Cobden reappoints open coach Sophie Hinkley for 2024 Hampden season

Hinkley has signed on for a fifth season as open coach of the Hampden league club, eager to build on the processes implemented at the club in recent seasons.

The Bombers reached the grand final in 2022 - Hinkley's first coaching a full season due to the COVID-19 pandemic - while they begin another finals tilt on Saturday.

"This year, I've been so happy with the progress that we've been able to make as a group," Hinkley told The Standard. "I think what I can offer as a coach and the game plan I'd like to see the girls playing is really coming to fruition.

"I'm hoping next year we can take that next step to the girls being able to really be creative with the way they're playing and feel as though they have that control and that synergy as a team."

The midcourter made a successful return as playing coach in 2023 after mentoring from the sidelines last season while pregnant with her second child.

She is hopeful of retaining the majority of her open squad next year but backed the depth through the Bombers' division one side should player circumstances change.

Hinkley, whose strengths are her analytical and technical nous, said she had been able to develop her coaching style year-on-year to allow her to mentor different personalities and players.

"Across those COVID years I certainly learned a lot about managing players and supporting them through those challenges of engagement," she said.

Hinkley is confident the Bombers can take their game to another level after laying down strong foundations.

"The way we teach anyone, is you build those levels of understanding," she said. "As you go along you can start to be able to manipulate that and be creative with it and analyse the way you're playing based on opposition and different."

Hinkley, who sits on Cobden's committee, is passionate about helping build on the club's presence as a community hub.

"It's a lot about creating a culture and community within our club and within our netball team that is something that people want to be part of," she said. "We want to provide a place where people come that provides a social outlet and to grow their skills in their sport and their community involvement."

Hinkley's team, which finished the home-and-away season second with a double chance, starts its finals campaign on Saturday, playing Koroit in a qualifying final at Camperdown's Leura Oval.

Across the club, the Bombers have seven teams - four netball and three football - qualified for finals this September.

"All the girls are really excited about it," she said. "We're looking forward to being able to show that depth and versatility and to really test ourselves and see if all those things we've been working on, if we have that resilience and mindset to take it to the end."

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