BAYSWATER City coach Chris Coyne has joined a prestigious list of soccer players and coaches in the WA Hall of Fame at an induction night on November 26.
Coyne played for nine clubs, represented Australia on 22 occasions for the under-17s, under-23s and Socceroos and has been coaching NPL WA side Bayswater since 2013.
The 37-year-old said he never dreamed of being inducted and was not aware of how much of an impact it would have on him.
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READ NOW“I was a little shell shocked when I received the news but extremely honoured,” he said.
“A very proud moment to share the occasion with family and friends who have seen all the hard work that culminated in receiving the recognition and induction to the WA Hall of Fame.
“It was a great night and made me realise with some of the other inductees, both past and present, how honoured I was to be a part of some of my idols and people I looked up to while growing up.”
Coyne, who coached Bayswater to three-straight NPL WA premierships, said he was fortunate to experience many highs and lows throughout his career.
“Four that stand out are my debut at West Ham with friends and family present to watch, winning the league and being selected in the team of the year with Luton Town, achieving the lifelong dream of representing Australia at full international level and winning all four competitions with Bayswater as a coach,” he said.
Coyne said he was currently at the “best club” but would love to coach at the highest level one day.
“It is all I have known to be honest, since growing up with a football-mad family,” he said.
“The motivation for me is the desire to get better at what I do as a man, manager and coach and the hunger to be the best at what I am doing.
“Long term is to become a full time coach whether it is as an assistant while I continue to learn may trade and then progress to be the head coach…I will try my best to attain this and only time will tell if I have the ability to do so.”
He said his short-term goal was to get Bayswater back to the top in 2016-17.
“I want to win every piece of silverware available this year with a team that is more than capable of doing that,” he said.