The Cowra Football Club recently had its first pre-season training session, with players and coaches reflecting on the challenges and opportunities ahead for the upcoming season.

While the club faces the loss of several players and the ongoing struggle to recruit new talent, the initial training session was deemed a success, focusing on fitness, team-building, and introducing younger players to senior football.

Co-coach Emma Nobes acknowledged the difficulties in maintaining strong player numbers but remains optimistic about rebuilding the team.

“We've lost a lot of players, so it's just about getting people interested in playing again,” she said.

“Seeing the younger ones keen to come down and give it a go is really encouraging for the future.”

Despite past struggles with attendance at men's training sessions, Emma emphasised that fostering a love for the game and focusing on fundamental skills, such as body contact, hitting marks, and re-offering, will be critical to rebuilding.

“If we can get people together regularly, we can start to work towards our main goals, increasing numbers, improving fitness, and hopefully achieving a few wins,” she said.

Experienced player and co-coach Chris Day, who will balance playing and coaching duties this season, was pleased with the team's enthusiasm and fitness levels.

“We worked pretty hard at the first session, and while numbers were a little low, there were a couple of new faces, which is always good,” he said.

“The fitness base of the players was surprisingly decent despite the six-month layoff.”

Chris also praised Emma's leadership in her debut coaching session.

“Emma took the reins pretty well,” he said.

“It’s probably the first time she’s run a session, and she handled it well.”

With a trial match carnival scheduled for late March, the club is focusing heavily on running and power-based exercises to prepare for the competition and the season, which starts in April.

Chris emphasised the importance of fitness in the team’s pre-season efforts, noting the club’s focus on aerobic endurance and repeat-effort drills to ensure the squad is in top shape.

“Our sport is very aerobic, so we’re focusing on running and building power to be ready for round one,” he said.

Training sessions are currently held every Tuesday at 6pm at Geoff Day Oval, and the club welcomes male players aged 15 and up to join.

Both coaches remain hopeful about the upcoming season, with efforts to attract new players and increase engagement within the club.

Emma highlighted the importance of experienced players stepping up as mentors, pointing to individuals like Pat, who only joined last year but has quickly become an asset to the team.

Chris, reflecting on his dual role as player and coach, is confident the experienced core group will help guide the team.

“We’ve got an experienced group who have played together for years,” he said.

“With Emma on the sideline, we’ll have an extra set of eyes to keep things running smoothly.”