IT was a day to remember for the Mitchell Rangers Soccer Club, bringing up 10 years of its All Abilities team with an incredible All Abilities Gala Day.
Rangers were pleased to announce on the day that it would set up its first ever junior All Abilities team to complement its senior teams, hosting Come and Try sessions for juniors, while also hosting friendly matches.
Member for Euroa Annabelle Cleeland opened the day, while teams from across the state attended.
A friendly match between Rangers and the Regional All Abilities Rebellion Football Team was a highlight of the day.
On social media, Mitchell Rangers looked back at the achievements of the club over the last 10 years.
“What started in 2016 with just one player has grown into a program that has welcomed players, created lifelong friendships and proven that football truly is a game for everyone,” they said.
“Over the past decade, we’ve celebrated goals, smiles, confidence, teamwork and belonging, because at Mitchell Rangers, inclusion isn’t just something we talk about, it’s who we are.”
Rangers’ All Abilities coach Paul Sirianni said it was incredible to mark 10 years of the program at the club.
“It has been astronomical to see the variety of players, the variety in age, skill level; and they’re all getting along, playing the game, the smiles, the excitement, the fun, the laughter – that’s what it’s all about. The whole community getting involved, participating, enjoying what it is,” he said.
“It’s just a game, but it’s more than that – it’s about being part of a team, knowing they belong, they’re safe.
“It started from one player who said he wanted to play, but he couldn’t. It got me up as to say ‘yes, you can play’, and I brought him to the club. It was the two of us, and we’re kicking the ball to each other. Then it grew to 22 players by the end of the season.
“We kept it going, then COVID came and slowed everything down a bit, and now we’re started to rev up again. The club, the committee of the club and the community have been amazing.
“They’re so welcoming, they’re so accommodating, nothing has been an issue, nothing’s been a problem. Whatever we’ve needed, the club has bent over backwards to provide.”
Sirianni said the club was incredible in providing access to ensure everyone could play.
“It’s in our nature, where if you want to play, we’ll let you play, and we’ll do what we have to do to be able to let you play. I asked the club this year for balls that rattled and beeped for people that have impaired vision, and the club were able to resource and get them for me. There are players who do have impaired vision who can kick the ball around now – whereas in the past, they’d kick it the first time and then struggle to find it. Now, they can play,” he said.
Sirianni said while winning awards on and off the field has been fantastic for Rangers’ program, which has been recognised by Football Victoria as a winner of the Club Spirit Award, it wasn’t about that, it was about generating smiles for participants.
“For us, all these accolades are great, and we don’t shy back from them, as there’s a lot of work and effort that goes into it, but we don’t do it for accolades, we do it for smiles on the players’ faces,” he said.
“It makes my heart sing. The guys have been fantastic, and I do what I do, because of them.”
Unfortunately, the senior men’s team had to forfeit on the weekend, while in the State League 4 Women’s competition, Mitchell Rangers took away a point on Sunday against the Boroondara Eagles.
Romany Faulknor gave Rangers a 17th minute lead from the spot, before Eliza Meallin levelled things up in the 25th minute.
Neither team could break the deadlock, with Rangers taking their eighth point of the year, staying in ninth place.
