Winning Division I coach, Tom Ellis
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How does it feel to be the first American coach to win a USFooty Division 1 Championship?
To take a team with a mix of Aussies and Americans, and take them to the title game and overcome the 13 point lead SD had, left me speechless. And to be the first American is just the cherry on top. Since I first started playing this game I have felt like a pioneer. This is just another step in the discovery of Aussie Rules in America.
What did you say to the boys at half time to keep them inspired even though they were down two goals?
I just reminded them that we have been in the same situation over and over. This is not our first come from behind win. I just told them that we all have something inside us that does not let us quit.
In the preamble to the game the announcers were talking about the upcoming match and it was said San Diego have the edge in Strength and Class and Denver in Fitness. What are your thoughts on that?
Well I think that as the game played out both SD and Denver were pretty equal on all those aspects. I belive SD were just as fit as Denver and Denver had just as much Strength and Class as SD.
What would you say to those who say you inherited your team. After all the Bulldogs have won 5 championships under 5 coaches before you (Russel Waugh, Charles Richards, Paul Renouf, Ben Harling and Sasha Sibree)
I have inherited a core group of players and no doubt I have been lucky. At the same time we do have lots of new players and to keep the kind on chemistry and work ethic is something I work very hard on. I think having guys like Benny (Harling) playing under me is a great testament to the kind of respect I received from the players.
The Bulldogs have been perennial front runners since their first championship in 2000. What do you think have been the reasons behind such unprecedented success?
Again a core group of players has been a huge part of that. We have 5 players now over the 100 game mark, and all 5 are American. Those Americans have been the leaders.
Denver and San Diego have met 4 times in the Division 1 Grand Finals with Denver leading the series 3-1. Is Denver vs San Diego the premier rivalry in USFooty right now?
There are some very good rivalry's in this league. I guess the question is, “Is this the premier rivalry?” All I can say is that when these 2 teams meet at the National Tournament its a game no one wants to miss, and the last man standing is the National Champion. The fact that SD beat Denver in 01 in pool play and Denver beat SD in 05 in pool play also holds some great history.
Does that explain the Western Regions dominance of the finals since 2000. (In fact the Western Region has been represented in the finals since 1998. Santa Cruz in 98 and 99, Denver and SD in 2000, SD in 2001, Denver and SD in 2002, Denver in 03, 04 and 05, Denver and SD in 06 and 07)
I think the rivalry does push the clubs in the West to get better. Teams like OC, AZ, GG, Seattle want to get the success and they push themselves to those levels.
What can we do to get more Americans coaching the game?
I think the best step is to get mentorships going. I know I look up to all my coaches and learned from them. We all have different ways we approach things but each coach I have played under gave me an idea I have used in my coaching. Coaching a Metro or Coed Team is a great stepping stone.
What would be your advice to an up and coming American coach right now?
Become a student of the game. Don't just do drills that everyone does without knowing why. Read up on the past coaches. You have to want to learn about the game and take in everything you can.
How do you deal with the variances in skill levels at trainings and on the field?
That is a great question. Having a mix of new and experienced players is a challenge. I like to plan the training schedule to include drills for everyone. I try and mix up the harder skills followed by some easier skills so that everyone does not get bored or overwhelmed.
Describe a week of training for the Denver Bulldogs.
Denver has had the same schedule pretty much the same since 2002. Monday running, Wed. Night training and Sat AM training. With Metro, Coed and Tournaments mixed in. We get good solid numbers out to all trainings. We work skills, fitness, and team work into all of our plans. Followed up with some good bar time.
In the interest of full disclosure, the interviewer Matt Dainauski , is also member of the Denver Bulldogs.
- Matt Dainauski
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