Forever remembering Dylan Tombides and his story - Soccerscene

Forever remembering Dylan Tombides and his story

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Image via DT38 Foundation website

Recently it was the commemoration of a decade since Dylan Tombides’ passing, and the DT38 Foundation persists in honouring his legacy by their ongoing efforts within the football community.

In 2011, Tombides received a diagnosis of testicular cancer following a routine drug test during the Under 17 FIFA World Cup, which revealed a tumour in one of his testicles. Despite a courageous three year battle against the illness, he tragically succumbed at the age of 20 on April 18, 2014, surrounded by his loved ones.

Following his unfortunate passing, the DT38 Foundation was established in his honour, dedicated to promoting awareness of testicular cancer with the aim of saving lives.

Head of Media and Operations at DT38 Foundation, Donna Giuffre, said via press release:

“Our goal at DT38 is not only to raise awareness about testicular cancer but also to foster a culture of proactive health management within the community,” she said to The PFA.

“By partnering with clubs and supporters across the A-League and globally we aim to make a meaningful difference in the lives of young men, promoting early detection, and ultimately honouring Dylan’s legacy.”

The Foundation aims to bring together supporters, athletes, and localities, persisting in disseminating the importance of awareness and solidarity for individuals impacted by testicular cancer. Their endeavour is to leave a meaningful imprint in the ongoing battle against this disease.

Their core message emphasizes the urgency of timely action, underlining the importance of education for men, DT38 tirelessly strives to ensure that young men and their families are well-informed about the significance of regular self-examination and prompt medical attention upon detecting any irregularities.

Recently, the organisation has forged a partnership with their second A-League club, Brisbane Roar, while Perth Glory, the hometown team, remains their primary charity collaborator.

The clash between Brisbane and Newcastle Jets earlier this month marking the inaugural charity awareness matchday since the Roar joined forces with the foundation as a partner.

This marks the third triumphant charity awareness matchday, following Perth Glory’s encounter with Brisbane earlier this season and West Ham’s Premier League match against Fulham at the Olympic Stadium. Supporters from both sides paid tribute to Tombides’ legacy with a round of applause during the 38th minute.

These occasions have not only provided a stage to promote awareness regarding testicular cancer and the significance of early detection but have also served as a homage to Tombides’ dedication to football and his brave fight against cancer.

Tombides had a six-year tenure with the Hammers, having enrolled in their academy in 2008. He earned his debut for the first team in September 2012. Following his passing, the club retired his number 38 jersey, and West Ham honoured him during a match against Crystal Palace.

On that day, Mile Jedinak, a former Socceroo and patron of the DT38 Foundation, participated in the match and successfully scored a penalty, he reflects on that day to The PFA.

“The game was a special moment, knowing what it was representing and the Australian football community,” he said to The PFA.

“I was a young parent then, and all I could think about at the time was wanting to offer my condolences to his family. I could do it after the game, and from that moment, I stayed in touch with them. I was aware Dylan was making waves at West Ham.

“You don’t play for a club like that if you don’t have something about you. It would’ve been nice to play against Dylan but sadly it wasn’t meant to be. He was well on his way to becoming a big star in the game.”

Introduced by The PFA and Football Australia in 2019, The Dylan Tombides Medal is bestowed upon a player chosen from the Under 17 (Joeys), Under 20 (Young Socceroos), and Under 23 teams.

The Medal is awarded to the player who best embodies the qualities of excellence, dedication, and bravery while representing Australia at the youth international level, paying tribute to the legacy of Dylan Tombides.

More information about the DT38 Foundation can be found here.

Allambie Beacon Hill United FC’s Steven Gravemade gives account of the Local Sport Grant process and its benefits

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Image credit: Allambie Beacon Hill United FC

Two historic clubs from the Manly Warringah Football Association – Manly Allambie Football Club and Beacon Hill Football Club – have amalgamated to create Allambie Beacon Hill United FC (ABHUFC) in the 2024 season.

Since the decision last year to merge together, the Club has been busy streamlining and preparing its operations in its inaugural campaign.

As part of their expansion, the ABHUFC have recently been approved by the Local Sport Grant Program form the NSW government.

They have successfully received two grants, helping to get a new coffee machine for the clubhouse and new flags for the numbering of fields costing just above $7,000.

With the new fields and more club members, these purchases have become important cogs in the building of this new Club’s culture.

Soccerscene spoke to ABHUFC’s grant advisor Steven Gravemade who saw a great opportunity arise through the grant.

How did you find out about the grant?

Steven Gravemade: I usually find them posted on social media adverts and many committee members forwarded stuff they find from social media.

We always need to keep our eyes open for any grant offers.

What was the process to get the grant?

Steven Gravemade: You need to start with the right documentation especially invoices and quotes for the products, such as the expected cost, and what they are needed for, club info.

Then you need to complete a lengthy online form with the details of the grant on the app called SmartyGrants.

This grants app then forwards the information to whichever grant program is requested. Us being the Local Sport Grant Program.

The Senior Men facing Narrabeen.

Was it a hard process to go through or straight forward?

Steven Gravemade: It was not lengthy and not hard. You need to know what you are doing in the sense of creating a quote for the grant and following a similar well-created format. You do have to work methodically through the form.

There was positive correspondence for 3-7 weeks before it hit the accounts. This means we can go out and purchase the products now and keep the invoice.

The final stage of the grant is putting back into the app system the purchase, and this should finalise the whole process.

It is dependent on the grants, these were smaller grants than others. Though we did two separate grants which added time but overall, a similar experience and therefore a fluid task.

There is obvious difficulty added when you are applying for grants that involve infrastructure zoning as it takes many months and is very taxing,

You’ll have to go through other systems as well including the local council and this naturally makes it a longer process.

Whereas with this grant it can be done just by the club without the association or council involved. Just through the app.

“Now he’s done it a couple of times for both infrastructure and smaller grants. I think we’ve become pretty efficient.

Do they think the funding was a good amount and adequate for the Club?

Steven Gravemade: In this particular case, it was exactly what we requested,

The form also asks if you are willing to contribute which can help gauge the grant, but for us, it was more than adequate and perfectly suited to what we had wanted.

How do you think this will benefit the club overall?

Steven Gravemade: These grants are a big help and help save valuable fundraising, that can go elsewhere.

For example, it was a big bonus in helping us with the processes that needed other funding such as our completely new purple kits, training equipment, updating facilities and club image.

It’s a massive help to the club and to the budget. Every little bit helps.

ABHUFC’s Women’s First Grade team against Manly Vale.

For the bigger picture and first-hand experience, do you see this program as a positive plan for grassroots football?

Steven Gravemade: Yes, we feel supported through grants like this as a club. You obviously need to work hard to get it.  Though the process was fluid and for our club, any grant is appreciated.

On this topic, do you think enough clubs/associations are aware of these grants?

Steven Gravemade: They do pop up, where mailing systems are also around and the main way to know of these grants and how to get them, a lot of clubs I presume are on them.

However, you still need someone proactive in the clubs to get the ball rolling such as a grants officer.

This one came up before the start of the season so maybe many weren’t looking then”.

We found out and applied for this one before the start of the season.

Also, if you look at all the grants there are a lot given out to all sports clubs, and they only show the grants that got accepted.

You can only guess how many actually applied for a grant and maybe could not be accepted.

However, I think a lot also don’t apply in the end. Overall, for me, I think these grants are beneficial.

ABHUFC’s mixed grading day in February.

 

The Local Sports grant was a massive project from the NSW government to help fuel the growth of the many codes within NSW.

The positive effect this has is massive on the infrastructure for the game and the quality and experience of grassroots sports.

The grants also show that the NSW government is invested in the growth of community football and wants to actively encourage and financially support the ambitions of these grassroots clubs.

How the J.League rose from 10 clubs to 60 across Japan’s islands

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Image supplied by ©J. League

Starting as a modest 10-team league, the J.League has expanded into a formidable three-tiered structure, boasting 60 professional clubs spread across Japan’s islands, stretching from the southern reaches of Okinawa to the northern city of Sapporo is an achievement to be proud of.

They adopted the traditional aspects of European football, envisioning a unified pyramid structure where any team could aspire to reach the pinnacle. Simultaneously, they excelled America’s emphasis on commercialism and merchandising, aiming to establish a football powerhouse in one of the world’s rapidly expanding economies.

In this interview with Soccerscene, J.League Media Officer, Hisao Shuto discusses the dream that Saburo Kawabuchi had envisioned in the early 1990s, the collaboration with Optus Sport, the approach for developing homegrown players and how the J-League promoted its community based-clubs in J2 and J3.

Japan Football Association General Secretary Saburo Kawabuchi had a dream of creating a “social revolution,” can you please explain to me what that involved?

Hisao Shuto: In order to improve the standard of football in Japan and to promote widely, it was thought that professionalisation was necessary. It was also considered necessary to establish sports clubs, following the example of European sports clubs, to create a culture in which all generations can enjoy their favourite sports, not only football, whenever they want, and to build a safe and comfortable sports environment with stadiums where they can experience top-level games and grass fields.

In addition, to contribute to friendship and exchange in the international community through football, which is played all over the world, these are the missions of the J.League.

What challenges did the J.League come across in that period of time?

Hisao Shuto: To make J clubs an indispensable presence in each hometown. To share the importance of social contribution in each hometown with the clubs and to expand their efforts. Another challenge was to stabilize the management of the clubs after the J.League’s inaugural boom had passed.

What do you think about the collaboration with Optus Sport? Has it been a success overall?

Hisao Shuto: Since 2020, Optus Sport has provided a valuable platform for the J.League to reach audiences in Australia, and we’ve appreciated the opportunity to engage with a new audience in the region and promoting the league outside of Japan. We are proud of our collaboration which has been beneficial for both parties and successful in driving new fans to the sport.

 

Can you please explain to me how the promotion and relegation setup is run across the three division? Has it been a success in your opinion?

Hisao Shuto: According to the annual ranking of J1, J2, and J3 (20 clubs each), three clubs in each category will be promoted or relegated. For promotion from J2 to J1 and J3 to J2, the top two clubs are automatically promoted, and the remaining one slot is decided in a playoff.

The promotion playoffs will make the league more exciting until the last day of the season, as many clubs will still have a chance to be promoted until the end of the season. The promotion playoffs have been a success with large spectators at each stadium.

One of Japan’s greatest successes in football has been its breeding ground for home grown players, what was the approach by becoming a hub for developing these kind of talented players?

Hisao Shuto: Prior to the start of the J-League, high schools were the primary training fields. The national high school championships, which attracted crowds of 50,000 for the finals, have long contributed to the strengthening and targeting of teenage football players.

After the establishment of the J.League, each club was required to have its own academy division for the purpose of raising the standard and promoting the spread of football. Academy players continued to compete in a selective environment, and the J.League has followed the European model by setting and managing standards for academy departments and allocating funds to support their activities to all clubs.

Each club academy created the position of academy director to clarify the role of development. In addition, many opportunities were provided for the academy generation to compete in cup competitions, league matches, and overseas tours.

Other measures included providing learning opportunities for coaches and subsidies (up to 4 million yen per club to promote the creation of opportunities for players and coaches to go overseas). We have also worked with the Japan Football Association (JFA) to invest in development activities, exchange information, and hold Elite Youth Course A coach training workshops.

We believe it is necessary to continue our development activities through ongoing learning for leaders such as academy directors and coaches, and by providing opportunities in the game environment.

What is Japan Professional Football League doing to increase the viewership so that more people from around the world tune in to watch the matches?

J.League recognises the importance of growing our global audience, and we are implementing various strategies to achieve this goal. These efforts include organizing friendly matches between J.League clubs and overseas clubs, activating on-ground promotions overseas, and actively engaging with fans on social media platforms in multiple languages. By enhancing accessibility and promoting the excitement of J.League football, we aim to attract more viewers from around the world.

Was there any type of barriers to overcome in creating J2 and J3? If so, what were they? if not, what did the Professional Football League do so well to not have any obstacles?

Hisao Shuto: There were no major barriers. The establishment of J2 was a natural step, as the creation of J.League clubs throughout Japan had been a goal from the beginning, and many clubs wanted to join the J. League after the establishment of J1. Many clubs thereafter wanted to be part of the J.League, and J3 was created to meet their needs.

How did the Japan Professional Football League promote the clubs in the J2 and J3 to the fans, considering a lot of clubs are community based? 

Hisao Shuto: J.League activities would not be possible without the support of each hometown. Therefore, since its inception, the J.League has emphasised social contribution activities in each hometown. These activities include not only the promotion of football, but also the promotion of other sports in the community, health promotion activities, and cooperation with government activities.

J.League also develops “Sharen!” program to address social issues (education, diversity, generational exchange, etc.) in cooperation with three or more parties, including companies and local governments in the hometown.

In addition, since last year, Club Support Division has been established within the league in charge of working with clubs to increase media exposure in their local communities to attract even more fans and supporters in each hometown.

What was the way for clubs to maintain their budget financially in the J2 and J3? Was it successful? Have any clubs been removed due to financial instability?

Hisao Shuto: J.League provides each J. League club with an equal allocation for each category.  In addition, a club license system has been in place since 2012 to ensure that clubs do not run beyond their scale of business and maintain sound management. This club licensing system aims to continuously improve the competitive and facility standards of football by setting standards in terms of competition and facilities, and to stabilize the management of clubs and improve their financial capacity and reliability by setting financial, personnel, legal, and other standards.

At the end of 1998, Yokohama Flugels was merged into Yokohama Marinos, which also has Yokohama as its hometown, due to the mismanagement and withdrawal of the investing company, but since then, no club has been removed due to financial instability.

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