New Laverton coach Michael Middleton is focused on making sure the pathway from the club’s under-18s and juniors into the senior program is as strong as possible.
Middleton has been named the Magpies new coach as he steps up from being the coach of the joint Laverton and Manor Lakes under-18 side last year.
Middleton said he had always wanted to take that step into senior coaching.
“I’m looking forward to stepping up,” he said. “I’ve been developing our under-16s and under-18s and the next progression is into senior football.
“We’re creating that journey through so they can see what we can create for them and make sure the pathway is stronger.”
Middleton said most of their under-18 group this season was bottom age, so it will be 12 months before most of them are ready to play senior football full time.
The group finished the season in third spot and played finals this year in a big boost for the club.
“We had 24 bottom age players,” he said. “It’s been quite some time since the club has seen some solid success.
“Laverton from the senior side and Manor Lakes from the junior side collectively we’ve been able to build a solid program to get them up there.
“Hopefully they will get there next year.
“There are some who will get to play some senior football this year.
“We’re building a younger side to go with the strong core group that we have. We want that longevity for years to come.”
Middleton said ongoing coach Nick Waddell had been able to attract a number of younger players across into the senior program
He said he wanted to continue not only what Waddell had done, but president and former coach Tony Jofre had done.
“We’ve got new club rooms, new jumpers,” he said. “He’s [Jofre] turned things around at Laverton and I wanted to do the same thing with the team.
“I want to build off the work he has done. I want to build on the senior program and the junior program.”
Middleton said they had a two-year plan for the next two seasons and then see where they are at as they build towards some team success.
The Magpies in their announcement said Middleton brings passion, education, and purpose to the role, with an unmatched ability to elevate young footballers into senior-level athletes.
“If a coach’s playbook was like a textbook guiding young talent to become doctors, then Micka is the professor,” it said.
“In just 12 months, he transformed the Laverton-Manor Lakes under-18s program from a simple idea into a first-year bottom-age side that became a well-oiled machine, reaching a preliminary final.”
