Ormond Junior Football Club’s Nate Edwards has been recognised for the Monash University Leader of the Month for June 2022.
Nate is being acknowledged for demonstrating a strong initiative and leadership within his club through his positions as captain of his Under 16’s team and Coordinator of the Auskick junior Coaches as a founding member of Ormond JFC’s “A Path to Follow” Sporting Peer Program.
“It started by just joining in and having a go” Nate described when asked how he joined A Path to Follow.
Nate is quite well-known around Ormond JFC as he has had his face around the club since before his football career even started back in his Auskick days.
At just 11 years of age, Nate decided to test the waters in coaching. As a junior coach he found himself teaching not only the fundamentals of football to Auskick players, but also how to be a quality teammate.
“I try to just encourage all the kids to get involved and try something new if they haven’t before because you never know where it will lead,” said Nate.
“I’ve not only learned heaps about footy but plenty of life skills, particularly in interacting with both the younger kids and older people who I work with.”
Nate excelled in his role as a junior coach and would be recognised by his two older coaching mentors and eventually grow into his current position with the Auskick program, a roll traditionally taken on by an experienced adult.
“Working my way up from when I started in this, helping out at the Auskick level to being an Assistant Coach of a junior team here to now the role I’m in, it’s pretty cool,” Nate said.
“I take a lot of pride in it.”
As a captain, Nate leads by example both on and off the field, by always giving 100% to his club, never letting a loss get him down and always showcasing good attitude towards the game.
Nate’s dedication to the Ormond JFC is one required at all grassroots sporting clubs, which is why he is being recognised as the Monash University Leader of the Month for June.
Written by Joel Micari & Zac Jennings.
