History of (Footscray) Renegades - 1980 to 1989

Lechia Renegades logo Originally called YMCA Renegades, the club amalgamated with Lechia around 1979 to form the YMCA Lechia Renegades Volleyball Club. Also around this time, Thomas Santamaria moved to coach the Heidelberg Volleyball Club (where he continues to coach in 2002), and unfortunately many players went with him (particularly from the women's side of the club).

This association between Lechia and Renegades only lasted a few years though and by the end of the 80's it was renamed Footscray Renegades.

By the late 1980's, Renegades had successfully developed strong ties to local Councils, Schools and sporting bodies around Melbourne's Western suburbs. And both the men's and women's teams were at the top of the State League competition at this time...

  • With the exception of 1980, the men's team had always finished in the top three places in the Victorian volleyball competition.
  • The women were runners-up in 1988-89 and Premiers in 1990-91.

During the 1980s, Renegades was heavily involved in the running of beach volleyball in Victoria...

Renegades and friends at Shoreham in the early 1980s

Renegades and friends (including a couple of players from the USA who played in Australia during that summer) at Shoreham on the shores of Western Port Bay in Victoria during the early 1980s.
Left to right (not including the children): Eddie Kruk, Anna Kruk, Matt Gage (USA), John Kruk, Renny Cirillo, Fred Zulich (USA), Gus Cirillo (squatting), Leo Strebbs, Sue [Kruk].

Renegades and friends at Shoreham in circa 1984

Renegades and friends relaxing on the beach at Shoreham in around 1984.
Left to right: ??? (Jan's sister), Emma Simmons, Helen, Jan, Andre (Andrew - sitting behind), Renny Cirillo, Gus Cirillo, Terry.