at Bendigo club White Hills but his path changed once the side’s coach resigned while he was in hospital.

“All the young blokes got in my ear and told me to have a crack at it (coaching),” Scheuffele recalls.

“That stint whet my appetite.

“We came from bottom to the grand final and were runners-up.”

Five decades on, the West Beach resident is still coaching — at Rosewater Football Club.

Scheuffele, who is in his 60s and “old enough to know better”, joined the division six amateur club this season after nine years at Walkerville.

“I’m a football nut — I just love it,” he says.

“I’m no spring chicken any more but a mate of mine wanted a change so he and I thought if anything suitable came up we’d have a crack at it together.

“The club has been terrific — everyone from footy director Rob Cains, chairman Frank Carbone and president Steve Vines have been great support.

“Obviously a spot in division five in 2015 would be the main goal this season.”

Over the journey Scheuffele has clocked up about 640 games as coach, including 17 premierships from 20 grand finals.

He also played 430 senior games before retiring at 38 in 1983 when “age caught up with me”.

His first coaching flag came in Victoria with Winchelsea in 1972.

The most memorable was at Surrey Hills after lifting the Melbourne club from the doldrums in 1992.

“They hadn’t won a game in two years, we snuck into the four and went through and won the premiership.

“I also coached my son Grant ... so that was pretty special.”

Coaching brought Scheuffele to SA in 1996 and led to stints at Barmera, Rostrevor Old Collegians, Glandore, Flinders Park then Walkerville.

He says a love of the game and meeting great people from all walks of life keeps him involved in the caper despite a heart scare in the middle of last year.

“I’d like to think I’m a people person and that’s one of the reasons I love it at Rosewater.

“On training nights there’s anything from 30 to 50 people there watching, having a quiet ale in the beautiful facilities.”