Melbourne City Powerchair are delighted to confirm the signing of Santo Bongiovanni. The 31-year-old will officially join the Club tomorrow and meet up with the current squad in pre-season training.
Bongiovanni arrives at the Club following impressive spells at South Melbourne and Adelaide Comets. Hailing from Adelaide, Santo regularly flies in and out of Melbourne to compete in the Victorian Powerchair League. Over the past two seasons, he has played a major role in South Melbourne winning the last two championships. Beginning his career in 2011, Santo was quickly selected to represent South Australia at the National Championships. Since then, Bongiovanni has represented the National Team, the Poweroos, on numerous occasions. Most recently he was selected as a reserve for the World Cup squad last year. Nicknamed the "Boom Brother" for his powerful hits on the ball, Santo will be reunited with Luke David at Melbourne City, bringing the Boom Brothers back together again. We sat down with Santo for a short interview: Welcome to the team, Santo! What attracted you to join the Melbourne City Powerchair Team?
Thank you! I was attracted to join the Melbourne City Powerchair Team because of the club’s strong reputation and commitment to quality and excellence. The dedication to playing an attractive and competitive style of football and providing a supportive environment for developing players is something I really admire. The opportunity to develop my skills further was a huge draw for me.
Can you share some of your personal goals for the upcoming 2024/25 season?
My personal goals include improving my technical skills, increasing my game awareness, and contributing significantly to the team’s success. I aim to become a more versatile player, capable of adapting to different game situations, and I hope to enhance my leadership and earn the respect of my teammates by giving my best effort in every match and training session.
What do you hope to achieve with the team this season?
I hope to help the team achieve the top position in the league standings and to win the championship. I aim to be part of a team that works well together, supports each other, and plays with passion and an unrelenting willingness to grow and improve.
How do you define excellence in powerchair football, and what steps do you take to maintain high standards in your performance?
Excellence in powerchair football is about precision, teamwork, and dedication to the sport. I maintain high standards through regular practice, visualisation, technique refinement, and game analysis. Staying mentally sharp and motivated is also crucial.
Are there any specific skills or areas of your game you’re looking to improve while with Melbourne City?
I’m particularly looking to improve my attacking skills and my ability to read the game more effectively. I also want to enhance my passing accuracy and speed, as these are crucial for creating opportunities on the field. Working with the talented coaching staff and my teammates at Melbourne City will be critical in achieving these improvements.
How do you see the future of powerchair football evolving with Melbourne City, and what role do you hope to play in it?
I see the future of powerchair football with Melbourne City as being very bright, with potential for greater visibility and success both locally and internationally. I hope to play a key role in this new era of the club by contributing to the team’s achievements, helping to mentor younger players, and advocating for the sport to reach a wider audience. Head Coach, Robert Wright added: “I am looking forward to welcoming Santo to the Melbourne City powerchair football team for season 2024/25. Santo brings a wealth of football experience and while he is well known for his power, I believe his biggest contribution will be from his knowledge of the game, match awareness and leadership. His ability to transfer his knowledge to our relatively inexperienced playing squad will help to fast-track player development across the team" Club Captain, Luke David, added: "It's a great coup for us. Santo will bring a lot of experience and knowledge to the team. He is the most powerful hitter in Australia and that will give us quite a few new options in attack. As a team, we're going to be putting in a lot of training and effort to bounce back from a disappointing season. This is certainly one big step forward for us." Everyone at Melbourne City welcomes Santo Bongiovanni to the Club and wishes him the best of luck throughout his time here. Santo Bongiovanni has elected to wear the No.4 shirt at Melbourne City Powerchair.
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