Magpies Sporting Club Mackay has announced the appointment of Mitch Milanovic as its new general manager.
Milanovic joins the Magpies from Victoria Point Sharks Sporting Club in South Brisbane, where he was club manager after rising through the ranks. He started working at Sharks at 17 years old as a glassy. After spending some time travelling and working in few other hospitality venues, he returned 18 months later and remained with the club up until now.
While Milanovic admitted to Club Management “it was really sad” to have moved on from the Sharks, he was after a new challenge.
“I was very comfortable,” he said.
“Of course, the Sharks had its challenges … but it reached a point where it was trading better than it ever had, and this role had come up, and the opportunity to run a club this size, especially with the renovations next y ear, it was too hard to knock back.”
In his new role Milanovic hopes to continue to drive the club’s support for the local community.
“The reason of our existence is the conduit between sport, especially grassroot sports that are bringing up all the juniors and sport has always played a big role in who I am as a person, so I want to make sure we keep giving that opportunity to the young kids,” he said.
“One of the other big drivers that got me up here as well is that I’m a big believer in community and all the benefits that a club like this brings to the community, especially in a regional town.”
Milanovic joins the club following the passing of former Magpies Sport Club general manager Darren Smith in June.
In a LinkedIn post, Magpies Sporting Club welcomed Milanovic to the Magpies family.
“Mitch has a down-to-earth personality and wealth of industry experience, supported by multiple diplomas and degrees, however what we’re really pleased about is how seamlessly he integrated into our Magpies family,” the club stated.
“His vision as a Club Manager aligns perfectly with Magpies purpose: to connect and make positive difference in our community, which inspired him to reach out to become a part of the Magpies team. He is passionate about connecting our community through sport and creating positive change from the grassroots level. He believes that as a community club, we have an obligation to provide a safe and welcoming environment where families can relax, connect, and enjoy.”