Scott Brunner voted as Toowoomba’s best junior sports coach of 2024

After two weeks of voting from the community, we can now reveal Toowoomba’s best junior sports coach of 2024 - as voted by you. See who the winner was here.

After two weeks of voting from the Darling Downs community, Valleys Roosters under-15 coach Scott Brunner has taken out the prize of best junior sports coach of 2024.

The Valleys stalwart swept the field, picking up more than double the votes of the next best coach.

Brunner was delighted to receive the recognition from the Toowoomba Rugby League community.

“It’s amazing to tell you the truth,” he said.

Toowoomba Valleys Roosters junior coach Scott Brunner.

“As a coach, I don’t do it for these accolades, I do it to help the kids out and make sure they’re enjoying their sport but I am very humbled to be nominated anyway.

“I have been doing it for nearly 20 years now and it is good to see the kids get through their junior sport, go into senior sport and still playing today.

“I got a few that have played in Q Cup down in Brissy, I got a few that play Q Cup in Toowoomba here.

“I am just very privileged it is a good honour to have.”

Brunner also revealed what he believed to be his secret to being such a highly-respected coach by his peers.

“I treat everyone as how I would like to be treated and I like to be honest with everybody, I care about everybody,” he said.

“My favourite thing about coaching is doing the hard work at training and showing kids different ideas and different shape moves.

“When they perform it on the field, it is just excellent to see them come off with a smile on their face.”

There are few people who bleed the red and black of Valleys quite like Brunner, who has spent decades involved with the club in some way, shape or form.

“I have been with Valleys all my life, I played football with Valleys when I was 10, I started there at 10 and I played A-grade for Valleys and I have never left the sport,” he said.

“I have coached my oldest son - he’s 25 now - he started playing when he was seven and I coached him for 13 years right through.

Scott Brunner and his son Patrick Brunner in 2010. Photo: Kevin Farmer

“They won six back-to-back grand finals and now I’m coaching my youngest son.

“It’s amazing what this sport gives you, you meet a hell of a lot people and you get a lot of good mates out of it.”

Brunner’s under-15 Valleys side this year is in strong form and also has a pair of potential future Darling Downs stars within the ranks.

“We’re tied second at the moment, I’ve actually just had two people play in the Queensland White under-15 side,” he said.

“Lachie Hillman was the captain of that team and Leroy Malone played centre and then fullback for them.

“Leroy is amazing, he’s got speed to burn, his ability at football is second to none.

“Lachie works so hard behind the scenes, he deserves everything he gets, he’s training probably five days a week and just doing all the little things that make a better player.”