After three years at the helm of the Hay Lions senior football team, Jason Aylett has stepped down from coaching with a premiership win and a heart full of memories.

The redemption of this year’s grand final victory was particularly sweet after the heartbreak of losing by just one point the previous year. “Last year’s loss hurt immensely, especially by one point,” Aylett said.

“It made this one feel so much better and we got the redemption we were after.”

Originally planning to finish after two years, Aylett couldn't devastating loss. walk away after that devastating loss.

“That bugged me the whole preseason, so I didn’t want to leave on that note,” he said. “The idea was to do one more year.”

For Aylett, the satisfaction of winning wasn’t just about the trophy, it was about the people.

“The satisfaction of winning is more about the club, the volunteers, the supporters, but more so the players and what they went through with the work they put in to achieve their goal,” he said.

“To see their faces after the siren sounds is something I'll never forget.”

He also treasured witnessing the pride of parents who had driven their children to countless sporting events over the years.

“In some cases, we had a few gentlemen who had kids there to witness that, to be part of the song and celebration afterwards,” Aylett said.

“Those people will remember that forever.” While Aylett has hung up his coaching whistle, he’ll remain an active supporter and contributor to the club.

The Lions are entering an exciting new era, joining the Central Murray league with its 11 teams, including four elite powerhouses.

“It’s a whole new challenge,” Aylett said.

“You get familiar with every single player in the league and understand everything inside out and back to front. So, a bigger league, it’s a bigger carrot.”

He’s optimistic about the Lions’ chances in the first year of the new competition.

“There’s an opportunity. It’d be pretty exciting to go in first year and beat some of the big boys straight up,” he said.

The club has maintained almost its entire playing list, with around 50 senior players and another 30 in reserves competing this year.

Aylett is particularly excited about the club’s junior development, with the under-15s claiming their own premiership this year.

“There's a big core group of really, really talented 15s,” he said. “The future is super bright.”

The introduction of under-12s competition is another game-changer for the club's future.

“Previously, it was like just an Auskick scenario,” Aylett explained.

“Kids just want to play, so everyone goes to rugby league, but then once you get to 14s, there's no rugby league, so everyone comes back to AFL.

“Now they get to play these teams, which means more years of development and understanding the nuances of the game. By the time they get to 17s level, they'll be more complete footballers.”

With football wrapped up, Aylett now turns his attention to cricket, where he remains an active player.

The upcoming cricket season brings exciting changes, with the competition extending and Hay now fielding five teams.

“That's incredible for a little town to have that sort of interest,” he said.

“It starts this weekend and it's pretty good to have a few weeks break.”

Hay has been particularly successful in representative cricket, winning the Creek Cup multiple times in recent years.

Last year’s Hedges Cup victory stands out as one of the greatest sporting achievements in Hay’s history. Sport has always been central to Aylett’s life. Growing up as one of five brothers, competition and teamwork were constants.

“Sport was everything growing up,” he said.

“It was not just about achieving and being the best, you can be, but it's about being part of a team, winning and creating memories.”

As a young person, Aylett excelled at virtually every sport; cricket, football, tennis, swimming, touch football, athletics, netball, mixed netball and basketball.

"Everything that was available, I tried into everything,” he said.

That diverse sporting background has given him a deep appreciation for what local athletes achieve.

Aylett is immensely proud of how Hay continues to dominate regional sport despite its small population and the challenge of spreading talent across multiple codes.

“From an AFL perspective, all the teams we play are just solely AFL towns,” he noted.

“We’ve got to spread our talent between three codes, AFL, rugby league and union, which is incredibly difficult.”

“With a bit of luck this year, we could have created some history by winning all three codes, which would be really remarkable.”

He credits the town’s sporting success to its facilities, culture and the volunteers who make it all possible. “We’re privileged that people do play and we appreciate it,” Aylett said.

“A lot of people these days are making a choice not to play, they’d rather work or run their business, or they don’t want to get injured, or they’re sacrificing time away from young families.

“It’s not just AFL, there’s so many sports that Hay people are excelling in, and a lot of that's got to do with the facilities and the opportunities we get, even though we are so isolated.”

The club’s netball numbers have also exploded, something Aylett views as vital to the club’s future.

“The numbers for the girls are incredible,” he said.

“More people we get involved means more families become part of the club, and that leads to not only success on the field but also the friendships.

“That’s what it’s all about, the more people, the better.”

As Aylett moves into the next chapter of his involvement with the Lions, he does so with great pride in what the team achieved together.

“There’s a great deal of satisfaction,” he reflected. “But the satisfaction of winning is more about seeing what the players achieved and the pride their families have. That’s what I'll remember most."