Tara Murray
Glen Marr has held many coaching roles at Taylors Lakes Cricket Club.
He’s coached many junior sides and the past three seasons has been the batting coach for the senior Victorian Sub-District Cricket Association side.
This season he has taken on the senior coaching role, replacing Janaka Deegodagamage who has left the club to coach at a higher level.
Marr said he just loved cricket and being involved.
“For me, I’m just happy to do anything,” he said. “I’ve been on and off at the club for 20 years and my sons play here.
“I’ve been helping out in the past and I’m not working any more, so I have more time to put into it.
“I just love the game and the enjoyment for me is seeing them all improve.”
Having been around the club, Marr already knows most of the playing group and has played with several of the junior players coming through. With a restricted pre-season due to COVID-19, this is a bonus.
He said they had kept most of last year’s side together, but with travel restrictions meant they would be without any international players.
Aamir Raza was meant to be an assistant coach while playing at the club for a second season.
Marr said they were still settling down their line up, with COVID-19 delaying people’s decisions about their playing future.
Amhit Padwal, who played with Altona last season, will be a playing assistant coach. The two had already been speaking about training plans, with it looking likely a return to training nearing.
Marr said they were talking to a former player about returning which would boost their bowling stocks.
The club will also continue to push a number of juniors through the ranks.
“We’ve got a good group of youngsters coming through.”
The Lions last season made a qualifying final after an exciting final round of the season.
Marr said for him the biggest focus this season was improvement.
“The first thing is we will try and focus on the skills,” he said.
“We won’t set any targets, it’s a funny season.
“We are traditionally better in one-dayers from my experience because of our batting, but I will take it as it comes.
“I’ll try and get the guys to enjoy it and better themselves. If we make good choices when in the middle, the rest will take care of itself.”
The Lions are set to kick off their season on November 21 at home against Ivanhoe.
