![Scott Stephens, pictured coaching Launceston in 2023. Picture by Brian Allen Scott Stephens, pictured coaching Launceston in 2023. Picture by Brian Allen](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/8mt7fPj3AeZSAF4grZ2EUc/9583d041-7c11-46bc-9fee-09b1e62099e7.jpg/r470_0_2193_1416_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Scott Stephens has almost done it all at Launceston Football Club.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
Having played over 200 games for the Blues as well as captaining, coaching and spending several seasons as director of football, Stephens added club president to that list earlier this month.
Like many others who take on major roles, giving back to the club is at the front of his mind, however the former Tasmanian Devils player admitted he initially had reservations.
"My life's busy with work and my wife's work and my kids, so I'm not present at the footy club enough to be in that role - that's always been my initial thoughts on it," he said.
"But just navigating our way through this change of competition, it was pretty clear after Don [Jones] stepped down that we didn't have someone.
"I'm happy to assist the club and help out in that role but the key thing to me was having a strong board and enough support around me to do a lot of the day-to-day lifting and running of the club."
With the end of the Tasmanian State League approaching after the upcoming season, 2025 shapes as a big year for Northern football.
Launceston and North Launceston will spearhead a newly-formed Northern Premier League, with four sides from the NTFA set to join them.
With the application process ongoing and clubs to be announced before the start of next season, Stephens elaborated on Launceston's position.
"Our main focus at this point in time is just really concentrating on our four walls and making sure we've got strong governance for the next 12 months," he said.
"Making sure we're financially sound and we leave ourselves in a really strong position because going into this competition, funding will be removed.
"That obviously has been critical in us staying and remaining viable in the State League with the additional costs associated with playing in that league, so it's about being strong enough to be in a position to stand on our own two feet in 12 months' time."
![Former Launceston president Don Jones alongside Fletcher Bennett and Janie Finlay. Picture by Paul Scambler Former Launceston president Don Jones alongside Fletcher Bennett and Janie Finlay. Picture by Paul Scambler](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/8mt7fPj3AeZSAF4grZ2EUc/22aaf4ea-89da-4dce-a45a-77300edfc831.jpg/r168_275_5388_3316_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Stephens had been sitting as the acting president since Jones stepped down at the end of the TSL season and was officially appointed at the club's annual general meeting on December 11.
Alongside him is a board of 10 others, who he said have a variety of experience and expertise.
"We've got some really strong women on the board that are going to help us in some fundraising but also assisting with the women's program," he said.
"Just making sure that they're looked after because that is an area of growth within the club so we need to make sure that we're trying to maximise the growth in that area.
"We've also got some super passionate club people that have been around forever, so they know the ins and outs of the club plus the day-to-day running.
"Then we've got some business experience as well, just to really help us make sure we're spending money in the right areas and on the governance side of things, that we're doing things in the right way to remain strong culturally but also viably."
Stephens said he won't be in an official football role, like the director title he has held in recent years but will assist coaches Mitch Thorp and Kurt Wheeler wherever necessary.