Like last year it again disappointing that the EDFL could not field ten teams in each of its junior grades in 2018. Our U/16s and U/18s competitions comprised of only seven and eight teams respectively this season. Not having a full complement of teams is not only felt by those clubs that cannot put a team on the field but also the entire competition.
A number of clubs have praised the league initiative to pad up the junior draw with ‘make up ‘games but a few have also expressed their concern with the logistics involved with their teams playing at neutral venues or often split at alternative venues - not to mention a reduction in monies at the gate and over the canteen. The league understands this but feel the importance of kids playing as many matches as possible outdoes the inconvenience towards clubs, support staff, helpers and the parents or guardians who get their kids to the games.
While the EDFL will not have a full quota of junior teams this predicament is far wider than just in our league. At junior level most Gippsland leagues do not field a full set of teams and from anecdotal evidence very much a problem state wide.
So why the low numbers? Their appears a myriad of factors; increasing costs, the value placed on sport is not as high in recent decades, kids rely more heavily on parents, guardians or friends to transport them because for whatever reason everybody is more busy are just some of the key thoughts to come across my desk. Others have said generation Z and the millenniums live too much a sedentary lifestyle, couldn’t be bothered to work hard, addicted to social media or interested in other sports. A long standing EDFL U/18 coach recently said “cars, grog, girls” all play a part. Another current EDFL U18 coach is adamant kids start playing too young and are “burned out” by the time they reach U16 level. Also let us not put our heads in the sand - drugs may also play a part. All reasonable explanations.
It is worth noting that the interest in Australian Rules football at the highest level (the AFL) - if measured by attendance in relation to population has been diminishing in Victoria each decade.
In the late 1930s the state population was 1.8 million and around 165,000 spectators went to the home and away football (not quite but close to 10 %) and this was when there was only 12 teams and all games started at 2pm. This percentage has gone down each decade. Reading into AFL attendance figures beyond the 1990’s is hard to judge as the game has gone national but fair to say the crowds and interest is nowhere near proportional to the population boom. Much evidence suggests crowds in Gippsland were far bigger in the 60s and 70’s in fact one interleague game in the late sixties between the old Latrobe Valley FL and the Ovens and Murray drew a gate of over $2000 – which must have been a massive crowd. The AFL often talk up record crowds but let’s face all rounds of football are now played over at least three days and other rounds this year over five days. There is a strong argument to suggest Australian Rules football no longer commands the heartfelt attention of the public as it did yesteryear and this steady downward trend in interest is being reflected in the numbers participating at junior level.
Last Modified on 15/06/2018 12:34
