A FORMER Riverland Football League Independent Coach of the Year is returning to the competition next season to lead the Lyrup Lions.
John Kindness was recently appointed as Lyrup’s new senior coach for the 2021 Independent season.
Kindness said he is looking forward to tackling the new role.
“It is really good to get the job,” he said.
“I thought I wasn’t going to be able to do it, but here we are.”
Kindness believes the experience he has gathered from various coaching roles in the past will hold him in good stead at Lyrup.
“I have had heaps of previous experience,” he said.
“We were in the Riverland and in 2006 I was down at Wunkar at the kennel and won Coach of the Year.
“Then I also coached the next year as well.
“Then we had family issues, so we had to move to the east coast.
“I got involved out there as a skills, drills and cardio coach and won a couple of flags.
“We came back to Loxton and in 2010 I coached the juniors out at the kennel and we picked up the grand final there and I got Coach of the Year again.”
According to Kindness, one particular moment pushed him towards applying for the new role.
“I had a close friend pass away, who was always pretty active, but he had a heart attack,” he said.
“That made me think it could happen to anybody, then the job came up and I thought I would give it a shot.
“It has turned out really well, the committee is great and I’m really looking forward to next season.
“The guys are really keen to get going.”
Kindness said he is looking forward to the challenge of being part of the return of senior football in the Riverland next year.
“I am pretty pumped for it and I think the boys are keen,” he said.
“I think most clubs are keen to get back on the paddock again.”
Kindness has his eyes set on adding a few new faces to his playing squad for next season.
“I will get in contact with a few numbers that I have,” he said.
Kindness is yet to lock in a starting date for the Lions’ pre-season.
“I was going to look at the end of November or early December, but I haven’t spoken to the boys yet about that,” he said.
“There is a lot of harvest and things like that going on, so it will depend on who is available to train.”
Kindness takes over from Jordan Roissetter, who was set to coach the Lions this year before the season was cancelled.
Meanwhile, Nick Dillon and Peter Siddall have been reappointed at Cobdogla and Paringa respectively after both were in line to coach their respective clubs this year.