Tara Murray
Gellibrand has announced that James Ryan will step up to coach the side in the Victorian Turf Cricket Association next season, while outgoing coach Paul Hetherington will remain at the club.
Ryan joined the club for the 2020-21 season after being an assistant coach at Sacred Heart previously.
In his time at Gellibrand he has won a Jim Terris Award, VTCA division 4 player of year, been a premiership player and been a staple at the top of the batting order in the first XI.
Ryan said it was a natural progression for him to step up into the coaching role.
“I’m very excited,” he said. “I’ve played at the club for four years with Paul as captain-coach,” he said.
“We work together closely and we’re close mates and I’ll help out on the coaching side of things. They approached me and I was open to it.
“I had been an assistant coach before, but never as a head coach but the club has been super supportive. “
Ryan, who works at a school so is no stranger to leading big groups, said having Hetherington remain at the club and as captain was massive for him.
Ryan said the exciting thing for him was the opportunity to help guide the next generation of players.
“I’ll work with them in a more formal role at training on Tuesday and Thursdays,” he said. “I want them to enjoy their cricket which is what I’m most looking forward to.”
Hetherington said he was very excited to build on the success from recent years and he knows the appointment of Ryan as coach will take them to another level.
Ryan said it looked like they had kept most of last season’s premiership side together for the 2024-25 season.
He said they were hoping to add a few more players to the squad as they go up a grade into division 3.
“The club has been really successful since I’ve been here,” he said. “We’ve had two promotions and we won a premiership and made a couple of grand finals.
“It’s a good club to play at. We want to develop within and will look to keep most of our players.
“Then we’ll look to get some more young players into the club to improve what is there already.”
