Austin Stacks, team manager, Stephen Stack Photo by Dermot Crean.
STEPHEN Stack, may describe himself as an outsider, but as the man that has steered Austin Stacks to their first senior county title in 20 years, he will forever have a special place on “the street of champions”.
In two short years since the Listowel man took the reins at Austin Stacks, the changearound has been nothing short of remarkable. After a crushing 16 point loss to Dr Crokes in last year’s final it looked like the promised land was as far away ever.
“Me and William Kirby were standing in the clubhouse at the end of the bar blind drunk after the defeat to Crokes,” said Stephen Stack, speaking to TraleeToday.ie at the Austin Stacks Clubhouse in Connolly Park on Sunday night.
“William started hitting the top of the bar and began saying ‘we have to work harder Stephen, we have to work harder!’ Of all the things I took on board last year it was that,” said Stack.
“I started planning again the Tuesday after the county final and I felt one place where we needed change the most was in our strength and conditioning. After the game to Crokes, I was taken by how we were blown away physically,” said Stack.
Another aspect of the Stacks success has been the development and continued improvement of youth that has strengthened the panel considerably .
“We had two, A versus B, games in the last four weeks and on two occasions the B’s beat the A’s. I know of very few clubs that have a panel strong enough to actually do that,” said Stack.
The Rock’s fanatical support were also foremost in Stack’s mind.
“After losing to Crokes last year, if there was anything that was going to drive us on, it was going to be the loyalty of the support and I will never ever forget that,” said the Rock boss.
The Rock’s championship will continue to roll on into the winter. Next up, Cork champions Ballincollig in Austin Stack Park, on Sunday, November 16.
“Planning for Ballincollig begins on Wednesday, we have to embrace the challenge that is put in front of us and we’re certainly going to do that,” said Stack.
See Stephen Stack talking to Gavin O’Connor of TraleeToday.ie in the video below…
