And it is a face familiar to the club.
Ant Foubister is back in the top job, after coaching the Saints’ inaugural youth girls’ team throughout the 2018 season.
He takes over from Daniel Preston, who led the Saints throughout their 2019 campaign.
“I coached in that first year, but going into next year, Dan wasn’t sure he’d have as much time for the role,” Foubister said.
But it won’t be a final farewell for Preston, who along with Jorja Daniel, will return in 2020 as assistant coaches alongside Foubister.
“Both of them are involved in Murray Bushrangers under-18s and are really highly qualified football people,” Foubister said.
“It’s fantastic to have them.
GALLERY | Benalla Saints celebrate end-of-year presentation
“It’s really more a coaching team – and part of that is also Damon Symes, who is largely involved in the program.”
Benalla Saints have made it all the way to the preliminary finals in their previous two seasons.
But heading into the 2020 season, Foubister said he had three clear goals for the year ahead.
“The three key goals are… to have a lot of fun, to improve on our football skills and to develop a team where anyone wants to come and play and feel included,” Foubister said.
“And if we win, fantastic.”
Hailing from Mansfield, Foubister is also father to two junior Saints players, with Mani (who was named in the Murray Bushrangers pre-season training squad) and Asha (who will be a first-year player in 2020, also named in the Bushrangers squad) both set to pull on the red, white and black jumper next year.
Joining the Foubister’s at the Saints is also a large contingent of Mansfield players.
“Benalla is the closet opportunity these girls have to play footy and we are stoked to have them at the Saints,” he said.
And as far as team lists go, Benalla’s junior female football stocks continue to burst at the seams.
Several youth girls were named in the Bushrangers’ pre-season training squad, and Foubister hoped most, if not all would go around again in the youth side.
Benalla junior football stars picked up in pre-season Bushranger squads
“We’ve got some remarkable talent in Benalla – and an example for our girls is Becky Webster,” Foubister said.
“We don’t have too many ageing out.
“We’ve also got some great girls who have been playing with the boys who are about to come up.
“And there are some fantastic (Benalla) girls playing out of town, who we are hoping will join us.”
● For more information on the Benalla Saints Youth Girls program, phone Ant Foubister on 0408 058 099.
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