From Crisis to Community: Yianni Ganotis Talks Glen Waverley SC’s Response to the Capital Reserve Fire

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Image Credit: Glen Waverley Soccer Club

In the early hours of April 16, Glen Waverley Soccer Club was rocked by a suspected arson attack that devastated its home base at Capital Reserve in Glen Waverley.

The blaze tore through the club’s facilities, destroying essential equipment, uniforms for more than 300 junior players, irreplaceable memorabilia, and administrative supplies which left a shock for the entire community beyond the major physical damage caused by the incident.

For a club that has stood as a cornerstone of the local area for more than 45 years, this was a heartbreaking blow.

Soon after, however, an outpouring of support from the local community rose like a phoenix from the ashes.

With a GoFundMe campaign now surpassing $20,000 and donations coming in from individuals, manufacturers, and fellow clubs alike, Glen Waverley SC has begun the slow journey towards recovery.

Soccerscene spoke with club treasurer and senior player Yianni Ganotis who has been part of the club since he was seven years old. He discussed the impact of the fire, the overwhelming community response, and what lies ahead for one of Victoria’s most cherished grassroots football clubs.

Theo Athans

How long have you personally been involved in Glen Waverley SC both as player and as part of the board?

Yianni Ganotis

Started playing for the club at seven years old and played every year until I turned 20 when I then moved into the seniors and started playing more competitive state league football for the club.

I’m 29 now so when I was 23 or 24, I took on the treasurer role to help them out just as a volunteer of course, try to help out with the books and whatever else I could do really. It’s a little bit of a hybrid role between player and treasurer at the moment.

T.A.

The GoFundMe for the fire was setup in April, how much money has been donated at the club and how has the support been from the local community?

Y.G.

We really got a lot of support behind it that I didn’t really expect to receive so that’s been amazing from friends and families.

We just hit $20,000 in about the six week mark and it’s absolutely amazing that through social media and word of mouth that everyone is spreading the word on their own platforms. Other soccer clubs in the community have been great as well with trying to get behind us and help us in any way they can.

No one owed us anything but they’ve all given us a helping hand and contributed to the $20,000 that we raised on the GoFundMe so really proud of that.

I set it up and posted on my socials on behalf of the club because I didn’t want to make it seem like the club itself was asking for the funds so just overall really stoked about where it’s all come to.

Capital Reserve fire damage. Image provided by Yianni Ganotis

T.A.

It said on the fundraiser that the club needed training and matchday equipment, uniforms, and Venue Hire so in those two months, how much progress has been made?

Y.G.

So pretty much in the fire we lost all our equipment and we had just received the kits a couple of days beforehand as well so for 300 juniors with one or two kits between them all, you can imagine how many that is, so they got lost and it hurt.

The money is pretty much all going to go towards kits, equipment and trying to get the kids on the park to give them what they expected to have two months ago now.

However on top of the $20,000, people have been kind enough to donate to us like producers and manufacturers have sent us what they can to help out like balls, cones and bibs.

You don’t see that on the GoFundMe so that’s all added up but certainly that’s where the money will likely go as well to try and support the 300 kids that we’ve got at the club.

T.A.

Do you have any update on the progression of the recovery at Capital Reserve?

Y.G.

The insurance are building up an assessment for the council at the moment so they’re just assessing what it will look like moving forward. I think the plan is that in a year’s time they will be able to rebuild and restructure the whole venue and certainly will be working closely with us and the other tenants the ground accommodates for.

There’s a little bit of a wait ahead of us now but the council has been really accommodating in at least trying to make it beneficial for what we’re going to actually need while we’re at it so I think it’ll start next year but probably be a two year development I imagine but nothing is set.

Capital Reserve fire damage. Image provided by Yianni Ganotis

T.A.

The fire was treated as suspicious and it happened close to 4am so do you have any information about the way the incident occurred?

Y.G.

I don’t have any information to be honest; it’s still an active police case now.

What is interesting is that Capital Reserve got hit on the 16th of April early in the morning and a couple of weeks later the Waverley Wanderers field had a very similar incident and I remember that being a Saturday or Sunday morning.

There’s no further update but I’ve had to work closely with the Police, gone into their Oakleigh station to leave a statement, there’s been a relative involvement about a party so any information I could give them about that and then another follow up with them recently but that’s about it.

As far as I know right now, it’s active with them and they’ll reach out if they need anything more from me or anyone else that can help them.

T.A.

You mentioned Waverley Wanderers, this seems to be happening at other clubs in the South East, have you talked to other clubs about this string of incidents?

Y.G.

Yeah, Waverley Wanderers are obviously alert of it being a close demographic club to us as well and basically the same thing happened to their club so we had some talks with them about any kind of suspicion or alerts.

There was some relation to Monash City Villarreal as well last year where the President had his personal car targeted in an attack so I don’t know if they’re all linked, attached or a coincidence like their own individual scenarios but I certainly wouldn’t know anything more.

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New ‘Unfiltered’ Episode with Paul Klisaris and Oscar Yildiz

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Image Credit: One-Nil Media

The ‘Unfiltered’ podcast by Soccerscene promises honest, thought-provoking conversations about football culture, identity and the stories fans don’t usually hear in mainstream coverage.

In the latest episode, Mihaila Kilibarda sits down with passionate councillors Paul Klisaris and Oscar Yildiz to debate the role of policy in shaping infrastructure, career opportunities and on-field success in the Australian football landscape.

From exposing flaws in policy making, to critiquing the A-League, Paul and Oscar discuss the future trajectory of football in Australia. With strong views on the disconnect between decision-makers and grassroots communities, this is an unfiltered look at the issues holding the sport back—and the urgent need for change.

“Bring back Preston, bring back South Melbourne, bring back that culture into the game. There was nothing wrong with that. Bring it back. Regulate it better, police it better, like they have in Europe. There is rivalry and that’s healthy!” says Paul Klisaris in this episode.

Oscar Yildiz agreed that “We might need to throw a bomb. There is no incentive for clubs to aspire to. You know, you can finish last and still stay in the league. They need to have people from state, from federal, people, again, who know the game, who genuinely know the game. And, it means understanding the politics around the game.”

Listeners can expect Unfiltered to go beyond match reports and transfers. Each episode will dive into the ideas, people and cultural forces that make football one of the world’s most compelling sports. Episode 2 is available now, hoping to challenge, entertain and inspire.

Listen now on Spotify: 

With Unfiltered, Soccerscene is giving fans a space to think, feel and debate about the game they love. Further, it is encouraging conversations that are as engaging as the football itself.

Stay tuned for future episodes, featuring more voices shaping the beautiful game.

Beyond the Pitch: Miyuki Kobayashi on the Real Challenges Facing Japan’s Women’s Game

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Image credit: JEFUNITED

Last week, Soccerscene spoke to pioneer of women’s football in Japan, Miyuki Kobayashi, about the game’s development in Japan and the intersection between sporting and social change in the country.

 

Talent, quality and recent silverware

After Japan’s recent AFC Women’s Asian Cup victory in the final against Australia, the women’s national team solidified its standing as the No.1 team in Asia.

Throughout the last 15 years, Japan’s women’s national team has grown into a formidable opponent, boasting a World Cup trophy, an Olympic silver medal, as well as three AFC Women’s Asian Cups.

The talent is undeniable. The quality is unwavering. And the team shows no signs of slowing down.

But these victories and trophies on the world stage wouldn’t be possible without the leaders behind the scenes – none more so than Miyuki Kobayashi, former WE League Board Member and current JEF United Ladies Scout and Academy Chief.

 

Laying the foundations

Kobayashi has led the charge for women’s football in Japan, promoting not only a sport which values success, but one which empowers female footballers across the nation.

“At university, not many girls were playing and we didn’t have an official team. I went to the US and the environment was so different,” Kobayashi explained.

“That opened my eyes – women can play. That’s how I started the women’s soccer league when I came back: to make an environment for girls to play.”

Thus, accessibility and opportunity became driving factors behind Kobayashi’s work, not only for those on the pitch, but for those in the dugout.

“I got involved at the JFA (Japanese Football Association) to promote women’s football. We wanted to create the opportunity for women to be coaches.”

“They are coached by men all the time, so even when the top players leave the football world, they never think to be involved.”

Furthermore, as a former coach of JEF United Ladies Youth and General Manager, Kobayashi was intent on employing as many female coaches as possible. It was not merely a personnel change, but a challenge to widespread social attitudes.

“When I started to employ female coaches, the girls’ parents asked why the coach wasn’t a man. But gradually, we started to make it equal – they didn’t talk about the gender, but about the quality of the coach.”

 

The mission to empower

In 2011, the same year Japan’s women won the World Cup, the domestic league was yet to become professional. Known as the Nadeshiko League, players would work during the day and train in the evenings.

The transition from an amateur to the current professional league required time, resilience and a change in perspective.

“The sports world in Japan is more traditional – it is dominated by men,” said Kobayashi.

“If you want to make the environment even, or (want) more women to come into the (football) world, you can change the mind of the players.”

Since 2021, the WE League has embodied a sense of growth and positive change for the women’s game. In name and nature, it looks to empower players, coaches and all involved in the industry.

“I was in charge of mission achievement for women’s empowerment. We wanted to educate the players, to inspire girls and women who watch the game.”

However, the drive to empower women in football was not without backlash and challenges.

“Some people don’t like that word: ’empowerment’. It’s too strong for them. Some women really appreciate it, but it’s not easy to change the mind of society through football,” Kobayashi admitted.

 

Growing and attracting talent

Although WE League clubs are accelerating youth development and expanding pathways across U15, U18 and first team football, Kobayashi acknowledged that the overall product must improve to bring foreign players to Japan and entice homegrown talent to stay.

“Most of the national team players go to Europe or North America. I don’t say it’s a problem, but from a young age, girls who can play in the WE League want to go abroad,” Kobayashi outlined.

Indeed, when looking at the starting XI in last month’s AFC Women’s Asian Cup final, only one player – Hana Takahashi – plays in the WE League.

But the key to attracting domestic and international players to the WE League, is aligning financial investment and industry attitudes.

“The reason why women’s football has developed in European countries is the social thinking – you have to be equal and have the same opportunities as men in football. The Japanese way of thinking, especially in the football world, is not that at all,” Kobayashi continued.

“When I speak to people at Spanish clubs, women’s football is not a charity, but an investment.”

“We have assets. We have good, young players, but we’re exporting them, so we need to import too.”

Indeed, Spain is a perfect example of what can happen when investment becomes intentional, not optional. Back-to-back UEFA Women’s Nations League titles, 90% television viewership increase since 2016, and record-breaking crowd numbers reflect what can happen when the industry aligns in vision and commitment.

Japan has the players to compete against any nation in the world. Purposeful investment, combined with its overall quality of players and style, could transform the WE League into a true, global powerhouse.

 

The vision for the future

Moving forward, Kobayashi hopes that girls progressing through JEF United’s academies develop confidence and resilience, whether as players or people.

“We want to make the girls – even if they aren’t in JEF United – continue playing football and continue to be leaders,” Kobayashi said.

“Some of them have a dream to be a coach or a leader off the field too, so that’s one of the attributes we want to develop.”

This resilience, reflected by the club’s ‘never give up’ philosophy, is testament to the vision of empowerment championed by Kobayashi across the women’s game.

Even in the face of social obstacles and a lack of financial investment, perseverance and hard work is at the bedrock of women’s football in Japan. It is not just that these values exist, but that they are consistently manifested on and off the pitch, which can show future generations that football is a sport for all – men and women alike.

 

Final thoughts

There is no limit to what the WE League and the national team can achieve if given the resources it deserves. All the ingredients are there: individual quality, a distinct playing style, football philosophy and ambitions to grow.

By following the example of industry leaders like Kobayashi, women’s football in Japan can hopefully continue to make waves of impact – in the sporting landscape and society as a whole.

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