Tara Murray
New Sunbury Lions women’s coach Daniel Brady decided after a couple of years on the sidelines cheering on the side that he wanted to take on the coaching role.
With two of his daughters having taken up playing football with the Lions in recent years, Brady has been a keen observer and supporter.
With Phil Lithgow stepping down from the coaching role following the cancelled 2020 season after moving away from the area, Brady decided to put his hand up to coach the Essendon District Football League side.
Brady said he had always been keen to support his children with their different sports.
“I became president of the Melton Basketball Association with my daughters playing basketball, but the two older ones are now playing football,” Brady said.
“I was down at training sessions more and more and I started to get the passion to teach them.
“They want to learn and know more and more. It was in the back of mind and it snowballed from there.”
Brady has never coached women’s or girls’ football, but has an extensive football and sporting background.
He played football for nearly 20 years at the Sunbury Kangaroos, winning three premierships and having the honour of being the club’s first senior captain.
Brady later stepped into coaching and held a number of different coaching roles, senior and junior, at clubs across the Riddell District, Central Highlands and Ballarat football leagues.
With his daughters playing basketball, he started coaching basketball which led to him taking on the Melton Basketball Association presidency, which he recently gave up.
Brady said he was looking forward to the challenge.
“They asked me if I was able to recruit players from other teams, but with not coaching girls’ or women’s football I don’t have that ability.
“For me, there’s a good mob of under-18s and they’re going to be the recruits and we need to provide that pathway.”
Former Sunbury Kangaroos’ women’s coach Brian Millett has been appointed assistant coach.
Brady said they would look to start training when they were allowed.
“Phil has done a great job in setting it up and the culture and the girls and myself are keen to keep it going,” he said.
“I don’t want to take the foot off the pedal in that regards. For me, I say don’t judge us on the first six games, judge us on the last six games of the season.”
