Ball lands back at Steel Blue Oval

Nathan Ball has joined the new Swans integrated team this year as an Assistant Coach to John Stone. Ball, 35, who had played previously with Stone at Coolbinia, is not permitted to play for Swans in 2022 due to our entry to the Perth Football League being conditional on players registered with other clubs in 2021, not being able to transfer across.

Ball has overcome setbacks before, and is keen to turn a negative into a positive though by taking on a line coach position. He will be able to draw upon his years of leadership experience across both football and cricket, where he has represented Western Australia, and received two all-Australian honours and currently plays for North Perth in the Belt Up Integrated Cricket League.

Ball, the cousin of club stalwart, Ken Ball, said that as soon as he saw on Facebook that Swans were applying to enter the competition in August 2021, he was quick to sign up for the first come and try session in August.  

“I have been coming here with my family for my entire life, so I am really excited about being able to come back and play football here. I grew up watching Swans on my dad’s knee from the balcony.”

“It is disappointing that I am not able to play this year, but I will make the most of it, and want to learn as much as I can as an assistant coach under Stoney.”

Coach John Stone has so far been impressed with the skills and commitment shown by the players so far but is putting the call out for more to join the team.

“We are a completely new team and we are having to create everything from scratch, but that is what makes it exciting. We have players coming down that have never played before and their skills are improving each week. I can see their confidence building every day, and the feeling amongst the players is very supportive.”

“We do need more players though, and our less experienced players would benefit from having some more experience around them.”

Preseason training is now under way at Steel Blue Oval on a Tuesday at 5pm and Ashfield Primary School on a Thursday at 5pm. Interested players and volunteers can contact Swans All Abilities Coordinator, Toby Anscombe on tanscombe@swandistrictsfc.com for more information.