Sandringham Dragons coach Josh Bourke steps aside
Unable to commit to a full-time role in the elite under-age competition next year, Josh Bourke is standing down, but he’s eager to remain involved in coaching.
NAB League
Don't miss out on the headlines from NAB League. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Sandringham Dragons coach Josh Bourke is standing aside after one completed season with the NAB League club.
Bourke has been with the Dragons in a part-time capacity since crossing from the Dandenong Stingrays at the end of 2018.
As part of changes to the under-age competition next year, all coaches will be employed full-time, and Bourke was told he would have to reapply for the role.
A schoolteacher, he declined.
Bourke informed his assistant coaches of his decision on Monday night.
He said he was disappointed he wouldn’t be going on.
A former Dragons player, he guided the team to the preliminary final in 2019 and, like other coaches and players, sat frustrated on the sidelines this year because of COVID-19 this year.
“I’d sort of processed it, that I wouldn’t be able to continue if it was going to full-time, and there was never any guarantee I would have got it,’’ Bourke said.
“It’s disappointing, because I sit there and think I was getting better. You learn the role and you make changes, and I felt like we as a club had really set up our pre-season better for this year and had a far greater impact on the players. And players’ performances were indicating that.
“So from that perspective I’m a bit sad, because we were doing things better and we were improving the product.’’
But Bourke was quick to add he was no hardluck story in football.
He said many good and capable people had lost their jobs and their careers this year.
“I’m really lucky. I’m a teacher by trade and still have that, so I consider myself very lucky,’’ Bourke said.
“I’m disappointed not to be continuing my passion for coaching but in the global scheme of things I’m lucky. I’m not naive enough to recognise that. This is not going to affect my ability to pay the bills or put food on the table for my kids.’’
He said he wanted to stay involved in coaching and would pursue other roles at local and school level.
“Just quietly I think I’m OK at it, and hopefully I’m not done with footy. I’m passionate about teaching the game. One door closes, another opens.’’
Bourke was an assistant coach at the Dandenong Stingrays when they broke through for their first Under 18 premiership in 2018.
Eight of those players have already risen to AFL ranks, and Bailey Williams will become the ninth when he makes his debut for West Coast Eagles on Thursday night.