A new Juniors Committee has been elected to build on the excellent work started last year, and continue taking the juniors forward. One of the committee’s main jobs will be overseeing a major upgrade of the juniors’ facilities.
At the juniors annual general meeting last week, John Nakic was appointed President. Mick Budija was re-elected Treasurer, with the rest of the committee comprising:
Milena Galesic
Matt Bulic
Sandy Jesenek
Ivan Grabovac
Tom Loncar
Luben Abalos
Peter and Rosemary Matthews
Lilly Dropuljic
Ross Dell Universita
Outgoing president Steve Horbec, who was recently appointed to the senior Board of Directors, congratulated the new committee. He praised the outgoing committee, saying the juniors were in a “very healthy financial position”. He said the juniors had taken big, positive strides forward in the past 12 months, with a strong focus on accountability.
One of the highlights was setting up a Youth Development Committee to oversee a Youth Development Program.
“This committee has been established to give the club a defined direction in the development of junior and youth players,” he said.
“The purpose of which is to help the Junior Committee in the soccer operations of the juniors. The people in this committee have had a long-term involvement with the club at different levels, everyone is committed in giving our juniors every chance of becoming elite players.”
Coaches from the U13s to U16s hand-pick players who enter the Youth Development Program to get separate, specialist and high-intensity training by a coach, Robert Krajacic, employed to focus solely on the program.
The program is generating a lot of interest.
Youth Development Program coach, Mr Robert Krajacic, played for many years with Premier League clubs St.Albans and Bulleen. He brings a wealth of experience to the club. He is supported by Ivan Istuk, the Youth Development Committee’s technical director.
“I think with the combination of these two we can expect to see some youth players knocking on the door to senior selection in the very near future,” Mr Horbec said.
He said because Mr Budija would continue to serve on the juniors committee the juniors could be assured they will continue to be well-managed.
“Mick allows us to have strong financial control of the entire structure, complementing his role as a member of the Youth Development Committee,” he said.
“He has done an outstanding job for the juniors and I’m sure this new season he will make more people stand up and take notice of what we are achieving at the Melbourne Knights Junior Soccer Club.”
“Mr Nakic, whose father is a former president of the Melbourne Knights, will bring many new ideas and be fantastic for the juniors”, Mr Horbec said.
Mr Nakic also serves on the Youth Development Committee.
Mr Horbec said the work being done at the juniors and senior level will make the 2000/2001 season another milestone for the Melbourne Knights.
“Everyone is working tirelessly on the senior level, with some major announcements planned in the next few months and the plans we are working on will have an impact on soccer in this country,” he said.