Glen Eira FC is a community football (soccer) club based in the south-eastern suburbs of Melbourne, Australia. As a grassroots club, there is a strong primary focus is on participation, enjoyment and player development.

Glen Eira isn’t focused on results.  Parents & players seeking a results-based club, might do better to look elsewhere.

The club isn’t culturally or ethnically aligned with any particular section of the community – Glen Eira FC welcomes any person of any age and any ethnicity/cultural background.   We also welcome people with any ability and/or disability.

General Manager

Glen Eira FC has recognised the value in appointing a full time General Manager.  Stewart Howell was president from 2014 to 2017.  He looks after Operational and Administrative matters on a day-to-day basis.

Parent Involvement

Glen Eira is a community-based club which relies on the goodwill and generosity of volunteers to look after the teams. Usually the Coach, Assistant Coach and Team Manager are a player’s parent. There are also quite a number of teams with non-parent coaches. The Club provides free basic coaching courses at our home grounds, as well as covering the costs of mid-level coaching courses. The Club Coaching Coordinator organises the coaching courses and provides any other help and support that Coaches and Assistant Coaches need throughout the season.

In contrast, other clubs have higher fees and paid coaches. Their sign-up fee could be viewed more like a customer-supplier relationship — you pay for a service and that club is held up to scrutiny if that service doesn’t meet expectations.  The sign-up fee at Glen Eira on the other hand, is more like an entry fee to join a group of families who enjoy the social aspect of the game and are happy to participate and contribute in order to get a good outcome for their own kids.  Parents who can’t help out, in other words, those who are looking to pay for a service to be delivered, should be aware of the club’s expectations in relation to volunteering.

Letter from a Volunteer Coach

Today I heard a comment made about me behind my back. I started to turn around and look, but then decided better of it and kept my eyes on the field. My wife hears things like this more often than I do, because many of you don't know who she is. She tells me what you say. I have received angry emails, full of "suggestions" about who should be playing where and how I... lost that day's game for the kids. I thought I'd write an open letter to all of you parents, even though I might never send it. I’ll start it this way: "I am a volunteer."

I'm the one who answered the call when the league said they didn't have enough coaches. I understand that you were too busy. I have some news for you. I'm not retired. I’m busy too. I have other children and a job, just like you do. Not only do I not get paid to do this – it costs me money. I see you walk up to the game 15 minutes after it started, still dressed for work. Do you know I've already been here over an hour? Imagine if you had to leave work early nearly every day. I've never seen you at a practice. I'm sure you're plugging away at the office. But I'm out here, on the field, trying my best to teach these children how to play a sport they love, while my bank account suffers.

I know. I make mistakes. In fact, maybe I'm not even that great of a coach. But I treat the kids fairly and with respect. I am pretty sure they like coming to my practices and games, and without me or someone like me, there'd be no team for them to play on. I'm part of this community too and it's no picnic being out here on this stage like this. It's a lot easier back there with the other parents where no one is second-guessing you.

And I also know you think I give my son or daughter unfair advantages. I try not to. In fact, have you ever considered that maybe I'm harder on him than on the others? I'm sure he hears plenty of criticism at school from classmates, who hear it from you at home, about what a lame coach I am. And if, even unconsciously, my kids are getting a slight advantage because I know them better and trust their abilities, is that the worst thing in the world, considering the sacrifice I'm making? Trust me, I want to win too. And if your son or daughter could guarantee we'd do that, I'd give them the chance.

After this game is over, I'll be the last one to leave. I have to break down the field, put away all the equipment and make sure everyone has had a parent arrive to pick them up. There have been evenings when my son and I waited with a player until after dark before someone came to get them. Many nights I'm sure you've already had dinner and are relaxing on the couch by the time I finally kick the mud off my shoes and climb into my car, which hasn't been washed or vacuumed for weeks. Why bother cleaning it during the season? Do you know how nice it would be if, just once, after a game one of you offered to carry the heavy gear bag to my car or help straighten up the field?

If I sound angry, I'm not. I do this because I love it and I love being around the kids. There are plenty of rewards and I remind myself that while you’re at the office working, your kid is saying something that makes us all laugh or brings a tear to my eye. The positives outweigh the negatives. I just wish sometime those who don't choose to volunteer their time would leave the coaching to the few of us who do.

- Sourced from Brian Gotta, CoachDeck LLC. Feb 2010

Vision

The club’s vision is to make the world a better place by providing skills development and enjoyment to the people of Glen Eira through their involvement in the organised sport of football.

Mission

The club’s aim is to provide personal enjoyment and enhance the social skills, life skills and football skills of the people of Glen Eira by providing as many opportunities as possible, for as many of them as possible, to play football.

Values

• Whilst we recognise that winning is more fun, we value participation and enjoyment over results.
• Whilst we recognise that on field ability increases personal satisfaction, we value personal development and life skills over football skills.
• We value our reputation as a friendly and affordable club which welcomes players of all ages and abilities.
• We value the involvement of parents in their children’s sport and don’t encourage the pickup/dropoff thing.
• We value the positive behaviour of everyone involved in the game and this value is reinforced in our codes of behaviour.

Behaviour

Spectators need to keep in mind that children participate in sport because they enjoy it. Positive comments are motivational while negativity may drive children out of sport all together. Every effort should be made to congratulate participants on their efforts regardless of however many mistakes you think they may have made.  Children look up to the people around them so it is important that all spectators act professionally at all times.

As a requirement of membership, all Glen Eira parents/players are asked to comply with the following terms.

1. I agree to focus on player enjoyment and player development and rather than match results.
2. I agree not to coach from the sideline (unless I am the coach).
3. I agree not to make any negative remarks towards any player (either side).
4. I agree not to speak to any match official whilst a match is in progress.
5. I agree to treat members of the opposition team (adults and children) with decency and respect at all times.

See also Let Kids Be Kids

Furthermore spectators should not swear, smoke, drink alcohol or use drugs in front of children.  Respect the rules of the club and just let the kids have fun playing sport.

Club Policies

• See the Club Policies page

Constitution

Click to download the current  GEJSC Constitution (Jan2012).

Club Accreditation

Glen Eira has been awarded 5-Star status under FV’s Club Engagement Program. Read more: Football Victoria Congratulates 30 New 5-Star Clubs

Incorporation

Glen Eira Junior Soccer Club Inc. is an incorporated association in Victoria, Australia. Victorian incorporated associations are registered with Consumer Affairs Victoria under the Associations Incorporation Reform Act 2012. This gives the organisation a formal legal structure — it becomes a ‘legal person’ – that is, a legal entity that stays the same even if its members change. It can enter into contracts in its own name; for example, to borrow money or buy equipment. This protects the individual members of the association from legal liabilities.

• ABN 36 607 718 195
• Incorporated Assoc: A0043511D

Bank Details

EFT Payments for the club can be made to the following account.

• BSB: 633-000   (Bendigo Bank)
  Account Number: 127915577
  Account Name: Glen Eira Junior Soccer Club Inc.

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Cash and cheques cannot be accepted.