Byron Bay Football Club’s technical director Chris Layland has been named as Sportsperson of the Year by the Byron Shire Council.
Layland was singled out as a natural coach to players in the club as well as a tecaher to younger coaches, according to the BSC.
He has also created a number of relationships with some of Australia’s biggest clubs in the cities. This is a pathway for Byron’s most talented players to be able to work towards a professional career, something that used to be very difficult for players from this region.
One year into this new arrangement players Samuel Shepherd and Griffin Bambach have signed U/20s contracts with Western Sydney Wanderers and Sydney Olympic.
In 2018 Chris and his son Christian Layland become Australian champions after steering their New South Wales team to victory in the FFA U/13 National Youth Championships.
Also as part of his role as technical director he coaches Byron’s Summer Youth League team in one of the three major competitions in the area. The Byron side has won back-to-back titles in the tournament.
