Gary Hewson of Greytown Junior Football Club [Capital Football’s junior coach of the year] with players Luke Butler-Peck, left, William Gawith, Riley Brooks, John Hewson, Taylor McDonald and Max Perry. PHOTO/SUPPLIED
FOOTBALL
JAKE BELESKI
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Greytown Junior Football Club’s Gary Hewson is not one for personal accolades, but when you do such a good job they are hard to avoid.
Hewson was named Capital Football’s junior coach of the year for the work he has done with the club this season.
He is coaching a seventh grade team and a ninth grade team, and said he was unaware his work had been recognised by Capital Football.
“I didn’t know anything about it until someone told me they’d seen it on the website.
“From a personal point of view, it’s always nice to know that what you’re doing is helpful.”
Hewson said the accolade was a reflection of the work everybody at Greytown Junior Football Club had been doing this season.
“The parents of both teams have just been fantastically supportive, getting the children to training and to the games, and also covering for me on Saturdays when I’ve not been available.
“In particular the managers, Rachel Gawith, Helga Perry and Kim Hewson, who do the organising during the week and help out on Saturdays.”
It is clear that the group of people running the club in Greytown are working together to create a supportive environment for the players, and that was something that pleased Hewson.
“I think that’s the most important thing – it’s recognising what we’re doing as a group, not just the individual,” he said.
“The biggest reward is that they [players] want to keep coming back and as long as they come off and they’re smiling, you know they’ve got something out of it.”
Looking after one young football team, let alone two, might sound like hard work to most people, but Hewson said he still gets plenty of enjoyment out of it after three years at the club.
He was hopeful the accolade might bring the club more into the spotlight, and help them with future endeavours.
“If out of this we can get a little bit of exposure, that would be a fantastic outcome.
“I think it’s just really nice that Wairarapa gets exposure around football.”
Hewson said all the attention he was receiving was “a bit flummoxing and embarrassing”.
“Looking after and coaching the two teams is a collective endeavour, and it’s not about just one person,” he said.
“Without the help of all these people the teams would not run as smoothly and enjoyably as they do, and it probably wouldn’t be as fun for the children.”
These kids is our future.