All-Abilities April has arrived and will be sharing the stories of clubs and experiences of participants in different programs. In our first installment, we talked to the Glen Eira FC All-Abilities captain about his what the program means to him.
Glen Eira FC has a strong focus on participation, enjoyment and player development regardless of age, background, or ability level. The club has one of the oldest Wheelchair Football teams, currently playing out of Springer's Leisure Centre and its All-Abilities team participates in Football Victoria's All-Abiltiies League in the social division.
Luca Giannessi joined Glen Eira's All-Abilities side five years ago and hasn’t looked back.
“I love playing the All-Abilities League, it is really good for people with disability to be able to play sport,” he said.
“What I love about football is helping my teammates, whether it's shooting goals, dribbling past opponents, or being in goals.
“What I enjoy most about playing football is the camaraderie, the friends you make with your team and around the league.
“As captain, I am responsible for talking to the team and telling them which way we want to shoot, my teammates come to me for advice.”
The All-Abilities League started in 2017 to enable players with a disability to have the opportunity to play football in a safe and inclusive environment.
The league consists of a competitive, semi-competitive, and social league for ages 14 and over and a junior’s league for ages 6 to 14.
Giannessi and his Glen Eira teammates have been working hard over the off-season with the All-Abilities League set to return for 2023 on April 29.
“We have been working on our dribbling, shooting and defence,” he said.
“I can’t wait for it to start up again, we’ve been training on Saturdays to be ready.”
Giannessi plays all over the pitch, but he explained nothing tops kicking goals.
“I am a striker but also a midfield and sometimes I go in goals if my coach needs me,” he said.
“My favourite position is striker because I know where to go in offence and defence if our opponents get the ball.”
When he steps onto the field, Giannessi feels a sense of pride, following in his father’s footsteps.
“Football is in my blood, my dad used to play and now I play in his honour,” he stated.
“He passed it on to me and I am following in his legacy.”
Giannessi is a massive Fiorentina fan in Italy’s Serie A, while he is a die-hard Melbourne City fan and loves Box Hill in the NPL.