It was the case of the right time for Brendan Smith when the Laverton women’s coaching job came up for this year’s Western Football League season.
Smith, who coached North Sunshine’s inaugural women’s side, had been coaching women’s teams elsewhere the past few years
Smith said he was excited to take on the role at the Magpies.
“We’ve got a great bunch of girls hanging around from last season,” he said. “That is going to make things a little bit easier.
“Last season I was at Melbourne Uni in the VAFA [Victorian Amateur Football Association].
“Coming from Geelong, it’s a little bit closer. I think it was a case it popped up at the right time.”
Smith said he still had a few contacts in the league and remembers coaching against Laverton.
“They were a good bunch to coach about,” he said.
With the late coaching appointment, Smith has hit the ground running.
He said a number of the playing group had already recommitted before he was appointed.
“I think we are sitting at about 20 to 25 girls that are committed to having a run around this year,” he said.
“It’s always interesting at this time of year, you never know.
“Apparently the girls want this whole process to continue.
”I’m always looking for more players. It’s all good and well to say you have 25 committed, you never know from week to week.”
“The club had its 100th anniversary last year and this year we look to the next 100 years.”
“Hopefully we can have the girls in that history in a positive way.”
Smith said they were always looking for more players and encouraged anyone who was interested to come down.
The Magpies won two games last season after the two divisions were merged having made finals in division 2 before that.
Smith said they were hoping to continue to improve.
“We are hoping to improve on the win-loss ratio,” he said. “Success is an interesting one.
“Success can be so many different ways. It could be premierships or it could be the fact that four or five girls who couldn’t kick over a jam jar at the start of the year can kick 25 metres at the end of the season.
Pre-season training has started. The team is currently training Monday and Wednesday night at Laverton Park from 6.15pm.
Anyone interested in playing can contact Steph on 0431 061 640.
