The Bendigo primary school teacher has been appointed coach of Phantoms Volleyball Club’s state league premier men’s team.

Broadbent joins a Phantoms club on a high after a season in which several of its men’s and women’s teams reached finals, highlighted by a finals berth for the premier women’s team in its first season in the top division.

READ MORE: Phantoms build foundations for future women’s success

He will have plenty of talent at his disposal, including some he has already seen first-hand in years with the academy.

The premier men’s team finished sixth in the eight-team competition in 2018, but only narrowly missed out on a top-four spot.

“Phantoms did an amazing job this season – they are really starting to build the club and culture and really push towards finals,” Broadbent said.

“There are some wonderful people in charge of the organisation, with great support from the Bendigo Stadium and Bendigo Volleyball Association and Academy of Sport.

“We are incredibly lucky.

“I guess I have been sitting on the outside of that, not fully being involved, so I am really excited to be fully involved in helping Phantoms take the next step.”

Broadbent, who will continue as a coach of the Victorian state under-16 team for the next two years, said he was proud of what had been achieved during his decade-long stint with the Academy of Sport volleyball program.

“Probably thinking back 10 years ago, I didn’t think I would last that long in doing the role, but it has been a massive privilege,” he said.

“I’ve been very lucky to have worked at the Academy of Sport; it’s helped me with my teaching career and where I’ve been able to get to today.

“It created so many opportunities for me and opened so many doors for me to do some coaching with Australian and Victorian teams.

“And I got to work with an amazing group of young athletes, particularly with the boys’ squad.

“I also got to work with some great coaches and mentor some great coaches, some who I coached as athletes and made the transition into the coaching records.”

Broadbent said he would be open to returning to the academy at some point down the track, but for now would be focusing all his energies on his Phantoms team.

He insisted the future of Bendigo volleyball was in a healthy position.

“There are a lot more opportunities for players with the academy of sport and Phantoms, who are still building, and we have some very passionate teachers and coaches who are dong plenty to keep building the sport,” Broadbent said.

The Phantoms coaching panel for 2019 so far comprises Broadbent, David Berry (premier women), Leigh Gordon and Paul Byrne (reserves women), Paul Freckleton (reserves men), Wayne Symons (division two women), Tim Popple (division two men) and Chris Hermans (division three men).

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