Hawk coach: Marc Hardy will coach Boronia next season. Picture: Sam Stiglec
NEW Boronia coach Marc Hardy rates leaving Rowville as the hardest things he has done in football.
But the 41 year old believes the time is right to take on the Boronia position and help the club move into the upper echelon of the Eastern Football League.
Hardy was handed the reins at the division 3 club last week and believes the club is ready to step up.
But the move away from Rowville, just as the club moves into division 1, was a tough one to make.
"After five years there and getting to know the players so well then winning a premiership, it's the hardest thing I've had to do in my footy career," he said. "But for where my footy career is, when you get the opportunity to coach, sometimes you've got to take it and run with it."
Hardy has already set the yardstick sky-high for his new side, which he says should be playing in at least division 2 then pushing for higher honours.
"You would have thought a club with Boronia's resources would be a solid division 2 club pushing for first division," he said. "Everything is pretty much in-line to take the next step and hopefully I'm able to take them there."
Hardy said he would again defy his age and take the field again in 2013 after playing in Rowville's premiership team.
"I will be having another crack. My body is good and I've never believed my own age, in my — mind I'm still a 30 year old and I'm looking forward to the challenge. Tormore Reserve is a beautiful ground, I can't wait to get out there and run around on it."
Hardy also signalled he wanted to keep all Boronia players from this season while adding a few key recruits.
Boronia has also kept Drew O'Hare, the interim coach who took them to the preliminary final, as director of coaching in 2013.
In other EFL coaching appointments, Scoresby has promoted player development and under-19s coach Sean Kavanagh to the senior coach role, replacing Scott Whyte.
Kavanagh led the Magpies under-19 sides to the past two EFL division 1 premierships and has coached at TAC Cup club Eastern Ranges and with the Vic Metro under-15 schools team.
Waverley Blues has penned Brett Davidson as coach for 2013; he crosses over from Chirnside Park who is yet to name a coach for 2013.