Junior Coaching Appointments - Season 2021

Sherwood Football Club are delighted to announce the head coaches for each confirmed junior age group for Season 2021. Once teams in each squad are better established, more coaches will be appointed for the additional teams in each of the age group.

Sean (Happy) Toohey has been appointed the head coach of the U11s for Season 2021.

Sean started playing football when he was 6 years of age for Jindalee Jags. He played from u8s through to U14s (playing up an age group) before changing clubs to Sherwood to play with his mates, also in the U14s.

His team made the grand final in his first year at the club, but unfortunately did not take home the flag.

Sean played in the Sherwood u17s undefeated Division 1 Premiership side coached by club legend Rob Mitchell. There was no senior team for him to play in at Sherwood the following year after the disbanding of the merger with Western Districts, so he pulled on the boots for Kenmore and played in their Division 3 premiership winning team

The following year, Sherwood fielded a Senior team and Sean quickly became an instrumental player. In 2006, he played in the team that won the clubs first senior flag in 10 years and 2nd since 1982 under coach Paul Grentell. He didn't play in the 2008 premiership team, but he was still on the park as the team runner.

In 2009, Sean was captain of the inaugural "Woodies" team (Previously 3rds, Low Rollers and Sherwood Old Boys) under coach and Grogan medalist, Bill Pierce. The team made the grand final and what a day it was for Sean. His wife gave birth to twins in the morning, and he ran out to lead the Woodies to the flag later in the day! He captained a 2nd Premiership undeated in 2014 and he still pulls the boots on for one game a year just to keep his career alive!

Sean has 4 children, 3 girls and a boy. Cooper is keeping the family Sherwood football tradition alive and has been playing at the club for several years. Sean also married into 'Magpie Royalty' when he married Kate, who is both the daughter and sister for former club Presidents from the Vowles family who were instrumental in making the Magpies the wonderful club it is today.

Sean was assistant coach to his teams in 2017, 18 & 19, before stepping up to be the head coach of the mighty U10s in 2020. He lives and breathes footy, and has stepped up for the club again in 2021 to take the role as head coach for the U11s.

Wil Ivinson has been appointed the head coach for the U10's for Season 2021.

Wil is a long time Sherwood AFC member, starting with the club as a junior way back in 1990, after arriving from Darwin. He had a successful playing career across 24 years through to 2014, culminating in a Premiership win with the Woodsmen in his last game.

Through that time, he also coached at the U16 and U18 level, winning two Division 1 grand finals and has been an integral part of the club over many years with his leadership and mentoring of countless future Senior players. He is also a qualified trainer and acted as a volunteer in this role across all senior grades, as well as having experience with several AFL clubs.

In 2016, the next generation Wil Ivinson (Jnr) started his footy career at Sherwood. With his son now playing at the club he loves, Wil became heavily involved in junior coaching - guiding U6s, U8s and U9s through 4 enjoyable seasons.

Wil brings a lot of structure and a lot of fun to his training sessions which brings out the best in all the kids he coaches and this was recognised in 2019 when he was deservedly awarded the Sherwood Junior Coach of the Year award. Wil took a break from coaching in 2020 and became the Junior Coaching Coordinator at the club, helping coaches and players across all age groups. The coaching bug kept biting Wil through 2020, and he decided early on that he wanted to get back into coaching 2021, so here he is, ready and raring to go for another exciting year!

Our u10 age group are incredibly lucky to have Wil at the helm for 2021 in what promises to be a fantastic season.

Hugo Gower has been appointed as the head coach of the u9s for Season 2021.

Hugo began playing Aussie Rules for the Walkerville Cats in South Australia at the age of 5 before going on to play senior football at St Peter’s College. He continued to play Old Scholars for St Peter’s whilst completing a medical degree at the University of Adelaide.

He spent many years working in Paediatric Emergency and continued to play senior football during this time. He finally hung up his boots at the age of 36.

Hugo moved to Brisbane from Darwin in 2011 and after enjoying being an assistant coach in 2019 at Sherwood Magpies under 8s he took on the role of head coach successfully in 2020, also earning the Sherwood Junior Coach of the year award.

Besides obviously improving all the children’s football skills Hugo’s background in paediatrics means that he works tirelessly to also help mature the children into great young adults.

When not involved in football he is working hard to stop the spread of COVID-19.

Sadly for him ( for now anyway), he is an avid Adelaide Crows supporter but he does support the Lions when the Crows aren’t playing.

He is super excited to get the season started after all the turmoil of 2020 and he will be greatly supported by an awesome collective of under 9s coaches, all of whom will bring different skill sets to the table.

Andy Veprek has been appointed as the head coach of the U8s for Season 2021.

Andy has been a western suburbs boy all of his life. He joined Sherwood as a 13yo in 1987 and played through to the Under 17s. In 1991, he joined the West Brisbane Warriors Under 19s (an amalgamation of Sherwood and Western Districtsin the QAFL) and played in the very first official game of the new club. Andy continued to play with West Brisbane until 1997 when the cmerger disbanded and Western Districts folded. One of his fondest memories and a highlight of his career was playing alongside older Sherwood stars like Billy Peirce, Grant Dalman, and Lee Barnes. In 1997 he moved to Yeronga Football Club and played through until 2010. He was fortunate enough to play in the senior premiership team in 2006.

Now Andy has two boys who love footy and it has seen him return to Sherwood where it all started for him. Both his boys started in Auskick and have been making their way through the ranks at Sherwood. Ben is playing in the U10s and Joshua is playing his second year in the U8s.

Since his boys have been back at the club, he has been heavily involved. In 2018, he was team manager and assistant coach for the U8s, in 2019 he took on a coaching role in the U8s. Last year he coached the U9s and he has put up his hand to do it all again in 2021.

Andy loves his coaching. He enjoys not only seeing his boys develop, but seeing all the boys and girls at the club enjoying footy and having fun, just like he did when he was a kid. He knows that the friendships, memories, and life skills that football will give them in the coming years will last them a lifetime.