By Phil Skeggs

Ivanhoe Amateurs is pleased to announce the appointment of Karl Kaldawi and Jacob Healy as co-coaches of the reserves this season. The duo bring a wealth of experience to the men’s development squad.

Kaldawi joined the club from Old Xaverians in 2015 and was a key member of our D2 reserves premiership team that year. He has played four seasons for the Hoers, mainly in the seniors as a key forward with safe hands and a reliable conversion rate. Kaldawi’s biggest haul was 10 goals in the ressies against Whitefriars in Round 17, 2016. He earned the John Miles award for best clubman at season’s end after helping to organise a highly successful club ball and was second in the reserves B&F last year.  While his career as a video journalist and content creator has taken priority in recent years, Kaldawi still enjoyed a memorable day out on his birthday in Round 5 last year, topscoring with six goals in a tight win over Manningham Cobras ressies.

Jacob Healy was among a cohort of close mates who were there to cheer them home. Healy, also an ex-Xaverian, came to Ivanhoe Park to play with his mates in 2017-18. He quickly established himself in the reserves forward line and played alongside Kaldawi in the 2017 D1 semi-final.

Club president Peter Rawley, who coached the reserves in 2017, said the committee was “absolutely thrilled” to have the quality pair overseeing our development squad.

“We have every confidence that our players are in great hands to improve their footy and enjoy season 2022,” he said.

Healy, an admin manager at financial services company IOOF, said he had missed local footy during the pandemic and was “pumped” to be back at Ivanhoe alongside Kaldawi.

“I am really excited to be back involved with Ivanhoe. The club is heading in the right direction and it will be great to coach alongside Karl, who is one of my great mates,” he said.

Kaldawi echoed those sentiments, saying his goal was to help develop new and current players and play in another premiership before he hangs up the boots.

“If there is one thing we want the boys to know, it is that we are playing for a premiership and we have that mentality going into every game,” he said. “There is nothing but positive energy towards this season.”

* Pre-season training continues on Mondays and Wednesdays from 7pm until further notice.