The AFL has released the Next Generation Australian Football Match Policy which has been adopted by the AFL Mackay Juniors in season 2009.
AFL Queensland played an integral role in the development of the policy following its implementation in the majority of junior leagues throughout the state in 2008. The feedback given helped refine the policy for nationwide use this year.
The AFL worked in collaboration with the Australian Sports Commission to create the Next Generation Policy and have named Port Adelaide coach Mark Williams as the ambassador of the program.
Williams, for the best part of the last decade, has combined his senior AFL coaching with a junior match-day role, making him a perfect candidate to help launch the AFL’s new match policy.
Having been designed to create a safe and fun environment for participants and umpires, the AFL’s new structure contains programs and match rules in two stages: the AFL Junior Policy for players aged five to 12; and the AFL Youth Policy for players aged 13-18 years.
Williams encouraged volunteers and administrators across the country to adopt the new Policy.
“Junior footy is not the same as senior footy. The number one thing is not whether the score is big, or who has won or lost,” Williams said.
“When it gets to AFL level that’s probably the number one thing- whether you’ve won or not. But the enjoyment, the skill introduction and the development are definitely paramount at junior level.
“Until now, there has been bits and pieces of it [match policy] everywhere, from South Australia, to Western Australia, to Victoria – all over Australia – there have been different ideas.
“What the AFL is doing now is putting it all together to make it one. I think the AFL understands that it’s not going to change overnight and be perfect. But over the next two or three years, everyone will agree to do it this way and it will be a fantastic progression.”
In 2008, 163,000 kids (including 78,000 girls) played NAB AFL Auskick, 209,000 played in primary or secondary school competitions and 206,000 played in community club football.
The new Policy includes modifications to ground sizes, team numbers and rules as the participant’s progress through the pathway.
Williams said rules such as the no contact or tackling rule for five to eight-year-olds had helped make the game safer.
“We really need to grab as many kids as we can in this day and age and I think the AFL game has become very, very safe. When mums are trying to make the choice of what sport their kids should play – whether it’s soccer, rugby or AFL – I think they can easily say that AFL is as safe as any of the other games now, if not safer,” Williams said.
“There is a bit of self-interest there on my part too because if we can get huge numbers coming through, we’re going to have elite players at the top end and that will helps us ... produce a great product for people to come and watch.”
Williams joined Federal Minister for Sport the Hon. Katie Ellis, AFL Commissioner Bob Hammond and AFL General Manager National and International Development David Mathews at the launch in Adelaide.
Ms Ellis said the Policy was the most comprehensive of any national sporting organisation in Australia.
“We know before we have young, elite players we need good quality junior sporting programs in place, which is what brings us to the program we are launching today,” she said.
“We want to create the best possible environments for juniors when they engage in their sport because it’s at this time that we need them to develop their love of the game.”
Last Modified on 14/09/2010 11:10