The first wave of adjustments to the Greater Sydney club competitions have been announced for the 2014 season.
- Junior Club Football – to extend to u17 in 2014 (from existing u16 in 2013)across all GSJ regions
- Senior Club Football – the u18 competition to become an u19 competition in 2014
The 2012 Health Check of Community Australian Football in Sydney conducted by AFL NSW/ACT highlighted an opportunity for AFL NSW/ACT to consider a strategy to retain more participants progressing from junior to senior football and two years later, progressing within the senior clubs from their current u18 to open aged teams.
AFL Sydney Manager, David Lawson explained – “Best practice across Australian football competitions has confirmed that extending the junior football environment to u17 has retained players in their familiar, junior environment when so much else is happening in their lives (car license; year 11/12; full-time employment etc)”.
The consequential extension of u18 football to an u19 competition is to build a sustainable base at the entry point to Senior Clubs.
Lawson explains – “An u19 competition will allow another year of physical and skill development before open age competition, and will allow the u18 HSC students to mix studies and football as ‘bottom aged’ u19 footballers. In addition, elsewhere in Australia, senior clubs have found the integration of u19 teams into their senior club environment easier than integrating u18 teams.”
“Overall, these changes are about retaining the club footballer along the pathway. There is nothing stopping the talented footballer progressing through the excellent AFL Academy programs and/or proceeding into open aged competitions.”
Last Modified on 09/07/2013 10:52
