Life set to change for Stallions star Giorgio Speranza

Marconi Stallions defender Giorgio Speranza is preparing for the next challenge in his life and this time it doesn’t involve a round ball.

The 28-year-old was met with some amazing news that he and his wife Gabriella were expecting their first baby in September.

“Yes that’s correct, my beautiful wife Gabriella is pregnant with our baby being due in September.

“Excited is an understatement!

“My wife and friends have already been going crazy with online shopping, purchasing many outfits from some of my favourite brands and football teams such as Nike and Juventus.

“We cannot wait to welcome this new bundle of joy into our lives.”

It’s always beautiful to hear the true emotion coming out of a guy ready to embark on his next journey as the Nutella obsessed soon to be father explained that its been a monumental 2020 thus far – away from the baby news, Speranza, like so many, had to adjust to life during the COVID-19 lockdown which he did quite well adding to his growing list of new hobbies as well as sharing quality time with his wife and family. The time away from the game also allowed Giorgio to create a football training page that is now followed by almost three thousand followers, not bad!

“COVID-19 had a significant impact on my everyday life.

“People who know me know that I’m a very outgoing person; I love spending time with my family and friends and going out to eat which made being stuck at home very difficult.

“On a positive note, in October last year I got married and moved into my in-laws place at Kyle Bay.

“This time has allowed me to get to know them on a more personal level and even learn to speak a bit of Greek.

“The football lockdown gave me my first break from competition matches and training since I started playing football at the age of 7.

“I had almost too much time on my hands, a feeling you can imagine was very surreal and new.

“Having a strong passion for Italian food, my wife and I took up a new hobby of cooking for the family. My most delicious meal yet is a gnocchi quattro formaggi.

“Netflix was my main source of entertainment with Money Heist being my favourite show.

“Being a footballer, it was almost impossible to stay away from the football pitch, this is where I discovered a new passion for coaching. I began an Instagram page called @Giorfutbol and began to train young athletes in a 1 on 1 environment. I recorded bits and pieces of my sessions and posted them online and pretty quickly my following grew.

“That is definitely taking up most of what would be my football time at the moment.

“If you are interested in training ideas then give me a follow.”

Giorgio is obsessed with training, so the news that gyms and any on field activities with groups were forbidden really tested his patience – but it was there he discovered other ways in keeping himself in check with his vigorous fitness routine.

“The closure of gyms and no football training was my main method of keeping fit and motivated.

“I found it quite difficult to keep fit for the first few weeks, however, I adapted to the new lifestyle by going for runs whilst listening to my music and coaching young athletes, helping to maintain my touch, ball control and speed and agility.

“I was also able to introduce new methods of training such as ball related drills on the sand dunes at Wanda Beach, playing tennis and working out at an outdoor gym equipment area.”

Footballers across NSW were heard rejoicing last Friday as news filtered through that Training Sessions Only were once again introduced in the easing of restriction levels, a message Speranza and his Stallions teammates were waiting for ever so much.

“As you can imagine, I was closely watching my team’s WhatsApp group for any updates and messages on when training was going to return.

“When I saw that the green light was given last Friday it brought a smile to my face.

“I am very excited of the thought of going back to training and seeing all of the boys again.

“I am just looking forward to getting back into routine and doing what we love.”

Many clubs dabbled into technology during the break which saw an increase in teams communicating via Zoom, something the Stallions NPL NSW Men’s side did also with the main objective of checking in on every player seeing if they were ok mentally above anything else.

“It was definitely a new way of doing things, but the coaches and players kept and continue to keep in good contact over the social isolation period, mainly through Zoom meetings.

“This has allowed us to keep the spirit and banter alive.

“The boys are a tight group which spend time together outside of football so keeping in contact with them has certainly kept us grounded but has kept us sane as well.”

Workwise, Giorgio, or Mr Speranza/Sir to his Freeman Catholic College students works as a PDHPE teacher. Again, like the Zoom meeting catch ups with his Stallions teammates, Speranza had to engage in technology ensuring he was communicating with his students and the school.

“Working as a PDHPE teacher at Freeman Catholic College, the only real change and challenge for me was the transition to remote teaching and learning during the full COVID-19 restrictions.

“With no face-to-face teaching, I was required to plan my work and submit it via google classroom, an online learning platform.

“Don’t get me wrong, it was nice to work from home and stay in your pyjamas all day, although it created a lot more effort and chasing up students for their work was not fun!

“Now that the restrictions have eased, I am now back to full-time teaching on-site, which has been great to reconnect with the teachers and students. “

Brotherly love is something Giorgio only knows too well.

The older brother of Stallions’ well-known comedian (‘Taco Tuesday’ Promoter) and tough defender Roberto, the two have a real tight knit bond both on and off the pitch with the duo always having each other’s backs. That’s something their father Frank, a well known footballer in his own right in the Inner West had instilled in his two boys growing up.

“My brother Robbie is certainly a character (cough; clown!).

“He loves friendly banter and once the birth of his amazing little girl Liliana arrived, he has taken his Instagram account to new heights, posting her dancing to different song lyrics.

“He is famous for his Taco Tuesday posts as many of you may know already, so check his page out @robbiesperanza.”