Essendon Mazda Coach’s Comment: Giacomi enjoying winning run
Essendon Royals Reserves Coach Mick Giacomi is pleased to see his side sit top of the State League 1 North-West Men’s Reserves table after 10 rounds.
However, he has his hopes pinned on grander plans for some of his players.
The Royals Reserves is jam-packed with players who have played junior football at the Royals since the age of 13 and younger and have also borne some of the fruits of the club’s fledgling Junior Boys National Premier Leagues program.
Over the course of the year, a number of the club’s under-18 JBNPL players have been promoted to the Reserves squad or are regularly used by the Reserves when their playing schedule allows and Giacomi said it was important that the club continued to use the Reserves as a proving ground for its best juniors ahead of the senior tests to come for them in their careers.
“I’ve just been so happy to be given this opportunity and work with some of the kids I’ve had as a junior coach here over the years,” he said.
“There are four or five kids that I’ve been working with since under-13s and it’s been great to see them blossom in the Reserves.
“In this competition, they’re playing against bigger bodies and quicker boys than they have previously and in some cames some experienced players who have played at a higher level, so it’s a good test for them.
Whilst being top after 10 rounds is pleasing, Giacomi is more concerned with the progression his players make from here.
“Across the board, it’s just about working at a faster speed and making better decisions before they get exposed to senior football,” he said.
“But it’s been fantastic to see how the boys have adapted to Reserves football. The games we’ve lost have been disappointing to lose, but more so because of the manner of the loss as opposed to just losing.
“It’s nice to be winning games, but for me, I see my job as being to ensure that next year three or four are ready for seniors.”
Particularly pleasing for Giacomi has been the relationship between himself between JBNPL Under-18 coach Rama Caligiuri and Under-20 coach Terry Rowan.
“I’m talking to both of them all the time and I try and get to all of their games so I can watch the boys myself,” he said.
“But if I can’t make it, I get a full report and we are always talking about which players are ready to come up and train with us in the Reserves and from there they can get into the squad even if it’s just for one game depending on injuries and who from the Reserves is going up to the Seniors.
“It’s been great working with all of these boys and we really worked hard to foster a group mentality between the three squads since day one of pre-season.”