Ambassador program relaunched

[marinermick]

Central Coast Mariners
Media Release
Wednesday, 20 June 2007



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Ambassador program re-launched for 2007/08


The Central Coast Mariners have further strengthened their ties with the Central Coast football family by re-launching their Ambassador program for the Hyundai A-League 2007/08 season.



The Ambassador program allocates one Mariners squad or coaching staff member to each of the region’s 22 local clubs, providing a link for each grass roots football organisation to their local heroes.



During the course of a season, the Mariners are inundated with requests from local clubs to attend training, official functions and presentations, and the Ambassador program guarantees each club their Mariners player at their event.



"An important part of our success as a club off the field since our inception has been our integration with the local football family and the Ambassador program is the perfect vehicle for us to promote this link," said Mariners Executive Chairman Lyall Gorman.

"On the field, we have provided a unique pathway for local clubs to progress their best players to the Hyundai A-League through our Youth Academy, while our Ambassador program provides a direct link to our local clubs off the field, which is equally as important.


"The work our players do in the community cannot be understated and we’re hopeful that by re-launching the Ambassador program, we will be able to continue to live up to the benchmark our club has set throughout our opening seasons."



The Central Coast is home to over 15,000 registered footballers – a number greater than any other two sporting codes combined on the Central Coast.

Several Mariners players are in fact representing the club that they played for as juniors – Damien Brown is Ambassador for The Entrance, Andrew Clark for Mountains District and Matthew Trott for East Gosford.



Mariners Ambassadors

Avoca Beach – Sasho Petrovski
Berkeley Vale – Adam Kwasnik
Budgewoi – Tony Vidmar
Doyalson Wyee – Andrew Redmayne
East Gosford – Matthew Trott
Gosford City – Tom Pondeljak
Gwandalan – Nigel Boogaard
Kanwal Warnervale – Bradley Porter
Kariong – Matt Simon
Killarney District – Greg Owens
Kincumber – Alex Wilkinson
Mountains District – Andrew Clark
Ourimbah-University – Paul O’Grady
Southern & Ettalong – Andre Gumprecht
Terrigal United – John Hutchinson
The Entrance – Damien Brown
Toukley Gorokan – Ian Ferguson
Tuggerah United – Matthew Osman
Umina United – Mile Jedinak
Woy Woy – Dean Heffernan
Wyoming – Nik Mrdja
Wyong – Danny Vukovic

The Mariners’ next trial match will take place on Wednesday, 27 June, when Lawrie McKinna’s charges will take on a selection of players from the Central Coast Premier League in the third annual Central Coast Charity Plate at Pluim Park. Kick off is at 7pm.



Mariners Memberships for the Hyundai A-League 2007/08 season are now available for purchase online at www.ccmariners.com.au, or from Rebel Sports outlets at Erina and Tuggerah.

Ends

[marinermick]

happy having stringers again and with gumpy doing his training programs at ourimbah we get more than our fair share of mariners interaction

i really think players should be rotated clubs every season so clubs get exposed to different mariners players

[yellowcake]

marinermick said:

i really think players should be rotated clubs every season so clubs get exposed to different mariners players

I can see the argument Mick but I think there's also a positive in a player building on his relationship with the one club where and for as long as possible. I suppose also it's easier to work with the club's officials when there's a bit more familiarity.

(Or do I just remain pleased that one of my favourites - Tommy P - remains connected to our club?)

The players have been (and I'd imagine will remain) SO accessible to kids and other fans from Day 1 and with the Mariners doing a training session for all junior clubs (and I'd hope this will continue too) there's plenty of scope for exposure to whoever you want.

[Pete]

I have a mate whose daughter plays for Umina.
She is brand new to football, but is in a good team. One day their coach organised for a Mariner to turn up, but unfortunately it was after Jamie had left the Mariners and there was no ambassador at the time.
Matt Osman did the honours, and Andre and one other Mariner turned up as well (Damien Brown maybe). They went through a training session with the girls and the team were most impressed to be given some tuition by professional players.
Funnily enough, we now have another avid fan of the Mariners and some real interest in the game in general. This sort of contact between young players of the game and the professionals who earn a living from it, seems to work very well.

[Jeff (LouMacari)]

I would have thought it made sense to rotate players also.

[alicia]

We had John Crawley, which Honey Soy was very pleased about.

We really only got to see him on rego day. Having said that, I think the ambassador program is more aimed towards younger players.

We now have Matt Simon. Not a bad trade I guess.

[marinermick]

alicia said:

We had John Crawley, which Honey Soy was very pleased about.

We really only got to see him on rego day. Having said that, I think the ambassador program is more aimed towards younger players.

We now have Matt Simon. Not a bad trade I guess.

she is also spewing because kariong could have got heff or mile from the new signings

[alicia]

marinermick said:

she is also spewing because kariong could have got heff or mile from the new signings

man, if we had jedi we could've used the force and actually won a game!!

[Bearinator]

Could even the force help you?

[Jeff (LouMacari)]

bearinator said:

Could even the force help you?

Hmmm...me thinks that bear is now officially a dead man.

[Bearinator]

Na, I used the wink. That means im safe from any criticism, whatsoever. Forum code.

[Jeff (LouMacari)]

hahahahahahahaha.....and again I say...hahahahahahhahahhaahah

You bloody wish mate!

[omni]

It's true Jeff the wink covers all you've been here long enough to know that

It is good that the link players back to their local clubs I think it's a great idea, as far as rotation goes, there's positive arguments both ways really I'm not in a club so I'm not sure what clubs would prefer, I think it's better that players build the relationship with a club.

[Bearinator]

omni said:

you've been here long enough to know that

Except that year where he didnt give a shit about the mariners, and went to support Adelaide

You see, the wink. I get away with anything hahahahahaha

[omni]

hahaha, smooth Bear, smooth!