WARRIORS EXCITED ABOUT 2021
Excitement is building at the Hoppers Crossing Football Club ahead of the 2021 season.
Both the Senior Men’s and Senior Women’s teams are pumped for footy to return to the west as are coaches Steve Kretiuk and Mick Koropeckyj.
Kretiuk, who has now been at the helm of the Warriors for the past seven years, said he has missed the football environment and everything that being a part of a club offers.
“We have definitely missed the friendship, comradeship, competition and the road to a common goal,” he said.
“This year you will see some really excited players looking forward to playing the game they love again.”
Kretiuk said after a non-existent 2020 season, the club has had a measured and gradual return to football.
“Not wanting to sustain any soft tissue or impact injuries we were pretty conservative with our approach to loading and content,” he said.
“Post-Christmas we ramped up our training and included a lot more game sense and match simulation into our sessions which will hopefully hold us in good stead for our upcoming matches.”
Koropeckyj said his team also started slow, but was now ramping up their sessions to prepare for their first Victoria University Polytechnic Senior Women’s season.
“We started a bit slow at the end of last year, but this year have started with more intensity with ball skills and fitness. There is a lot of excitement around the group,” he said.
Hoppers Crossing was set to being their inaugural Senior Women’s season last year, but ultimately the season was cancelled due to COVID-19.
“It felt that something had been taken away from us before we actually started,” Koropeckyj said.
“We really missed being part of the team and the social interaction of the club.
“Hopefully, we’ll be a competitive side with the other teams.”
The TIV Division 1 Senior Men’s season kicks-off on Friday April 9, with Hoppers Crossing taking on Spotswood at Converse Oval.
The Senior Women’s team will begin their 2021 campaign the following day against Caroline Springs.