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LUKE Freeman would have been a bundle of nervous energy on Saturday morning as he counted down the hours until taking charge of his first game of football as a senior coach.
Saturday was to be the start of the 2020 Loddon Valley league season and Newbridge's Freeman was set to face a baptism of fire immediately - the Maroons were to take on reigning premiers Mitiamo.
Instead, Freeman's exuberance - like any coach and player - that would have come with the beginning of a new season is on hold, with 2020 now in limbo as football-netball across the region is delayed until at least May 31 due to coronavirus.
"Being a first-time coach there are already so many unknowns and you just want to get that first game under your belt after the boys have put in all the work over the pre-season," Freeman said this week.
"So the fact it's not happening this weekend is somewhat of a strange feeling, but we know there's much bigger things going on in the world at the moment."
Freeman says the biggest challenge he has faced from a coaching perspective since the season was delayed last month is there's no precedent in which to heed advice from.
"Because something like this hasn't happened before, you can't turn to someone and ask, what did you do in this situation?," Freeman said.
Because something like this hasn't happened before, you can't turn to someone and ask, what did you do in this situation?
- Luke Freeman - Newbridge coach
"In coaching you turn to your contacts and people you've worked with before when you need advice because a lot of things that may bob up in a footy club have happened at a club elsewhere.
"But because this is such a unique situation it makes it so much harder to find the best way to go about it and what is best for the players, club and community.
"You talk to a lot of people, but they're all in the same boat as well, so it's a big challenge for everyone."
With training having been ceased for all clubs since March 17 and there still no timeline set for a return, Freeman's focus has shifted from gameplan and structure to keeping his players engaged remotely.
"We're setting some fitness tasks and challenges that our players can do at home and really trying to keep the banter going between the group that they are missing out on while they aren't training or playing games," Freeman said.
"Obviously, we can't replicate what we would normally be doing at training, but it's really important we keep the players engaged and looking after each other through a tough time for everyone that's our main priority."
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