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Matt Kempton appointed senior coach
Matt Kempton appointed senior coach
13 September 2011
Uni Blacks are delighted to announce that Matt Kempton has been appointed as senior coach for season 2012.
Matt grew up in Hamilton where he played some junior and some senior football for Hamilton FC before joining North Ballarat in the TAC Cup for two seasons.
Matt then attended St Mary’s College while studying and through a North Ballarat connection joined St Kevin’s, at the time playing in A Grade. Matt played four years of A Grade with St Kevin's including two final series and one grand final. As a side note, one year St Kevin's stopped Old Xavs run of premierships, thereby preserving the record still held by Uni Blacks.
Matt was selected in the VAFA representative team in 2001 and was runner up in the St Kevins Best & Fairest in 2003.
After a stellar A Grade career with St Kevin's, Matt joined the Blacks in 2004 in D Grade, mainly as his brother Paul was playing here. The Blacks won premierships in D Grade in 2004 and C Grade in 2005 and were promoted to A Grade in 2007.
Matt won the B Grade competition Best and Fairest in 2006. The Brendan Keilar Medal, an award based on the votes of players, was first awarded in 2007 and Matt was the inaugural winner. Matt won the Brendan Keilar Medal again in 2008 and captained the Blacks from 2006 to 2008 with passion and distinction.
Matt was an outstanding footballer, an outstanding on field leader and we are sure Matt will be an outstanding off field leader of the Blacks in 2012.
The Blacks are also delighted to advise that Stave Cerni will again coach the Under 19s in 2012. Steve has done a wonderful job in 2011 and with many players still eligible for Under 19s in 2012 we are in a great position to build on what has been a most encouraging year of Under 19 football.
Other 2012 coaching positions will be confirmed over the spring as will pre-season arrangements.
The Blacks offer heartfelt thanks to Marc Woolnough and Chris Barrett for their dedicated and passionate coaching at the Blacks over several seasons.