Nicky Smith appointed as junior team head coach

November 18th, 2019

Following the end of the 2019 National Leagues season, Matthew ‘Spoonie’ Davies has decided to step away as head coach of the East Kilbride Pirates Junior team and from the wider club, to take a well-earned break from football.

Defensive coordinator Nicky Smith is stepping up to take over the head coach role for the Junior team as well as continuing to hold the role of defensive coordinator.

Nicky first joined the club as a player for our senior team in 2010 before returning after injury in 2011 as linebacker coach and then making the jump to defensive coordinator. Nicky’s tenure as DC for the senior team included three British semi-finals as well as coaching against NCAA Div III US College team Hanover Panthers.

Nicky moved to take on the role of defensive coordinator for our expanding junior team in 2015. In that time the Juniors have reached three British Finals and a National Plate Final and graduated multiple players who’re now starting at the Senior team level.

Junior coaching team
Scott Frame will return as offensive coordinator, as will wide receivers coach David Czekalla and offensive line coach Bill Black.  Returning to support Nicky on defense are defensive line coach Jason Milligan and defensive backs coach Max Corbett.

Linebackers coach Danny Smith is also stepping away from the juniors to take on a new challenge as defensive line coach for the Pirates senior team.

Club Chair Amanda McDonald said: “I’m very much looking forward to working with Nicky in his first head coach role. I know our juniors will be in very capable hands as he has played an integral part in the team’s success to date and I’m excited to see him put his own stamp on things going forward. I’d like to take this opportunity to thank Matthew for his hard work and commitment to both the junior team and our whole club over the last thirteen years. He’s led our junior team to great success in the four seasons he’s been head coach – not to mention the organisational impact he’s had on our club as chairman from 2008-2010, then treasurer from 2011 until now. I wish him all the best for his well-deserved break from football and hope to see him back in the future. I’d also like to wish Danny all the best in his new role with the senior team!”

Nicky Commented: “Being a head coach for a team within the Pirates organisation is a huge honour and I would like to say thanks to all of the coaches and players I’ve worked with who helped get to this point. I would like to extend a special thank you to Matthew Davies who has given me a great blueprint for success, along with an endless supply of banter that I can recycle and pass off as my own. As HC I intend to continue the Junior team’s winning ways and look forward to seeing more of our players graduate to the Seniors, play for their country and more importantly mature into great young adults in the coming years.”

The junior are looking to recruit additional positional coaches and assistants for the season ahead.

 

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