Eleven days out from Tuggeranong United kicking off their 2020 NPL1 season against Woden Weston, the news broke that all football activities were temporarily suspended.

Now six weeks later, the suspension has only made the squad and head coach Mitch Stevens hungrier for success.

“Everybody is really excited to get back out the field and just play football again,” Stevens said. “Bar three fitness sessions, we had completed our entire preseason and yet we didn’t get to play a single competition game.

“We were physically, tactically and mentally ready to go and then it was taken away from us at the last moment. So everyone is chomping at the bit and everyone is very motivated to get back into it and go again.

“We are all hopeful that it can happen at some capacity this season.”

Not only has COVID-19 put a halt on Steven’s coaching at Tuggeranong United but has also affected his day job as the Football Administrator at Canberra Grammar School, looking after the school’s entire football program which consists of 27 teams.

“My work is pretty much full-time football which means I’m full-time not doing much at the moment,” Stevens said.

“I am missing the day-to-day interaction with the school’s coaches and the Tuggies squad and working towards a common goal. Simply, I am missing face-to-face contact.”

Instead of setting personal fitness programs in place for his squad, Stevens has been focussed on the health and wellbeing of his squad during self-isolation.

“Apart from encouraging people to be active individually with cardio and core workouts, we really focused on maintaining a happy and interactive group chat,” he said.

“It could be fun little quizzes or it could be favourite movie quotes. It wasn’t anything football related but it shared a little insight into one another.

“The focus is to keep the banter that the boys love and enjoy when they are at training. We want to make sure everyone is still interacting and hearing from each other.”