Shaun Goode steps down as Yeppoon Seagulls coach to take on key new role
A master coach has made the shock decision to exit his role with powerhouse footy club Yeppoon. Discover what it means for the team and his future plans.
Shaun Goode has handed over the reins of the champion Yeppoon Seagulls A-grade side but he will continue to have an active role at the club.
The highly regarded mentor helped orchestrate the men’s dramatic 32-16 grand final win over Emu Park in August to claim a fifth Rockhampton Rugby League A-grade premiership as coach.
He can’t separate the prized titles, all of which he considers “pretty special”, but this year’s was more memorable because it also marked the retirement of long-serving skipper Sam Holzheimer.
The pair has a long and successful association. Holzheimer was also part of Goode’s first A-grade premiership-winning team in 2014.
“It was really good to send Sam off with a win,” he said.
“He was a massive influence, not only on the field but off it.
“It was also nice to come back from a defeat in last year’s grand final.
“Everyone had written us off but I don’t mind proving people wrong.”
Goode has now been appointed coaching coordinator, a role in which he will work closely with new A-grade coach Lewis McPhail.
“I will work as a link between the committee and players and coaches, setting club protocol and standards, and keeping familiarity between all grades,” he said.
“It will be about maintaining the culture and keeping us headed in the right direction.
“I’m keen to stay involved; I owe a lot to the game.
“I enjoy passing on what I know and continually learning as the game itself evolves.”
Goode said he considered himself fair and consistent as a coach, as well as being very direct.
He said one of the biggest things he’d learned was not to judge players too early.
“I see some coaches in junior league writing kids off at 12 and 13, even at 17, and they become the best in the comp at 20,” he said.
“Every kid develops differently.
“Everyone has a different motive for playing the game, you just have to understand it.”
Goode said he had the privilege of coaching some incredible talent at the Seagulls, including the likes of Holzheimer, Jonathan Tavinor, George Grant, Gavin Hiscox and Jace O’Neill.
“As far as the current group, for me one of the best is Trent White,” he said.
“He’s the future of Seagulls.
“He’s the perfect example of a modern-day front rower; he just does all the little things right and he hits incredibly hard.”
