For our next All-Abilities April club spotlight we spoke to Paul Sirianni about why he started the Mitchell Rangers SC All-Abilities program with only one participant all those years ago.
Mitchell Rangers’ All-Abilities program started in 2016 when Paul Sirianni refused to let one player be excluded because of disability.
“I was coaching my young son at the time and one of the guys turned around and said I’d love to play football, but I can’t, which made me think,” he remembered.
“He said he couldn’t play because he is disabled, that really hit a nerve for me, I thought that can’t be right.”
Sirianni started training this one player one night a week from 5 pm-6 pm until word spread and more players joined his sessions.
The Mitchell Rangers All-Abilities program is targeted at all age groups and skill levels.
Due to the club’s location players are spread around and it is difficult to get a solid team of under 18s and over 18s, instead, I bring them all together and we train as a one,” Sirianni explained.
Mitchell Rangers has made registrations, uniforms, and any cost associated with participating in the program free to ensure there are no barriers to joining the club for the All-Abilities players.
In 2019, the program reached unprecedented heights with 45 players, however, when COVID-19 hit, only three players registered but the number of players is beginning to return to pre-pandemic levels.
Sirianni said having an All-Abilities program means Mitchell Rangers is a club for everybody.
“I know clubs say it, but we mean it,” he said.
“As far as skill level is concerned we don’t discriminate at any age bracket, some people have better skill sets than others but we all make sure everyone gets a go and a kick and enjoys themselves.
“The result at the end of the day is irrelevant whether you kick a goal or you don’t kick a goal, the main objective is that everyone participates and everyone has fun and has a go.”
Sirianni said it has been such a rewarding experience leading the program over the years.
“To be able to have an impact on someone's life because we have an All-Abiltiies program; makes me so happy,” he explained.
“It’s a life-changing experience for these players when they put that foot to the ball and kick it around. You can see the change in their face and realisation they can play the sport they love.”
Sirianni recommended that more clubs include All-Abilities programs as he explained it has been “absolutely brilliant” seeing the players develop their social and physical skills throughout the years.
“As soon as they start to realise it’s not as hard and difficult as they think it would be, everyone would get behind it,” he said.
“The players are incredible human beings, they appreciate the little things.
“It is all the things, us able body people take for granted day in and day out and we don’t really stop and smell the roses.
“Running the All-Abilities program has really put things into perspective.”