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Adam Biggs has unveiled his coaching staff amid the build up to the Coventry Jets inaugural open day. The event, to be held at the Alan Higgs Centre on Sunday the 13th of December, is designed to bring rookie recruits into the sport as well as being a chance for last seasons junior (14-16 year old) squad to meet their new coaches as they step up to youth level (16-19 year old).

Biggs' staff features a host of Jets' players with a wealth of playing and coaching experience. Running back Lawrence Grugeon, who returns to the Jets’ senior team after a season in which he played with both the Staffordshire Surge and Leicester Falcons, has accepted the role of Offensive Co-ordinator and Running Backs Coach. Grugeon, who was an original member of the Coventry Jaguars, spent 5 years with the team and left shortly after the Jets’ Britbowl XXII victory. 

On the other side of the ball is Adam O’Reilly who will coach defensive line as well as act as Defensive Co-ordinator. O’Reilly, who can play on either line and has frequently been asked to do so in the same game, is also a Jets veteran and has recently coached university football at both Warwick and Coventry. Steve Booth returns to the Jets for the first time in three years, the fearsome linebacker, who suffered a long term injury has been brought back into the fold alongside former Nene Valley Hybrid team mate Wayne Gumbs.

Gumbs, currently in his second spell with the Jets, originally arrived at the same time as Booth after the Hybrids folded in 2005. After three years with the Jets Gumbs left to play at the Peterboro’ Saxons with his brother but returned after a two year absence as he wanted to play at a higher level. The Jets’ 2009 Most Improved Player will coach defensive backs, the position that both he and Biggs play for the senior team.

Biggs meanwhile will also coach wide receiver, a position that he previously played for Great Britain’s youth squad. Former NFL Europe invitee Roman Von Der Goltz will be charged with making sure the wide receivers are kept busy as he looks after the quarterback position. Roman played for his hometown club, the Munich Cowboys, before being offered a slot on the practice squad of an NFL Europe team. Unfortunately for Von Der Goltz a knee injury brought his playing career to a premature end forcing the Bavarian native to turn to coaching.

Paul Rickhuss will coach offensive line as well as be Biggs’ right hand man in the role of Assistant Head Coach. The Texan born centre played full back in high school but switched to defensive line when he arrived in the UK a decade ago. Long serving Jets linebacker and youth academy head, Dave Cowen will coach special teams and took the opportunity to thank the Heart of England Community Foundation when the positions were announced.

“The Heart of England have been tremendously supportive of not just ourselves but of many fantastic organisations throughout the city” stated Cowen “I don’t think we could’ve got this thing off the ground without their backing, they’ve been fantastic for us”. Finally, Cowen announced a string of assistants that read like a who’s who of Jets football including Keiran McManus, Parm Sidhu, Paul Newey and legendary Head Coach Gerry McManus.

All of the Jets’ youth team coaches will be present at the open day this coming Sunday. Registration for the event begins at 11:45 with warm ups and testing scheduled to begin 15 minutes later. It’ll cost £2 to participate and hopefuls have been asked to bring a drink, a water bottle and training apparel suitable for an outdoor 3G pitch. For further details please see the Jets’ website www.coventryjets.co.uk.