PYRAMID Hill's push to return to the top five in LVFNL netball will come under the guidance of a fresh young coach.
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Two-time premiership defender Abbey Dingwall has stepped up to lead the Bulldogs after their former coach Zoe Kennedy opted to vacate the reins at the end of the 2021 season.
The 22-year-old, who will coach A-grade for the first time, is eager to get cracking and to build on some solid gains made by the Bulldogs last season.
They finished just outside the five, eliminated from finals contention following a heart-breaking two goal loss to Marong late in the season.
Taking on the coaching assignment has brought an added layer of excitement for Dingwall as the countdown continues to a much-anticipated 2022 season.
"I was a little bit nervous when I first signed on, but now I'm really excited," she said.
"We've started training, just in Bendigo for now (at the Golden City courts in West Bendigo), as most of our players are from Bendigo. Pre-season is going well.
"I coached B-grade last year and was already going to do that again, but when Zoe said she didn't want to be a playing coach this year, I saw this as a good opportunity."
A homegrown Pyramid Hill talent, Dingwall has played in both of the Bulldogs' last two A-grade premierships in 2015 against Calivil United and 2017 against Mitiamo.
She also played in three junior premierships.
Read more: Pyramid Hill crowned 2015 netball champions
The sure and steady defender moved to the Goulburn Valley league to play with Rochester in 2019, but returned ahead of the cancelled 2020 season and finished equal runner-up in last year's best and fairest award alongside Caitlyn Murphy, behind playing coach Kennedy.
The Bulldogs will boast a few on-court changes in personnel, but will undoubtedly be boosted by the return of 2015 premiership coach and class midcourter Gemma Scott, who has not played since the 2019 season.
They will also have the services of former Birchip shooter Claire Pickles, who had signed to play in 2020, but like Scott, is returning to the court after having a baby last year.
"That's two very handy players to have come into the line-up," Dingwall said.
One of the most appealing aspects of the job for the new coach is the chance to nurture the likes of young midcourter Imogen Broad, who made such a positive impact in her first A-grade season last year.
She will be joined by her older sister Jordann Broad, who is returning from surgery, while the Bulldogs have lured at least two new players from the Swan Hill region, at least one with A-grade experience.
Dingwall said a return to finals for the first time since 2017 was an obvious goal.
"I feel we are in a better place than we were at this time last year, having Gemma back and few others either back or on board," she said.
"We also had Milly Saville step up from B-grade towards the end of last year into A and she was amazing. She could easily play in A-grade.
"I have not heard much about other clubs - I'm sure Mitiamo will be pretty similar and be really strong again.
"Getting some good people back and with a few younger girls making their way up, I'm pretty excited about the year."
Dingwall will juggle coaching and playing commitments with her final year of university studies.
She is studying midwifery at La Trobe University.
Pyramid Hill is still on the hunt for a B-grade coach, with Karly Mitchell appointed C-grade coach and Jess Zimmer in charge of C-reserve.
The Bulldogs will face Bridgewater in round one on April 2, but will not play their second game until three weeks later against Bears Lagoon-Serpentine.
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