The Cowra Youth Men’s soccer team may have fallen short in their grand final, but coach Drew Willis says the players should be proud of what they achieved in their first top-division decider.
The side came up against a larger, more experienced team, who proved too strong on the day.
Coach Drew Willis said it was a tough battle from the opening whistle.
“It was a tough game. they were a lot bigger, a lot more physical,” Willis said.
“We just got a bit beaten on the ball.”
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“They were just a bit too old and strong for us really, we’re a really young, quite a small team,” he said.
Despite the loss, reaching the grand final was a milestone moment for the squad.
“The boys lost, but getting to the grand final is still a big achievement,” Willis said.
For many of the players, this was their first proper grand final, after Cowra’s second division appearance the year before.
“Most of them were obviously disappointed,” Willis said.
“Last year we made the second division grand final, which still gave us that final experience, but it wasn’t the same feeling as being in the big dance this year.”
While there were no standout individual performances, Willis said that was a reflection of the squad’s collective effort rather than a weakness.
“Everybody put in 100%,” he said.
“Support saves from our keeper kept us close in the margin, but everybody put in 100%.”
Looking back on the season, Willis said consistency and commitment were the foundations of the team’s success.
“Our biggest influence was just putting in the performance on game day,” he said.
“Everybody did their best to come to training and get to the games on time, and then just showed up on the day and put in the effort to get the results we needed to get this far.”
Willis urged the players to hold their heads high, regardless of the result.
“They should all be very proud of themselves,” he said.
“As I told them on the weekend, we got this far, we could do it, and we almost did.”
“For some of them it was their first time in senior soccer, and for a couple of them, their first proper grand final.”
“They should all be proud,” he said.
While the final scoreline was disappointing, the Youth Men’s season was a breakthrough for the squad, cementing their place in the top division and showing the progress they’ve made in a short time.
For Willis, the journey matters as much as the destination.
“We could do it, and we almost did,” he said. “That’s something to be proud of.”
