Paul Barlow named Bundaberg’s Best Sports Coach 2023
The man voted Bundaberg’s Best Sports Coach 2023 has four decades of experience under his belt and survived a tight finish to come out on top. Read what he had to say about it all, and who came a close second.
Sport
Don't miss out on the headlines from Sport. Followed categories will be added to My News.
A soccer coach with almost four decades of experience has been named Bundaberg’s Best Sports Coach for 2023, in a tight race to the finish line.
Paul Barlow of Digger’s Football Club took out the top spot in this year’s poll with 18 per cent of the votes, edging out Michael Johnston who was a close second with 17 per cent of the votes.
Mr Barlow credited the support of his athletes as coach of the Digger’s Ladies Team, who he said encouraged readers to put their votes forward.
With years of coaching experience, it's no wonder he was named the best in the region, despite being told from a young age football was not for him.
Bargara family forced to wait months for answers as son brought home
“As a kid I was told to give up football and play different sports; I had ankle problems,” he said.
Raw Awakening crowned Bundaberg’s Best Gym of 2023
However the lure of the football grounds, just across the road from his childhood home, kept him in the sport, leading him to play against top state and international teams.
By the time he was 16, he was coaching his own team, and over the years has coached junior, representative and adult soccer teams.
When the chance came to take on the new challenge coaching women’s soccer, he leapt at it in the hopes of expanding his coaching skills.
Despite the differences in coaching style needed for women’s football, Mr Barlow said he loves every minute of it.
“I’ve been coaching ladies soccer at Diggers for the last five years and I’m really enjoying it,” Mr Barlow said.
Over the years there have been a number of successes, including three minor premierships, but it is watching his players improve that gives him the most satisfaction.
“Just watching people improve, watching people grow into the sport, enjoy the sport and watching people that you’ve coached go on to coach other kids down the track,” he said.
More Coverage
Rabid Cowboys fan to Rookie of the Year: Purdue’s incredible 12 months
To say the last 12 months has been a meteoric rise for Jaxon Purdue would be a huge understatement. Read how the kid from Mackay went from Cowboys superfan to NRL player in less than a year.
REP READY: Queensland names star-studded indoor hockey sides
With the Australian indoor championships just two months away – Queensland have kicked their preparations off. Find out who made the rep under-21 and Open male and females sides here.