Tara Murray
Jamie Bolger is excited to step up and coach Eynesbury in the Gisborne and District Cricket Association.
The Eagles announced that Bolger would step up into the role and had already started planning for the season ahead.
Bolger said the timing was right for him to take on the challenge.
“I’m very excited and I’m looking forward to the challenge,” he said. “Three years ago I was a previous role doing coach but it was interrupted with work commitments.
“I have a bit more time at work now which allows it to work. I put my hat back in the ring and want to continue the work that has been done beforehand.”
Bolger has had coaching roles at Melton Centrals, St Anthony’s and Melton before coming across to the Eagles.
He’s hoping to bring that experience to this role.
“I’ve had a lot of experience but I’ve had to jump in and out of coaching with family commitments and work,” Bolger said.
“I’m really excited about where the club is and the people around it. My family is heavily involved.
“It’s a family oriented club and there’s a general good feel about the club.”
Bolger said one of his big focuses was to continue to bring young players into the senior sides.
The Eagles have blooded a number of youngsters in recent time.
“We want to get juniors into seniors and from a seniors point of view look to develop them by surrounding them with good experienced players.
“Some have made the chance to go further and some have done really well in the last five to six years.
“Hopefully they’ll return at some point and play in the firsts.
The Eagles will have a new president as well with Brandon Shearson stepping up to the role.
Bolger said Tristian Francis, who was previously president and coach before that, had done a brilliant job getting the club to the position its in.
He said Francis would still play a key role on field in the first XI and nothing changes around the club.
Bolger said he wants to build on last season where the club’s top side finished sixth in the Johnstone Shield.
“We want to blood as many kids as possible and look to play finals cricket this year,” he said.
“We knocked off a couple of the top sides and were in a lot of games for long periods of the day.
“Myself and the older guys need to find a bit more consistency each week and over the season
“Our eyes are on finals that is our aim, it’s a pass mark.”
Bolger is also hopeful of attracting some more local talent to the club and possibly look at furling an extra side next year.
