COMETH the hour, cometh the man.
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Mark Chicken is widely known in Greater Taree City sporting circles as a representative cricketer and indoor cricketer.
However, he extended his CV this year to junior netball coach. And he proved an immediate success, masterminding CJs win in the Taree and District under 11 grand final. His daughter, Samantha, was a member of the team.
"The mother of one of the players was coaching them,'' Chicken explained.
"But the family left they area and there was no-one to take over.''
Chicken has played a bit of indoor netball and while there's a difference between the sport, he figured that he might was well take on the job.
Netball's a big sport in the Chicken family, with Mark's wife, Bec, heavily involved with the Taree association.
'Bec loves her netball,'' he said.
So he had a bit of help along with way from his wife along with Ruth Smith and Vanessa Hogan. Even so, he admitted it was challenge at times.
"Coaching nine 10 and 11 year old girls - it wasn't always easy keeping their attention,'' he said.
But he must have done something right, with CJs accounting for Wingham in the decider. Chicken is now keen to continue next year and hopes to do a coaching course during the off-season.
However, he has no desire to take on a senior job or move into the representative arena.
"No I'll stick to coaching the girls,'' he said.