Footscray has announced a new women’s coach for next year’s Hockey Victoria premier league season.
Craig Morton is no stranger to the Bulldogs or its women’s program and will now step into the women’s coaching role from next season.
“Craig enters our coaching team with a wealth of hockey playing and coaching experience and after his two and a half years at the kennel as a MPL [men’s premier league] player, he looks forward to commencing coaching,”the club said on social media.
“Having coached five weeks of Women’s PL at FHC last season, the squad is already familiar with Craig’s coaching style, expectations and communication skills.
“Craig has coached premier league equivalent at Kelburne HC and BromBecks HC in Scotland-England as well as women’s seconds and thirds teams.
“As assistant coach for Scotland national junior squads and extensive junior coaching at Sevenoaks HC, Cranbrook School and Radnor House.
“Craig has been heavily involved in FHC’s Junior Academy program and mentorship of young athletes.”
As a player Morton played throughout the Scotland junior national program with international caps for Scotland under-16, under-18 and under-21 level as well as six years in the top divisions of English Hockey League and seven premiership winning teams in Scotland for Kelburne.
He recently finished runners-up in the Bulldogs’ men’s premier league’s best and a fairest.
Morton replaces Alex Shirley as coach.
The Bulldogs finished in eighth spot with six wins this year.
The average age of the team this year was the youngest the club had ever fielded in the premier league in 12 or 13 years, with a lot of strong talent coming through.
“We’d like to sincerely thank Alex Shirley for coaching the PL squad since 2020 and wish him well in his future endeavours,” the club said on its social media post.
