JESS Urpeth hopes a Bachelor of Exercise and Sport Science university degree will be the secret ingredient to statewide touch football coaching success.
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The 23-year-old moved to Port Macquarie for the degree three years ago and on Friday she will take the reins with the under-10 girls in her first junior State Cup campaign with the clipboard.
"The uni degree really has helped my coaching; before I started the course I didn't realise how much work went into planning as a coach from the beginning to the competition," she said.
"It doesn't just happen ... there's no right or wrong way do things, but there is a way to do it more efficiently and I've definitely learned how to do that."
Overall coaching experience is nothing new.
"I've coached netball and touch football since I was 12 and I really like teaching the kids, they're a bit of fun especially some of the stuff they get up to.
"I didn't coach in the first year I was here, but played with the women's open team and then injured my knee."
The injury led to surgery and provided the reason for her to take on the coaching role this year after Port Macquarie Junior Touch Association approved her coaching application.
"I assisted as coach with the open women's for senior State Cup and then got asked to do the under-10 girls this year," she said.
Urpeth admitted there was only one person feeling slight pressure ahead of the weekend - and it wasn't any of her playing group.
She understood the importance of what they did last year.
"I feel pressure, but I don't think the girls know what they did," she said.
"I'm happy if they go out and have some fun; I think they can win it again, but we'll see what happens."
And what was the one thing she wanted to see from her team?
"If they have fun every game and I see they're enjoying it, then I don't really care if we lose every single game."
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