The two of us

The two of us: Gerry Riviere and Manny Koutroulis

In this feature of Torch, we highlight some of the many dynamic duos in our community. Gerry and Manny have worked together for eight years with the Boys Soccer teams, and have created a legendary culture, transforming the sport into an opportunity for students to learn, grow and succeed in more than just premierships.

Gerry: I’ve had two stints at Carey. The first time was in the 90s, when I was in the Junior School. Then in 2011, I came to the Senior School. That’s when I first met Manny, during a school tour for the new staff. We started working together in soccer and futsal in 2012. Manny is a passionate person. He’s dedicated to his family, and he laughs often. He obviously loves soccer, but he also loves helping to develop character and life skills in young people. He’s really encouraging to them, you can see it in his addresses to them before and after matches. Sometimes I feel so inspired that I want to get out there and play too! I really admire the way Manny interacts with other people. He always looks for the best in people, he’s always positive and he’s able to inspire others to see the possibilities rather than the problems. He is a person of character, I trust him implicitly and I admire his integrity and ethical and moral framework. I see my role as team manager as a supporting role to Manny as the coach. He never makes it feel like that though – it feels like more of a partnership. He always listens to my suggestions, and there’s absolute openness between us. We’ve never had an issue. Manny is very easy to work with because we’re on the same page, we just want the best for the boys. Seeing them develop into decent young men is an absolute joy. It’s so rewarding to see the growth in character, maturity and commitment. Manny drives the team culture in the way he relates to the squad and the standards he sets. He leads by example, and it creates a strong team culture. No one thinks they’re better than anyone else; the team always comes first. So they all turn up on time and try their hardest because they don’t want to let their mates down. When we have a sports meeting, we try and make it fun and send the kids out with a laugh. We believe that if a group can laugh together, they’ll play better together. Over the years, Carey Soccer has experienced significant success. Success affirms culture, and culture provides the groundwork for success, so they feed off each other. We won the premiership this year and that was fantastic, but we’ve always been successful in other ways too. For the number of boys who play soccer in our school, we perform extremely well, regularly matching with the large boys schools. That’s helped to maintain and sharpen our culture. When Manny or I walk through the Quad, the soccer boys come up and shake our hands. There’s a strong bond, and it’s lovely to be part of an environment like that. This year has been particularly difficult for me, and the soccer and futsal boys have been absolutely outstanding in their support. It has been quite overwhelming to be the recipient of such goodwill, generosity and kindness. Their contribution to my life and my wellbeing is probably much more significant than they realise.

‘I really admire the way Manny interacts with other people. He always looks for the best in people, he’s always positive and he’s able to inspire others to see the possibilities rather than the problems.’

Manny: When I was at school, we didn’t have a soccer program. I always felt it left a gap in my life. I missed the chance to represent my school and be a leader in a sport that I was really good at. Now though, Carey’s soccer program has completely fulfilled that for me. I started at Carey as a sports coach in 2000. Part of what I’ve loved most about working here is the bond between the students, families and staff. I’ve enjoyed being part of that and making a positive impact on students. I met Gerry in 2011 through the soccer program. We instantly got along, there was an immediate connection. He is a dear friend of mine, more than a colleague. We talk openly about everything. Gerry has been there for the good times and some really tough periods in my life. I also feel spiritually connected to Gerry through my faith. He’s a great person to go to when you need support. He’ll always welcome you with great energy. There needs to be more people like Gerry in this world. Gerry and I have together encouraged a great culture in the soccer program. It comes from strong values. Our players are respectful, inclusive and motivated; they value the shirt they wear and their roles as ambassadors for the school and leaders for the younger players. The First team in particular has such a great bond. There’s a sense of mutual

‘He’s a great person to go to when you need support. He’ll always welcome you with great energy. There needs to be more people like Gerry in this world.’

gratitude between the team and Gerry and me, and we’re always vocal about how much we appreciate them. Gerry and I work well together because we both just want the best for the boys. It’s about giving them the best experience, and we lead and facilitate the opportunities for them to learn. The premierships are wonderful, but the real result is the quality of the experience. Travelling with Gerry on the 2017 UK soccer trip was a bit funny! On the day we landed we were all pretty tired, but we went on this wonderful bus tour. But Gerry fell asleep. He very quickly went to bed when we got to the hotel. By 5.30am, he’d had around 14 solid hours’ sleep, so he has this abundance of energy. He went around the floor we were staying on yelling ‘Come on boys, let’s go! Great day for soccer!’, knocking on all the doors. He thought we had the whole floor. And then this big English guy, about 6'4" came out in his underwear and was not very happy with Gerry. At that point Gerry lost his nerve and was looking for one of the students’ rooms to jump in and hide! Being with Gerry and the team is always great. From one generation to the next you encounter different personalities, different team dynamics and different types of friendships. It keeps me motivated. I feel encouraged because I see these kids come through, and I think, ‘These boys are going to go out into the world, and they’re going to make a difference’. I can see the world is a really good place, full of lovely young people. It really affirms my place here, and makes me feel positive about the future.