Tara Murray
New Melton South Royals coach Blake Ivory had the itch to step up and coach again.
Having previously coached the Victorian Turf Cricket Association club, Ivory has stepped back and just captained the club’s second XI in recent seasons.
But with Dean Pirro stepping down as coach due to work commitments, Ivory found the urge to coach again.
“I’ve been in the role before,” he said. “I came to the club in 2015 and coached for five years.
“I’ve always had a strong interest in coaching, but I needed a break and I had a young son.
“I stepped away from it for a few years, but the passion and the bug is back and I’m ready to get back into it.”
Ivory said he enjoyed captaining the second XI for the past four or five seasons as it allowed him to continue in a leadership role, with the team making grand finals and semi finals.
In a positive sign for the Royals, Pirro will remain at the club and continue to play a key role in their senior side.
“Dean has been a very integral player for the club since juniors,” Ivory said.
“With work commitments, it made it a little bit difficult at the end of the year. He works night shift.
“He will continue to add leadership.”
Ivory said the core group from last season had already re-signed led by division 5 competition beat and fairest winner Sameera Vithana.
The club’s other two Sri Lankans Thiwanka Kekulawala and Sachika Udarahave headed home but are returning in August ahead of next season.
Ivory said they believed they had one of the stronger squads in the division and they would look add a couple more pieces
Ivory said the team was determined to improve on the last couple of seasons and finally earn promotion into division 4.
He said there had been some disappointment the last couple of years, having fell just short in division 5.
“We feel like we’ve been in the top two to three teams both year,” he said. “It’s a matter of moments, things here or there that could have gone either way.
“We feel like we deserve the opportunity. We have to do the basics a bit better. East Coburg beat us by three runs in the semi final, they were a good side and ended up winning the grand final comfortably.
“It was bittersweet and hopefully we can build on that this season.”
Outside of the seniors, things are going well for the club as it approaches its second season back at the Melton Recreation Reserve.
The club’s junior program is continuing to grow with the club having four sides last season.
