Alabarda Sports & Social Club Of South Australia Incorporated

The Alabarda Sports & Social Club of South Australia Inc. for Sports Clubs in HOLDEN HILL in Tea Tree Gully Region, South Australia

A sport club formed in 1956 in Adelaide by migrants from the city of Trieste far northeast part of Italy, was part of the strong European influence boosting basketball in South Australia but also part of its regional community clubs being formed in the city. The influence of post-World War II European migrants on South Australia’s basketball was especially pushed by those from Baltic countries and Italian cities. Young migrants to Adelaide from Trieste, wanting to play the sports they loved in their home city, which was volleyball and basketball, initially joined two (now defunct) clubs, the Giuliano-Dalmata League for volleyball and A.S. Roma for basketball, until October 1956. Deciding to form their own club, Triestini players met at the ‘Saffi’ family home in Norwood met on 18 November 1956 (1st club meeting) writing up the club’s constitution. Players Claudio Ritossa (manager), Tullio Borri (secretary), Iago Nordio (treasurer), Guido Saffi (publicity officer), Angelo Canziani (volleyball/basketball coach), Alessandro (Nino) Poropat, Arduino (Dino) Saffi, Armando Giorgetti, Attilio Lattaro, Ennio Verbis, Giorgio Clementi, Giuseppe Bianchini, Stelio Sabadin and also members Inea Poropat, Marisa Giorgetti, were the 15 pioneers and founding members of the new Alabarda Sport Club. In basketball, the Alabarda team competed in the South Australian district and metropolitan amateur associations, at the OBI (Our Boys Institute) on Wakefield St. Adelaide, but also at the tin shed suburban stadiums at Forestville and Bowden with their special atmospheres – and smell. Alabarda played against teams such as the Latvian ASK (Adelaide Sport Klub), Maiella, Budapest (Hungarian), Estonia, Vytis (Lithuanian), Venta, Taurus, Norwood, OBI and many other now famous teams and players too such as 1956 Australian Olympics team members Latvian Inga Friedenfelds (captain) and Peter Sutton, Vytis and Chris Burdett.

After many fundraisers at members' homes, plus a bank loan and donations, Alabarda finally opened their own clubrooms in the Adelaide northeast suburb of Holden Hill in 1973. As the hub for a multicultural community, the clubrooms included bar, library, function center and dance floor, children's playground, bocce drome, basketball and tennis courts were among the amenities for lively program of events. The club sold its clubrooms in 2009 but has continued to be active throughout these years becoming one of the oldest and strongest multi-cultural clubs of the South Australian Italian community.

Known now as The Alabarda Sport and Social Club of South Australia Inc. and still operating after 70 years, with the hope to carry its cultural history and a legacy for future generations.