COMPETITION DETAILS:
PARTICIPANTS
The competition is able to cater for children in 3 different age groups: Year 2/3, 4/5 and 6/7. School football games are played with slightly modified rules aimed at protecting children’s wellbeing and ensuring that they can reach their potential. SASFA welcomes boys, girls and children of all nationalities.
COSTS
A great aspect of this competition is the relatively low cost; the team registration fee for an entire season is just $50 per team. The school may need to include running costs such as umpiring in their allowance for the season. Umpires fees are between $14 and $16 per game, depending on the year level. The SANFL also has a subsidy scheme in place to assist schools with the purchase of equipment such as Guernseys.
LOCATION
Schools may use their own oval for SASFA games, if available. Charles Campbell Secondary School is hired annually by Norwood FC as a venue for teams who are unable to secure their own playing field. This is a central location and is also used for end of season Lightning Carnivals.
UMPIRING
Umpires for games are supplied by the SANFL umpires department. All umpires are qualified; these umpires also train weekly to develop their skills.
PLAYING DATES
The competition is played on Saturday mornings during school terms 2 and 3. Most teams also run weekly training sessions for their players. The 2010 season is planned to begin on Saturday May 8th.
DELEGATES
Each school entered is asked to nominate a delegate to attend meetings organized several times throughout the year. These meetings are held at Norwood Oval monthly during the football season.
PRESENTATION NIGHT
Annually the Norwood SASFA competition holds a presentation night to thank those involved and present awards to the elite players in the competition. Awards are given to most valuable players in every team, Interzone players, Year 6/7 medal winners, Premiers Cup participants and the various volunteers involved in the competition.
SASFA TEAM OPPORTUNITIES
PREMIERS CUP
The highest ranked team in the year 6/7 competition mid-season receives the opportunity to represent our zone in a round-robin style competition against the leaders in other SASFA zones. If this team is able to win all of its games they can then proceed to the honor of playing a curtain raiser AFL game at AAMI stadium.
MINI LEAGUE
Participants in the Norwood SASFA zone are given the chance to participate in Mini-League games at half time of the Norwood FC league games. This gives children the rare chance to play ‘on the big stage’ in front of thousands of people. This is an opportunity many people never get.
CHARACTER AWARD
The ‘Bruce Potter Award’ is an initiative introduced by the Norwood SASFA zone as a way to encourage good behavior and sportsmanship within the competition. After each game teams are required to score the opposition team, players, coaches, officials and parental behavior. These scores are totaled up at the end of the season. The team with the most points then receives a cash reward and other benefits from sponsors of the award.
SASFA PLAYER OPPORTUNITIES
INTERZONE
Children in the year 4/5 and 6/7 competitions are given the chance to represent Norwood in the SASFA Interzone competition. Players from each team are nominated by their coaches and are then given the opportunity to play for Norwood in a series of 3 Friday night games against various other SANFL club representative teams.
DEVELOPMENT SQUADS
