Greg Hurvitz - Gameforce: Community Sport Support

Greg Hurvitz - Gameforce: Community Sport Support Served FV from 2018 to June 2026 in the Club capacity building space working with Club volunteers and council. Passionate Male ally. Sport leader.

Building community sport solely around the game itself is where we often fall short.Our role is to build community. That...
16/06/2026

Building community sport solely around the game itself is where we often fall short.

Our role is to build community. That means embedding the club within the social fabric of the local area—adding value, shaping experiences, and positively influencing behaviours.

While the sport is the entry point, it should not be the only focus. A key principle to remember: "People come for capacity, but members stay for culture."

A strong club prioritises the Quality of Experience across every touchpoint. This should underpin all strategic planning and decision-making.

Effective planning requires a clear structure—short, medium, and long-term priorities—developed in collaboration with relevant stakeholders. This collective approach ultimately defines what success looks like.

11/06/2026

We are on the eve of the world’s greatest sporting spectacle—the Men’s FIFA World Cup.

Despite the politics and controversy that often surrounds it, the tournament continues to captivate billions. The level of global engagement across every platform is extraordinary, and the passion for the game is undeniable.

But while the world watches the elite, there is an important reminder for those of us at the community level.

Keep it simple.

- Play for the love of the game.

- Play with respect—for teammates, opponents, officials, and supporters.

- Contribute to something bigger than yourself: your team, your club, your community.

This moment presents a powerful opportunity. Parents, coaches, and clubs can harness the energy of the World Cup to bring people together and strengthen the foundations of the game at the grassroots level. I've seen many community clubs schedule watch parties, that's simply awesome.

The growth of football is clear. The responsibility to nurture it is ours.

Keep it real. Build the love. Nothing else matters

09/06/2026

Community sport is often seen as “just playing the game.” The reality is very different.

Behind every local team is a long list of costs that most participants never see and never ask about but male assumptions about far too often.

Running a community sports club and teams involves:

1. Council Fees: Venue hire and field maintenance

2. Insurance and affiliation fees

3. Coaching, Coach accreditation & development

4. Umpires/ Referees

5. Equipment (balls, uniforms, training gear, medical kits)

6. Utilities and facility upkeep

7. Registration platforms and administration systems

8. Volunteer support and training

9. Compliance, safety, and governance requirements

10. Competition and league costs

None of this is optional. It is what allows kids to play safely, fairly, and consistently each week.

When conversations focus only on “cost” without understanding what’s behind it, we miss the bigger picture. Community sport is not a product being sold — it is a complex, largely volunteer-driven ecosystem ($150billion volunteer economy) that requires significant resources to sustain.

If we want strong clubs and quality experiences for our kids, the conversation needs to shift from “why does it cost this much?” to “what does it take to make this possible?” and "where can I help?"

Without this perspective, we risk undervaluing the very systems that keep community sport alive. Why would we do that?

07/06/2026

Sadly, it would seem respect and integrity are nothing more than politically correct words to be used... not acted on.

The recent spike in physical altercations across community football is deeply concerning. I am also acutely aware of Australian media's disproportionate coverage of Football vs any other code.

Having said that, Year-on-year, the number of incidents continues to grow locally, but the past two weeks alone have been particularly disturbing. We have seen unacceptable scenes in NSW across U17 and NPL 2 matches, with both players and parents becoming involved. In Victoria a VPL or NPL coach, a former Socceroo (who you'd think knows better) entered the field of and attempted to aggressively intimidate a senior Referee - got 17 week suspension. In rugby league in NSW, there was even an incident where a Mother entered the field of U17 play where a fight was brewing... and this is only the reported ones.

This raises a serious question: - What are we not understanding?
- What are we simply not getting right that this behaviour is not only disappearing but it is actually increasing!

Are we seeing more reporting based on improved governing body disciplinary management processes? Maybe.

Is the world just a very cross, very fragile place, based on the increased pressures of living a basic life clashing with what we think should the simplicity of sport? but not so simple....

When adults—many of whom are educated and should know better—fail outright to demonstrate basic respect and self-control, it sets a most damaging example. I put it to to you that it is now very unrealistic to expect young players to behave appropriately when the behavior around them contradicts everything sport is meant to teach.

Football has an integrity problem worldwide... watch the Soccer world cup, watch the referee gets abuse by players and coaches.

This behaviour is completely ruining the game. We cannot recruit enough referees/umpires to sport because of this! We cannot retain which means the game is constantly chasing its own tail just to survive. It is absurd.

The people who claim to "love" the game so much, to be so passionate about it are the very ones destroying it simply because you think you know better or you think your child is always right...

Guess what? You are wrong! You are destructive.

Community sport should be a place for development, respect, and enjoyment. Instead, we are increasingly seeing aggression, entitlement, and a removal of any of standards.

This is totally unacceptable.

Governing bodies must continue take even stronger, more decisive action. Harsher penalties, consistent enforcement, and demonstrable ZERO tolerance for violence are essential. ZERO means never to be seen again.

Without meaningful, longer lasting, consequences, this behavior will continue to escalate. It is time to draw a clear line. Zero means Zero.

The integrity of community sport depends on it.

04/06/2026

After 8 years and 3 months with Football Victoria as the Southeast Metro Club Support Officer, the time has come to move on.

It has been a privilege to build and maintain relationships with clubs across such a diverse and passionate region — from the City of Port Phillip through to the Mornington Peninsula, across to Dandenong, Monash, Yarra Ranges, and everywhere in between. The connections, conversations, and shared commitment to the game have been the most rewarding part of this journey.

There is no doubt the greatest satisfaction has come from supporting clubs to grow, adapt, and thrive. Being part of their challenges and successes is something I will always value.

A few highlights stand out:

Leading the Men as Allies initiative internally, helping drive important conversations and action around inclusion.

Delivering Football Victoria’s first Internal Female Football Week activation — a significant and proud moment that reflected my strong and ongoing commitment to advancing women and girls in football.

Establishing the LGA Lab, creating a dedicated space for Football Victoria to engage more meaningfully and strategically with local governments across the game.

These initiatives reflect work I care deeply about, particularly building a more inclusive and connected football community.

I will miss the ongoing challenge of finding ways for the game to work better together. There are some incredibly talented, passionate, and committed people across our football community, and I have no doubt the game will continue to grow in the right direction.

Thank you to everyone I have worked with over the years. I wish you all continued success.

With Albert Park Soccer Club – I just got recognized as one of their top fans! 🎉
28/05/2026

With Albert Park Soccer Club – I just got recognized as one of their top fans! 🎉

28/05/2026

What does it really mean to be a male ally in community sport?

It’s more than “supporting women and girls” in principle. It’s about how we use our roles, power and everyday behaviours to create genuinely gender-equal clubs and teams.

For me, Male allyship means:

* Listening to women’s and girls’ experiences without getting defensive or jumping straight to solutions.

* Using my voice and position to challenge sexist language, “banter”, and exclusion when I see it.

* Backing women and girls with tangible support: resources, opportunities, visibility and shared decision-making power in our clubs.

In community sport, men are often coaches, administrators, presidents, sponsors and parents – we hold a lot of influence over culture, policies and priorities. The question is: what do we choose to do with that influence?

Lately I’ve been sitting with some self-check questions:

1. Who is included here – and who is missing entirely?

2. Who speaks first and most often in our meetings, and who rarely gets the floor?

3. When I see or hear something sexist, do I stay silent or step in?

4. Am I amplifying women’s voices, or speaking over them with my own “good intentions”?

5. Am I making it easier, safer and more welcoming for girls and women to stay in our club – or just assuming they’ll adapt to the way things have always been?

Allyship isn’t a badge. It’s a practice. It’s the accumulation of small, consistent actions that make our changerooms, committees and competitions better for everyone.

I’d love to hear from other men and women in community sport:
- What questions are you asking yourselves?
- What behaviours have you seen that really embody male allyship?

I remain very honoured to have led or attempted leading my soon to be former Male colleagues at Football Vic - and whilst we toil away very normally to get connection, all FV Men are engaged to this topic, all FV Men I know are open to listening, learning and engaging and this is a great start.

I really hope after I leave the organisation on June 4th this can be picked up by others and taken forward.

With St Kilda Celts – I just got recognized as one of their top fans! 🎉
27/05/2026

With St Kilda Celts – I just got recognized as one of their top fans! 🎉

Address

The Home Of The Matildas, Sports Drive, La Trobe Uni
Bundoora, QLD

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