FundAVA Raffle

Gisborne Soccer Club is immensely proud of our player Ava Ryan who has been selected to represent Victoria in the u12 girls School Sport Australian Championships in Perth this October. This is an amazing testament to her training and dedication to personal development …. it also comes with a significant financial expense of $5000! As a community, we would like to contribute to the expenses and support Ava and the Ryan family to have an amazing experience in Perth whilst cheering on Victoria.

100% of proceeds from this raffle up to $4000 will be donated to the Ryan family as a contribution to the costs of travelling to the School Sport Australian Championships in Western Australia. Any further proceeds will be donated to Gisborne Soccer Club and used to continue the development of our players to such a high standard.

Gisborne beats top team

This news article was written by Lucy Dowell and appears in the August edition of the Gisborne Gazette.

In a memorable match on 20 July, the Gisborne Senior Men’s soccer team delivered an impressive performance, defeating the top-ranked Lara United with a final score of 3-1. The victory marks a significant achievement for Gisborne, as the first team to get the better of Lara this season.

After conceding a goal just after halftime, Gisborne rallied with a remarkable effort, scoring three in the second half. With goals from John-Anthony Bennici, Vasko Vasilevski and Quinn Borg, the team’s offensive strength was on display. The match saw its fair share of intensity, with several players – including a certain ex-Socceroo – receiving yellow cards.

This was a testament to the high stakes and passionate play from bothteams, with their competitive instincts in full force. Under the guidance of new coach Carlos Grande and leadership of captain Sam Allen and vice-captain Hayden Formosa, Gisborne has emerged as a contender for promotion to State League 4.

The team has demonstrated exceptional growth and morale this season, positioning itself strongly with only five games remaining. Gisborne remains dedicated to maintaining its momentum and finishing the season on a high note.

Gisborne stays focused

This news article appears in the Star Weekly.

Mens Leadership Group

We are pleased to announce our Men’s leadership group for Season 2024.

• Sam Allen - Senior Captain

• Hayden Formosa - Senior Vice Captain

• Vince Ryan - Reserves Captain

• James Pernice - Reserves Vice Captain

Sam Allen has been a mainstay at the club since 2018, closing in on 100 games. He has previously captained our Reserves and a two-time Reserves Player Of The Year.

Hayden Formosa joins us this season having previously played for Balmoral FC, Westside Strikers & Brimbank Stallions.

Vince Ryan is in his 2nd season of our Mens program. He is well known around the club coaching two Junior/MiniRoos teams.

James Pernice is also a new face at the club, his experience comes from his time at Alphington FC, Darebin FC & Westside Strikers.

All four were standout choices for their roles having displayed their natural leadership and support right throughout the pre-season.

Coaches Mentor

We are pleased to announce the appointment of Andrew Krywula as Coaches Mentor for Season 2024.

Andrew brings 15 years playing & 15 years coaching experience.

He will be supporting our coaches from U8s right through to the Senior program.

2024 sees the biggest investment the club has made in coaching across the board. For the first time our Senior Men have 4 coaches for the State League program. We have also appointed Alex Phung & Cameron Emery as Junior Boys coaches as we look for a more structured pathway between the Junior & Senior programs.

Meanwhile in the Junior Girls program Carl Valeri & Vince Ryan continue in their roles as our girls continue to develop ready for the return of the Senior Womens program.

Supporting our coaches is a vital and another way to ensure we are getting the most value for our players to allow them to be the best versions of themselves.

Keep an eye out for Andrew at training!

Mens SL5 Fixtures

2024 Fixtures

Fixtures for the Mens State League competitions have been announced, we will host Bendigo City in the opening round.

Four of our first five games will be held at Dixon, we will host six games in the first half of the season.

A challenging away schedule awaits in the second half of the season, with trips to Bendigo, Ocean Grove, Ballarat and Lara over a five week period.

Our final home game will be against Deakin Uni in the penultimate round of the season.

Please note they are subject to change so please check fixtures on a regular basis.

Cup Opponent Revealed

Sunbury United have been drawn to host Gisborne SC for Round 1 of the 2024 Australia Cup.

The two clubs have never met in a Mens Senior fixture however there will be no shortage of familiar faces when we meet at Langama Park on February 10.

We come up against our former gaffer Danny Moore for the first time. His side on the day may include former Gisborne captains Jake McIntyre & Matthew Hume, whilst another former captain, Ian Anderson, is set to coach Sunbury’s reserves in a friendly arranged as a curtain raiser to the cup tie.

Mens Pre Season

Our Mens squad begin their 2024 campaign when they return to Pre Season training November 28.

Sessions will run every Tuesday & Thursday from 7:00pm for 4 weeks, then we have the end of year break, returning on January 9.

If you are a new player wishing to be part of our squad please fill on an Expression of Interest.

Mens Coaches Locked In

We are pleased to have finalised our Men’s Squad Coaches for Season 2024.

• Carlos Grande - Senior Coach

• Adrian Rodriguez - Senior Assistant Coach

• Sean Malloy - Reserves Coach

• Chris Borg - Reserves Assistant Coach

Season 2024 is the first time the club will have 4 coaches for our Mens squad. The club identified the need to ensure our young squad has ample support to help nurture and develop players to be the best versions of themselves.

Speaking at our recent squad gathering President Carl Valeri said:

We have a young and enthusiastic squad and now we have young and enthusiastic coaches to reflect that. Three of those coaches played with the squad last year, they communicate well with the team, they are well respected in the dressing room and they understand the club.

They also represent us as a pathway club, Sean & Chris in particular have risen through the ranks from Juniors to Seniors & now coaching, it’s the exact club vision we have of getting people involved no matter what stage they are at in their football journey.

We congratulate all four on their appointments.

The club is now recruiting Senior Men’s players to fill the squad. If interested in being a part of an exciting new chapter please fill in an Expression of Interest (EOI) form. Those who played at Gisborne SC in 2023 do not need to fill in the form, you will be notified of events via the app.

For any new any returning players we will be holding a meet and greet session towards the end of October. We will then train for 4-5 week starting November. Official pre-season will commence 9 January 2024.

Please complete your EOI as to ensure all dates and times are communicated to you.

New Reserves Assistant

We are delighted to announce the appointment of Chris Borg as the Men’s Reserves Assistant for Season 2024.

Chris began playing football at Sunbury at the age of 6 in the equivalent of todays MiniRoos competitions. He first came to Gisborne as a Junior for 2 seasons, playing in the U12’s & 13’s before returning to Sunbury for another year.

After taking a few years off Borg returned to football as an adult playing a season at Sunbury before coming back to Gisborne in 2015, where, with the exception of 1 year at Meadow Park, he has been ever since.

Prior to Covid Chris took on a player-coaching role in our Mens Thirds team. He was also a game-day Reserves Assistant in Season 2023.

We extend our congratulations to Chris on his appointment and wish him well for the upcoming season and beyond.

The club is now recruiting Senior Men’s players to fill the squad. If interested in being a part of an exciting new chapter please fill in an Expression of Interest (EOI) form. Those who played at Gisborne SC in 2023 do not need to fill in the form, you will be notified of events via the app.

Our pre-season will commence 28 November 2023, running for 4 weeks, then return 9 January 2024. Training is held on Tuesdays & Thursdays (7pm), some Saturday mornings (time TBC) will be included as well.

New Reserves Coach

We are thrilled to announce the appointment of Sean Malloy as the Men’s Reserves Coach for Season 2024.

Malloy began his football career at Gisborne, playing in the U18’s. He then switched to Kyneton to play senior football before returning home to Gisborne in 2011, our inaugural senior season, where he was an integral part of the title-winning team.

Sean has featured in all bar 2 of our senior seasons (due to injury), playing a plethora of outfield roles over the journey. He was named as squad captain for Season 2023.

Upon his appointment Malloy said:

The timing is right for me to move into a new role. I am looking forward to giving back to the club that has given me so much over the years, I look forward to helping with the development the next generation of players.

We extend our congratulations to Malloy on his appointment and wish him well for the upcoming season and beyond.

The club is now recruiting Senior Men’s players to fill the squad. If interested in being a part of an exciting new chapter please fill in an Expression of Interest (EOI) form. Those who played at Gisborne SC in 2023 do not need to fill in the form, you will be notified of events via the app.

Our pre-season will commence 28 November 2023, running for 4 weeks, then return 9 January 2024. Training is held on Tuesdays & Thursdays (7pm), some Saturday mornings (time TBC) will be included as well.

New Assistant Coach

We are pleased to announce the appointment of Adrian Rodriguez as the Senior Men’s Assistant Coach for Season 2024.

Upon his appointment Adrian said:

Hello, I'm Adrian. I've dedicated over 20 years of my life to playing football, as a goalkeeper. Additionally, I bring 5 years of coaching experience to the field. My coaching philosophy is centered on nurturing skill development, fostering teamwork, and instilling a genuine love for the sport.

I'm excited and proud to be working as an assistant alongside Carlos for the upcoming season. What truly fuels my passion is the opportunity to inspire young athletes and help them realize their full potential.

We congratulate Adrian on his appointment and wish him well for the upcoming season and beyond.

The club is now recruiting Senior Men’s players to fill the squad. If interested in being a part of an exciting new chapter please fill in an Expression of Interest (EOI) form. Those who played at Gisborne SC in 2023 do not need to fill in the form, you will be notified of events via the app.

Our pre-season will commence 28 November 2023, running for 4 weeks, then return 9 January 2024. Training is held on Tuesdays & Thursdays (7pm), some Saturday mornings (time TBC) will be included as well.

New Mens Coach

We are pleased to announce the appointment of one of our very own, Carlos Grande, as the Senior Men’s Coach for Season 2024.

Carlos joined Gisborne SC as a player in 2023 when he and his young family moved to town, a knee injury cruelly cutting his season short.

His previous history includes:

• Junior player at Springvale White Eagles and Casey comets.

• Part of an Australian academy that competed in the Disney Cup in Orlando, Florida (USA), Under 16’s, finishing 3rd.

• A small stint at Bentleigh Greens as a 18-19 yr old.

• Played 4 years at Brimbank Stallions, was part of the promotion to State League 3.

• Played a season at Maidstone United where he then started focusing on coaching Reserves for 2 years.

We wish Carlos all the best in his new role for Season 2024 and beyond.

The club is now recruiting Senior Men’s players to fill the squad. If interested in being a part of an exciting new chapter please fill in an Expression of Interest (EOI) form. Those who played at Gisborne SC in 2023 do not need to fill in the form, you will be notified of events via the app.

For any new any returning players we will be holding a meet and greet session towards the end of October. We will then train for 4-5 week starting November. Official pre-season will commence 9 January 2024.

Please complete your EOI as to ensure all dates and times are communicated to you.

Thanks Tony & Jamie

Gisborne SC advises we have parted ways with our Senior Men's & Women's coaches, Tony & Jamie Ivanov.

We extend our thanks to both Tony & Jamie for their passion, dedication and professionalism during their time with us. We wish them both well in their future endeavours.

Presentation Evening 2023

The Presentation Evening for our Senior teams was held on September 8.

We extend our congratulations to the following award recipients:

GOLDEN BOOT:

MSL Reserves: Franco Mangano
WSL Team: Arlo Kappel
MSL Seniors: Tyson Lopez

COACHES AWARD:

MSL Reserves: Joel Campbell
WSL Team: Ruby Haberman
MSL Seniors: Darby Hester

PLAYERS PLAYER:

MSL Squad: Luca Malignaggi
WSL Team: Emily Walduck

PLAYER OF THE YEAR:

MSL Reserves: Aidan Crisp
WSL Team: Arlo Kappel
MSL Seniors: Tyson Lopez

Mens Shirt Presentation

Last night we launched the 2023 Senior Mens Season by revealing the new kit, along with announcing our shirt numbers for the year.

This years kit design features a unique striped zig-zag pattern in 2 shades of Sky Blue. “1998” appears on the back of the shirt, just under the collar, referencing the year the club was established.

We are also pleased to announce our Mens Shirt sponsors for 2023:

Procon Training will feature on the front of the shirt. Procon extend their partnership with us, having previously appeared on our Boys 17 shirts in 2022, their signage also sits atop of the home bench at Dixon Field. Procon also appear on the back of our alternate White shirt, used during the Australia Cup.

Sopranos Pizza Bar have also extended their partnership with us. After sponsoring “Sopranos Round” last season they have decided increase their support and will feature on the back of the shirt, beneath the numbers.

We extend our thanks to both Procon Training & Sopranos Pizza Bar for their on-going support.

Players were presented their numbers using the White Cup Kit,
made possible by Holgate Brewhouse & Procon Training.

The new kit is expected to arrive in time for Round 4, the first 3 rounds will see us wear either our Navy clash kit, or our White cup kit.

Mens State League Fixtures

Fixtures have been announced for our Mens Senior & Reserves teams.

We commence the season with 2 home games in a row, the first being against Barnstoneworth United, a fixture which last year was played away due to ground conditions.

Our first away trip is Round 3 when we go head to head with Moonee Ponds United for the first time ever at State League level.

Round 7 is the first our our 2 night games for the season, away at Truganina. The second night fixture is against Keilor Wolves in Round 13, which will be played on a Friday night.

We also have 2 twilight fixtures, the first being away to Spring Hills in Round 8, the second sees a trip to Barwon in Round 15.

Our other 2 trips to Geelong or beyond are both in August, Round 20 we head to Surf Coast in Torquay, 2 weeks later we’re in Bell Park for the last game of the season.

Please note: Fixtures are subject to change at short notice.

New Cup Threads

With thanks to Holgate Brewhouse we are pleased to reveal our new Cup kit.

The all-white kits will be worn by our Mens team for our Australia Cup fixtures, as well as our Womens team for our Nike FC Cup fixtures. They will also double as a thirds kit throughout the season if required.

The pattern is inspired by Jackson’s Creek, which runs through Gisborne and along side our home, Dixon Field.

Future is now for Gisborne

This news article appears in the Star Weekly.

New Coaches Appointed

We are pleased to announce the appointment of one of our very own - Carl Valeri as the Senior Men’s Coach for Season 2023.

The Championship winning Melbourne Victory captain takes over the reigns after the departure of Glen Bristow.

The Senior Men’s squad will be further supported and strengthened by the appointment of Mick Spasojevic as Assistant Coach, who took the U17 Boy's to the finals in 2022.

The club is now recruiting Senior Men’s players to fill the squad, with the unique opportunity to be guided by a former Socceroo. If interested in being a part of an exciting new chapter please email us at enquiries@gisbornesc.com