Traralgon Olympians SC

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Traralgon Olympians
Full nameTraralgon Olympians Soccer Club
Nickname(s)Olympians
Founded1980
GroundHarold Preston Reserve
Capacity500
ChairmanSpiro Marcou
ManagerNathan Martin
League Latrobe Valley Soccer League
2024 LVSL4th
Website https://traralgonolympians.com

Traralgon Olympians SC is a soccer club based in Traralgon, Victoria, Australia. The club was founded in 1980, currently competes in Latrobe Valley Soccer League and is regularly referred to as Olympians.

Contents

They are among the most successful club in the history of the Latrobe Valley Soccer League, winning eight men's league championships and seven Battle of Britain Cup titles.

The club regularly competes in the Hellenic Cup, a competition for Australian soccer clubs backed by the Greek community.

History

In 1979, local identity Jim Fkiarias came up with the idea of creating a soccer club to represent the rapidly expanding Greek community in the Latrobe Valley. He then approached a group of friends and a meeting of other interested people in the community took place to develop a proposal at the Greek Orthodox Church in Morwell. Fkiarias later became the club's first life member in 1989. [1]

As a result, in 1980 a soccer club was created and named Traralgon Olympians Soccer Club, immediately being granted entry to the Latrobe Valley Soccer League. In 1981 the committee decided to try and erect its own premises for a club and the local council granted the club some land. After much work by the committee, some dedicated members and supporters the clubrooms were constructed at Harold Preston Reserve in 1982.

The club was almost immediately successful, winning the league in the first and second seasons - signalling the arrival of a new force in football in the Latrobe Valley. They would win the title again in 1984, making it three league championships in their first four seasons - an extraordinary result in one of Australia's most competitive regional leagues.

The club surged again in the early 1990s, winning the LVSL in 1991, 1993 and 1994 and marking themselves as the dominant club in the local competition.

However, the rise of Warragul United, Fortuna '60 and Churchill United over the subsequent two decades would halt Olympians' dominance and the club won just one league title - 2002 - after their 1994 triumph. Finishing as runner up in 2017 and 2019, Olympians returned as a force to be reckoned with, as Traralgon's population boom added to the club's support beyond the Greek community.

Olympians have also experienced great success in the Battle of Britain Cup, winning the competition seven times - just one fewer than the Cup's all-time leader, Newborough-Yallourn United SC. [2]

The club also supports Hope Village, an orphanage and community hub for abandoned children, based in Sumatra, Indonesia. [3]

Club colors and badge

The club plays in blue jerseys inspired by the Greek national team and have a wreath on their crest and a Meander border, both symbols of the Greek community which formed the team in 1980.

Stadium

The club plays its home matches at Harold Preston Reserve, which has a capacity of 500 (with a seating capacity of 100). [4]

Club achievements

Latrobe Valley Soccer League champions: 8 - 1981, 1982, 1984, 1986, 1991, 1993, 1994, 2002

Battle of Britain Cup champions: 7 - 1982, 1985, 1986, 1992, 1994, 2002, 2008

Notable former players

Rivalries

Olympians has a strong rivalry with Traralgon City SC, who are also based at Harold Preston Reserve.

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References

  1. ↑ "About Us". Traralgon Olympains. September 6, 2024. Retrieved January 12, 2025.
  2. ↑ "Battle of Britain Cup Results". Football Chaos. January 15, 2019. Retrieved January 12, 2025.
  3. ↑ "About Us". Traralgon Olympians Facebook. December 19, 2024. Retrieved January 12, 2025.
  4. ↑ "Harold Preston Reserve". Event Venues Gippsland. May 14, 2022. Retrieved January 12, 2025.
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