Local footy: How a lost season will impact players

A season without football has already seen some coaches reconsider their futures, but what affect will it have on players? A VAFA coach gives his thoughts.

Old Peninsula coach Nick Claringbold says the Pirates will build on what they started to create before the season was cancelled. Picture: Valeriu Campan

A VAFA coach says the canned 2020 football season could cause players to be lost to the game.

Old Peninsula coach Nick Claringbold says many players would be missing the “rhythm and routine of sport’’ and some might find it hard to return.

But he concedes the break could also have the opposite effect and see community football return “bigger than ever’’ next year.

“Nobody knows how many guys are going to be lost to footy,’’ Claringbold said.

“They always say once you stop it’s always hard to get back into it; the amount of guys who take a year off and never come back. It will be interesting.

Tom Feldgen about to send Old Peninsula into attack last season. Picture: Pearcey Photography

“Nobody has been doing anything else — it’s not like they stopped to go and play golf, do a different sport or run a marathon.

“It will be really interesting. Right now I have no idea. It will either be back bigger than ever or there will be a lot of blokes who just say, ‘you know what, I can’t be bothered, it’s a bit too hard’.

“There will be guys who will be just itching for it but there will be guys who say, ‘you know what, this has been quite good’.’’

A year without footy has also been an awakening experience for many coaches, Claringbold said.

He said he’s not surprised some coaches have pulled the pin in recent months.

“You get on the treadmill and you don’t realise how much time it takes up until you stop, and then you go, ‘My God’,’’ Claringbold said.

“These are all the things I either never did or I stopped doing and gave up for (coaching).’’

Claringbold said Old Peninsula players and coaches had taken “a breather’’ since the season was cancelled but planning for 2021 was about to ramp up.

“We’re just starting our process of planning now, getting organised so we can use August and September to do things you normally do in November and December,’’ he said.

“We were confident at the start of the year about what we were creating and we are confident we can keep building on that.’’

Old Peninsula lost the Division 1 preliminary final after the siren in extra time last season.

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