CHRIS Wood clearly loves life at Seaforth FC.
If he isn’t playing for the men’s MWFA Premier League team, you will find the Englishman barking instructions from the sideline as coach of the women’s senior squad.
“It is definitely time consuming, but I wouldn’t have it any other way,” he said.
“The lads are a cracking bunch, and I’m really enjoying coaching as well.”
Wood also finds himself in the unusual situation of coaching his wife, Emily.
“It is good fun, we are best friends and both love football,” he said.
“We met when we were both playing College football in the US, and we got married at Whale Beach a few years ago.
“I was watching Emily play most weeks anyway, so when (ex president) Richard Wright approached me to be head coach of the girls for 2019, it was a fairly simple decision.”
Wood boasts an impressive football CV.
As a youngster he played at semi professional level in the United Kingdom, before taking up a scholarship with William Carey University in Mississippi.
“I really enjoyed my time there, the football was a good standard,” he said.
“We were fairly successful, and I played alongside some very talented guys who were on the fringes of big clubs in Europe before they moved to America.”
After finishing his degree, Wood moved into coaching with a Select Academy in Hattiesburg, Mississippi.
Eventually he made his way over to Australia after obtaining his Masters in Education and Sports Management.
Wood is also a fan of the MWFA Premier League – both competitions.
“The standard is good, I really like how the teams don’t like each other, that sense of tribalism,” he said.
“I’m confident our men’s squad will hold their own and it’s my job to make sure the girls are improving on the run and enjoying their football.”
