REVEALED: The best sport coaches in Brisbane’s westside

After putting the call out to find the best sports coach on Brisbane’s westside, the votes have been counted and it’s a tie. FIND OUT WHO WON >>>

Steve Miller of Newmarket Racers and Mick Heenan of University of QLD rugby have been crowned joint winners of the best sports coach in Brisbane’s westside.

The Westside News called on the public to find your pick for the best coaches in the community, and there was two coaches you told us who stood head and shoulders above the competition.

Mick Heenan. Picture: Annette Dew

University of Queensland Rugby Football Club coach Mick Heenan discovered his love for coaching after a serious knee injury forced him off the field while playing at the university level and now he’s been at it for the last two decades.

After 12 years coaching at the UQ Rugby club, also known as the “Red Heavies”, Heenan now has six Premier Rugby titles under his belt.

“I’ve learnt over the years to invest time and effort into the things that generate the most return,” he said.

“Probably when I started coaching I was overwhelmingly concerned with just the result week to week but as I’ve gotten more experienced I’ve realised you’ve got to think longer term.

“You realise you’ve got a fairly significant influence on people at sort of impressionable time in their lives so I’ve come to think a bit longer term with out approach to relationships with players and between players and wanting to make sure that players in my charge have a positive experience.

“So the impact we have they can take with them after their playing career into their professional career or into their life after footy.”

Newmarket Racers coach Steve Miller, who has been managing the highly ranked state and national level competitive swim club with his dad Bob Miller for over a decade, said he was humbled to share the title.

“I think the best thing for me over the years has been able to coach with my father and seeing all the hard work we’ve put in come to fruition now with a lot of good results,” he said.

“Seeing kids come in at the starter levels and go through has been really rewarding, we even have swimmers going to Olympic trials now.”

“The clubs just built every year and got stronger and stronger.

“We’ve also have some swimmers win at Australian and Queensland titles, so the clubs going really well.”

Mr Miller said he likes to approach coaching like he’s coaching his own kids in order to have a really good relationship with his swimmers and to challenge them.

“I try to be real positive with the swimmers because there’s many hard and tough times that they have to go through,” he said.

“Helping them build resilience and work hard and once they get results they can see that you’re working along side them as a part of a team.”

Mr Miller also coaches the All Hallows School swim team who have won CaSSSA Swimming Aggregate Cup for the tenth year in a row.