We’re past halfway and heading for home in the 2012 Victorian Champions League season, with only three weeks left of the ten week campaign.

We hope everyone has been trying their best out there as we have had up to 27 technical observers out and about each week on the hunt for Victoria’s most talented players for 2013.

On top of this, all Head Zone Coaches will be contacted towards end of season to ensure no potentially talented player has been missed by our observers. State coaches are also in contact with the relevant VCL team coaches to discuss players, so it is a multi-faceted approach to identifying the best at this time.

Final squad lists will then be collated in January with selection sessions to be held during February.

During the February sessions, teams are selected by a panel which consists of state coaches and their assistants, with FFV Technical Director Sean Douglas overseeing the process.

This will be followed by the state squad camp in April before teams spend the remainder of the year training as a team while preparing for their respective National Championships.

Douglas said that while selecting state teams is always a difficult task, the current set-up makes it as fair as possible.

“We expect to have all players seen by our technical observers at least three or four times during the season, but more likely five or six times, so they have several chances to impress,” he said.

“The inclusion of the Head Zone Coaches in the process is also important as it gives us even more insight into how players are performing over the course of the season.

“Making a state team is more than just playing at the Nationals, which are nice, they are about taking the next step down the talented player pathway, maximising player development and hopefully setting the individual up for a career in football.”

Squads: 

Note: All Country players will be invited into Regional Academy programs.

U13 Girls Country and Metro – All players will be given the opportunity to be in a FFV full time development program, competing as a team in an U12 Boys competition. There are also State teams for both Metro and Country players that will attend National Championships in July.

U14 Girls – All players are invited into a FFV full time development program to play in an U13 Boys competition. Players are also eligible to be selected for the U15 Girls State Squad which will attend National Championships in July. (Please note that there is not an U14 Girls age group at Nationals).

U15 Girls – All players are invited into a FFV full time development program to play in an U14 Boys competition. Players are also eligible to be selected for the U15 Girls State Squad which will attend National Championships in July.

U17 Girls – Invited into Girls NTC program.

U13 Boys Country and Metro – All players are invited into the Skillaroos squad to play in an U14 Boys competition. Players are also eligible for the Metro and Country State Teams to attend National Championships in October.

U14 Boys Country and Metro – All players invited into the Senior Skillaroos squad to play in an U15 boys competition. Players are also eligible for the Metro and Country State Teams to attend National Championships in October.

U15 Boys – Invited into Boys NTC program.

U17 Boys – Identified and invited to play against selected teams and exposed to A-League and National Youth League coaches.