True (Red White &) Blue Eagles coach, makes adjustments. Returns for 2024.

Carl wasn’t necessarily looking for an NBL1 head coaching position when club President Tim Symons, approached him, and suggested he take on the gig and coach the 2023 NBL1 Men’s team.  “I have been at East Perth since I was 15 years old.  It is a second home to me.  Coaching the NBL1 team is an absolute honour and a privilege,” said Carl Filpo.  

But while it was an unexpected proposition, it was an easy decision for the East Perth Eagles who saw this as natural progression given Carl had already committed 4 years into the men’s programme, in an assistant coaches role.

And Carl’s involvement at Eagles extends far beyond the last 4 years. “My Dad was responsible for bringing East Perth to its first home in Malaga, establishing a new stadium that was his own business over 30 years ago.  I was coaching teams for him at 17 years old and haven’t really stopped.  Playing as a junior and looking up to some of the SBL players, some of who I still see and remain in contact with, including Brian King from Boise State and CJ Jackson, and watching them play all those years ago hold some great child-hood memories”, said Carl.

But with a statistically strong team and positive pre-season, the team didn’t quite turn the expected results as games seemed to slip through their fingers. 

Looking back Carl said, “Last season took longer than I expected for guys to gel and for me to find the right combinations and rotations.” Eagles welcomed back league stalwarts, Lee Roberts and Justin King but also introduced Sebit Reath, Jerami Grace, Taylor Young and Naaman Hightower. Born-and-bred Eagles players Nicolas Filpo and Jarrad Anastasio also returned, together with up-and-comers, Elijah Pawson and Noah Straatsma. 

But as the season played out, some difficult decisions had to be made if the team was to find success. “With a shift in mantra to a more defensive mind-set, a change in the starting line-up and a new recruit, we were able to turn our season around winning 6 of our last 8 and lay a foundation to be well placed for 2024” said Coach Carl. With the core group returning for the 2024 season, the team is poised to continue to build on their foundations with the Coach saying he expects his team to take a team-first approach, where selflessness and accountability are central to their success.

2024 will mark 10 years since the men last won a championship under now Cairns Taipans head coach, Adam Forde and up and comer Sunday Dech.  Coach Carl said, “I am confident that after some ups and downs over the past 10 years since winning the title, that we have a group of young men who are capable of challenging for the title again”.

The Eagles NBL1 teams will return to Morley Sport and Recreation centre to play in their new Nest in 2024. 

Feature Image by: Mark Filpo/Codex