‘The King’ Rocks on at Dulwich Hill

Often the goalkeepers get thrown in with the rest of the team and complete many of the same training drills. Sure, these days a keeper needs to be able to do more than just be a shot stopper, but specialist goal keeper training is very hard to find.
Dulwich Hill has no such concern as they have acquired the services of one of the most experienced and passionate goalkeeper coaches going around.
Elvis Ivan De Marchi was born on March, 1968, in Sydney, of Croatian background, and can often be referred to as ?The King? ? both for the relevance of his Christian name to the great Elvis Presley, but more importantly for his vast knowledge of the round ball game.
Elvis was a goalkeeper from day one, when he first donned the goalkeeping shirt of St George Police Citizen Boys Club in the Under 8?s.
?I loved the purple and white goalkeeping shirt of the club, but if I had it on today, I would probably be referred to as one of the Wiggles!? laughs De Marchi.
De Marchi?s playing career saw him turn out for quite a number of NSW clubs, including Hurstville ZSC, Sydney Croatia SC, Penrith Uruguay SC, and Rockdale Ilinden SC, to name a few.
So his experience between the sticks of so many clubs has provided De Marchi with the insight into what it takes to be a successful goalkeeper, and he thoroughly enjoys passing his knowledge onto young, eager keepers.
I asked Elvis if he had a role model as he was growing up playing the game in NSW;
?In Australia, it was Steve Watson, who played for Sydney Croatia in the 1980’s,? reminisced De Marchi.
?He had it all for me as a young boy aspiring to be a keeper- raw determination, work ethic, good communication, great reflexes, good shot stopper, and never stopped talking until his throat was completely wasted. He also had unbelievable courage in 1 vs 1’s.?
Playing at Sydney Croatia as a teenager meant that Elvis rubbed shoulders with some of the biggest names in goalkeeping history in Australia – Steve Watson, Greg Woodhouse, Tony Franken, Mark Bosnich & Zejlko Kalac.
?Actually, when I was playing at Hurstville Zagreb they had a young left sided midfielder/winger playing there. When I was dropped from 1st Grade one day he was quickly promoted to the 1st Grade goalkeeper position – his name is Ante Covic, and the rest is history! What a master stroke by the coach!? exclaimed De Marchi.
I asked Elvis whether he admired any worldwide keepers from afar;
?Worldwide I had quite a few goalkeepers I looked up to for all different reasons – Sepp Maier & Dino Zoff for their leadership qualities and presence; Thomas N’Kono and Neville Southall for shot stopping; Peter Schmeichel for 1 vs 1 and distribution; and Pat Jennings for his one handed takes of high balls.?
I quizzed De Marchi about what he enjoys most in his current role as a goal keeper coach (he currently coaches the keepers at Dulwich Hill, Rockdale City Suns & Northern Tigers) ; ?I like being in the position of developing keepers , as this I see as the most gratifying part of my job. I go into a season with an idea of improving every keeper I work with from a technical base, then tactical.As much as I would want them to have clean sheets every game, I am just as happy to see them improve week to week and learn from their errors.?
What is something you believe in the game that needs urgent attention?
?Youth football has become so cut throat with kids being turned over by clubs at a very high rate, and parents taking kids from club to club, which is also very detrimental. Unfortunately, we live in society where success is judged by results and not for the technical or tactical acumen achieved by players and teams. Hopefully this will change, and I’m hoping one day soon!
What are your plans for the future?
Ideally I would like to be working full-time for one organisation where it is run professionally, with a pathway for players and coaches with all the facilities and resources to run a successful coaching program.  
What advice would you give a young keeper aspiring to be a professional footballer?
Don’t be in a rush, bide your time and ride the waves of football. You will go through a lot of trials and tribulations in life, and it is no different in football. Work hard and follow your dreams. Make the necessary sacrifices. Do the extra work as natural talent only gets you so far. The ones who make it don’t need to be encouraged to do extra work. Push yourself beyond your limits or comfort zones. If your not playing 1st Grade by the time your 20 it’s not the end of the world, but the beginning, because if you look after yourself you can play at the highest level for 20 years. Also, seek good advice and don’t be lured by the bling or dollars, but how you can become a better person and footballer.
It is so refreshing to see someone like Elvis De Marchi giving so much back into the game. A passionate individual with loads of experience, plenty of knowledge, and loads of desire ? a real professional in the coaching ranks. Australia has always been able to produce talented goalkeepers in the past ? it?s good to know that with people like Elvis, the future looks equally as bright also.
-By Frank Speranza