Bedfordview club celebrates 75 years of preserving Italian heritage

The Italian Sporting Club is celebrating 75 years and counting, nestled in the heart of Bedfordview.

The club has faced its share of challenges through the years, but its commitment and dedication to sports and community spirit helped it pull through.

Presently, under the leadership of president John Vaglietti, the club, a cornerstone for families and sports enthusiasts for over 75 years, is not merely surviving; it is thriving.

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Vaglietti, voted club president in 2019, reflected on the club’s long history and the crucial role it continues to play in preserving cultural traditions and family values and unearthing undeveloped talent.

The club was formally registered in 1949. The signatories of the founding club and committee members were A Bertone, C Germene, U Giunchi, R Onesta, A Cosani, A Canova, G Perotti, M Zampaglione, Ferdinano Rosa, Giovanni Vaglietti, A Lastrucci, Radice Family, Oliaro Family, B Brocco, O Marucchi, L Chiaberta, A Serafini and N de Matteis.

“Football was the mainstay of the Italian club. Like all Italians, mainly prisoners of war who didn’t return to Italy, they got together and sort of formed a football team. And this was the premises founded by the founding members,” he said.

From serving as a meeting point for the Italian community in neighbouring communities, the club quickly became a hub for social gatherings, sports and cultural exchange.

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“As the 1950s came around, most founding members would give part of their salaries to maintain and foster the club’s growth. They made sacrifices and started that way. Some of the committee members during that period included my father (Giovanni Vaglietti),” he stated.

“When Europe was in crisis, many artisans were without work, so some came to SA. The late 1950s and 1960s saw a lot of immigration from Europe. The war had taken its toll, and Europe hadn’t been able to recover.

During those days, there were many prohibitions, and on Sundays, people couldn’t do anything because they were locked in.

“Saturdays were the only days workers could get off, sit around and enjoy themselves. We used to come and play football here, socialise at the club and get together with other Italians because a lot couldn’t speak English at all. So the club was formed as a community-based club,” added Vaglietti.

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In the late 1990s and early 2000s, the club faced financial challenges when its infrastructure began to deteriorate and the membership fees, which had always been affordable, were no longer sufficient to cover its expenses.

By 2018, the club faced the grim possibility of being sold because of mounting debt. However, a group of passionate members, along with Vaglietti, managed to block the sale.

“From 2019 to today, the rebuild is still ongoing. I believed in saving the club because I believed in myself and my abilities. Failure is not my dictionary. I knew what was here and what could be done, and that is how we were able to save the club.

“We have rebuilt most of the facilities and developed better sporting facilities and a stronger sporting background.

“We have also tried to revive the cultural aspect, but that has now changed a bit, and the people who ran the old cultural events in those days are getting a bit tired and old to do that now. So, there are no youngsters to take over; that is a great pity,” he shared.

As stated by Vaglietti, every year since 2019 has been better than the one before.

“We’re seeing progress, and that’s what matters.”

Under his leadership, the club has become a thriving community centre, offering sporting activities from soccer and tennis to swimming and table tennis.

Over the years, they have produced national swimming, tennis and soccer champions.

“It’s all about promoting excellence in sports while fostering family values,” Vaglietti said.

The club continues to host cultural events but on a smaller scale and strives to integrate with the local society through events celebrating Italian and SA cultures.

Vaglietti reflected on how important it is to create an environment that remains welcoming to the public.

“To succeed, we need to engage the wider community, not just our members. It’s about cultural exchange, offering a space for everyone to enjoy and learn from each other. Our 75th-anniversary celebration included local talent sharing the stage with performers from Italy, showcasing the rich cultural mix that defines the club today.”
He said the club is dedicated to creating a safe and welcoming family environment.

“The true joy comes when you see parents and grandparents spending time with their children or grandchildren and enjoying the same experiences they had when they were younger,” Vaglietti shared.

The aim ahead is to create a state-of-the-art sports excellence centre through plans already in place to upgrade the tennis courts, introduce paddle court facilities and continue hosting events that bring the community together.