Hills Hornets is excited to announce that Dave Nolan will be joining the Hills Hornets Coaching team in 2019 as Coaching Director.

For those who have been around Touch Football for a while, Nolan needs no introduction, he has a coaching resume that goes back over 10 years and is full of elite level appointments.

These appointments include Premier League Coach at Penrith for the last number of years, as well as a coach at NSW and Australian level.  More recently, he was appointed as Head Coach of the Roosters Men’s Team in the expanded NRL Touch Premiership.

Dave Nolan with the Hornets Vawdon Cup Coaching Team.

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Nolan has been a friend of the Hills Hornets for some time; wife, Monique, is a member of the Hornets coaching team, and son, Alexander was part of the under 18’s Boys team that was victorious at the recent Southern Conference.  Beyond the family links, Dave has been a behind the scenes contributor at Hills for a number of years, providing advice to Hornets coaches and players.

Nolan’s new role will have him overseeing both the Men’s and Women’s programs, with a specific focus on the impending entry of a Hornets Men’s Premier League team.

Hills Hornets President, Brad Mitchell was overjoyed at the news.

“It is vital for our club that we build on our recent success and continue to evolve.  I can’t think of anyone better than Dave to lead us through the next phase of that journey.” said Mitchell.

“Dave understands our culture here at Hills, and our coaches have already benefited from his guidance.  The team speaks so highly of his knowledge of the game, and how generous he is with his time.”

Hornets News caught up with the man himself, and asked him what attracted him to the Hills Hornets.

Why the change to Hills?

“Hills has been so successful in a very short period of time. Brad and his team have done an excellent job to build the affiliate that is Hills Hornets.

Hills Hornets have been growing their membership base at a rapid rate and setting benchmarks for administrative best practice.  At the same time they are also rapidly developing their representative players and coaches. They are always striving to be the best they can be.

But the thing that amazes me the most and why it’s such an enjoyable place to be is with all this success, they never lose sight of who they are, and that’s to provide a fun and family like environment to the community that is Hills Hornets touch.

As you know, Alex plays here with the 18 Boys and Monique is now coaching the 18 girls, my original plan was to just come and be a Dad, while continuing to mentor Coaches in the background. So to be offered the Coaching Directors role is very humbling considering the wealth of coaching talent already here.  There is Brad Curl who guided the 18 Boys team to a win the inaugural NSW Touch Southern Conference, and Craig Beacroft who had an outstanding debut year in Women’s Premier league in 2018.  Either of these guys could easily do the role and be great at it, so I am honored that I was considered.”

What will you be the focusing on first?

For short term goals, the women’s program is just going from strength to strength, so it will be about continuing that momentum and building upon last year’s base. In the men’s it will be about taking a solid and somewhat successful Division 1 team and a highly successful 18 Boys team and turning them into a squad that will be capable of transitioning into the premier league, in the not to distant future……watch this space.

Longer term goals, for this we are looking to the history books, and looking at the powerhouse clubs like Penrith, Parramatta and Wests who have not only had success at the moment but have been successful over generations. For me that is the real mark of a strong culture one that can be timeless.

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