SANFL needs to do more promotions aimed at kids

[Wedgie]

I took count of the different guernseys worn today at my son and daughters Auskick.

There's about 100 kids.

28 kids had Crows guernseys.
6 kids had Power guernseys.
4 kids had Geelong guernseys.
1 kid had a North Adelaide guernsey.

Suprisingly enough the only AFL tops in the 4 weeks of the shindig have been Crows, Power and Geelong and weirdly enough there's usually more Geelong tops than Port. Nother other AFL clubs and you can guess who is the father of the only person wearing a SANFL guernsey.

The kids get a Panthers ball and a Panthers sticker but that's it. The SANFL should get SANFL players out to these shindigs, take a bit out of the annual returns and pay directly some players from each club to be involved and make sure its players the kids would recognise.
The AFL don't do much more either with just a couple of fringe Crows players that the kids have never heard of going to the School (not Auskick) once a year.

Surely at things like Auskick it'd also be the perfect opportunity for giving the kids parents a free pass or 2 to an SANFL games and emphasise the fact to them that the kids are free, perhaps throw in a free pie and coke voucher too.

It's not rocket science SANFL, get off your arses and win these kids over, if the AFL doesn't do a bit better too a lot of these kids will be lost to soccer with the world cup coming up and with some mothers preferring their kids to play a softer game where they have less chance of getting injured.

Also with Auskick with the way demographics of supporers are widely spread these days unlike the old days they should give the kids the option of what footy they get, all the kids looked about as thrilled as when getting served up a serve of brussel sprouts when they saw they got Panthers balls today.

PS Phil H has also touched on this point before and was spot on.

[Magpiespower]

Surely at things like Auskick it'd also be the perfect opportunity for giving the kids parents a free pass or 2 to an SANFL games and emphasise the fact to them that the kids are free, perhaps throw in a free pie and coke voucher too

Yeah, it doesn't really take much.

A couple of players taking the school footy team training.

A pie and pastie night.

A showbag with some merchandise.

Loved this sort of stuff when I was a kid.

Speaking of merchandise, this is one (of many) areas the SANFL needs to address.

Can't remember the last time SANFL merchandise was readily available - have to go back to the 1980s I reakon...

[Mickyj]

Surely at things like Auskick it'd also be the perfect opportunity for giving the kids parents a free pass or 2 to an SANFL games and emphasise the fact to them that the kids are free, perhaps throw in a free pie and coke voucher too

Yeah, it doesn't really take much.

A couple of players taking the school footy team training.

A pie and pastie night.

A showbag with some merchandise.

Loved this sort of stuff when I was a kid.

Speaking of merchandise, this is one (of many) areas the SANFL needs to address.

Can't remember the last time SANFL merchandise was readily available - have to go back to the 1980s I reakon...

Pre Crows and Power days
And Magpiespower you only need to look at port fans at a SANFL game you may well be able to count the people in maggies gear on one hand ,this isnt meant to flame you mate just a point.

[Mr66]

When I was in Adelaide two months ago, I had could not find any SANFL merchandise
in the sports stores which I ventured into.
I was especially disappointed that Rowe&Jarman had nothing available.
The SANFL apparently have done little to promote the local comp and sadly,
I don't think that this will change.

[Adelaide Hawk]

Yeah, I don't really know why but it annoys me to see people at local games decked out in Crows and Power gear. I realise everyone has freedom of choice but I would just like to see people wear their clubs colours rather than their AFL teams.

As for the SANFL promoting the game ... ANY promotion at all would be nice.

[CK]

We are looking at ways at C31 to help bring the kids back to the footy, and are assessing ways of bringing a studio audience in on Sundays, with a junior team invited each week. More on this as we work through some of the logistics.

[Mr66]

Yeah, I don't really know wh but it annoys me to see people at local games decked out in Crows and Power gear. I realise everyone has freedom of choice but I would just like to see people wear their clubs colours rather than their AFL teams.

As for the SANFL promoting the game ... ANY promotion at all would be nice.

People wear AFL gear because it might be the only footy gear thats available.

[spell_check]

At least The First Bounce are heading in the right direction for sports stores.

[Mickyj]

Yeah, I don't really know wh but it annoys me to see people at local games decked out in Crows and Power gear. I realise everyone has freedom of choice but I would just like to see people wear their clubs colours rather than their AFL teams.

As for the SANFL promoting the game ... ANY promotion at all would be nice.

People wear AFL gear because it might be the only footy gear thats available.

Of course you can buy SANFL gear from your local club but of course its not cheap by any means.But it is not available at places like KMART which of course it should be.

[Dog_ger]

I'd change that Roosters Jumper Wedge....? 1%....?

Put him in a Crows 23. He might go places...? lol

Forget it...! Presentation is everything...! Its 2006

Everyone wake up...!

[Rushby Hinds]

Wedgie, i've been involved as an Auskick coach (poor kids) for 4 years, and now also involved in school footy proper as well.

It's great fun, i bloody enjoy.

Am fortunate enough that my kids go to a school that has a healthy approach to Sport, footy is very popular at our school.

In regards to the SANFL being involved in the local Auskick stuff, it simply comes back to the school Auskick co-ordinator getting off his butt!

Being a bays fan (natch),and living in the Bays zone a few quick calls to the Bays has found them willing if possible.

Every year the club has given us a big supply of posters, which the little tackers gobble up.

And the GFC footballs that they all get (as alluded to) are a hit as well.

We had a whole bunch of (senior) players from the Bays turn up 2 years ago, and a few last year, they are great when/if they get there, but early Sunday mornings are a big hassle for many reasons, but a real one is the rehab sessions @ the club.

The local school footy (and all junior school footy across Adelaide I think), are co-ordinated club by club. We are in the "glenelg zone" and a rep from the Bays has had the task of organising the draw, etc etc. The GFC has gifted drink bottles etc.

The intersting thing in our area is that about 85% of the schools involved in school footy are the private ones, the public ones may not have the one or two dedicated dads to push it through?

Also the private schools tend to do a lot better, may have something to do with the regular number of ex - AFL players on the sidelines as their little darlings kick goal after goal all match

Like anything, in regards to SANFL clubs pushing Auskick, if u don't ask you don't get.

Having said that, the idea of a flyer for the parents advertising a match is a valid one, i'll be in touch with the club tomorrow!

And to anyone involved in Auskick and/or school footy as either a co-ordinator, coach, helper or a parent, big ups to you, i get a tremendous amount of fun and pride out of it.

[Rushby Hinds]

PS Forgot, dunno how it happened, either thru complete good luck or bribery and harrassment by me thru the years, there is an amazingly high % of Bays supporting Kids and Dads @ our local school, and also we have MORE Power supporting kids then Crows kids amongst the older kids.

Maybe the powers premiership within these kids life time may have had an effect?

[spell_check]

A small way to help is to bring back the Mini League ladder, and play finals during the League finals series at half time.

[Wedgie]

Dogger, its my daughter that wears the North guernsey, my son has a Geelong guernsey.

Borat, good points, unfortunately the bloke who runs ours despite being a nice guy is a Power fan and doesn't appear to have any interest in the SANFL.
I might shoot off an email to South and see if there's anything extra they might be able to do for the kids.
With the way they're screaming to get fans to Noarlunga they should have people at everyone of these shindigs.

[Dutchy]

Phil's article a couple of weeks ago was spot on, however I believe not all agreed with it, hence the problem

[Magpiespower]

People wear AFL gear because it might be the only footy gear thats available.

Yep. Should clarify that I meant "official" SANFL merchandise - need some quality control.

At the very least, you should be able to buy guernseys, t-shirts, caps, scarves and flags from the local sports store...

[raymond]

as we live so far away we only get to go to a couple a games a year and for the last 6 years we have been able to make the trip for the Granny
The Monday after the grand final at grand central is fantastic my kids love it and it has made my family all support the doggies (lucky Port hasn't been up there)
can't speak about other clubs but the time the players give the kids on this day is great should happen a whole lot more during the season
SANFL keepin it real

[MST]

I took count of the different guernseys worn today at my son and daughters Auskick.

There's about 100 kids.

28 kids had Crows guernseys.
6 kids had Power guernseys.
4 kids had Geelong guernseys.
1 kid had a North Adelaide guernsey.

Suprisingly enough the only AFL tops in the 4 weeks of the shindig have been Crows, Power and Geelong and weirdly enough there's usually more Geelong tops than Port. Nother other AFL clubs and you can guess who is the father of the only person wearing a SANFL guernsey.

The kids get a Panthers ball and a Panthers sticker but that's it. The SANFL should get SANFL players out to these shindigs, take a bit out of the annual returns and pay directly some players from each club to be involved and make sure its players the kids would recognise.
The AFL don't do much more either with just a couple of fringe Crows players that the kids have never heard of going to the School (not Auskick) once a year.

Surely at things like Auskick it'd also be the perfect opportunity for giving the kids parents a free pass or 2 to an SANFL games and emphasise the fact to them that the kids are free, perhaps throw in a free pie and coke voucher too.

It's not rocket science SANFL, get off your arses and win these kids over, if the AFL doesn't do a bit better too a lot of these kids will be lost to soccer with the world cup coming up and with some mothers preferring their kids to play a softer game where they have less chance of getting injured.

Also with Auskick with the way demographics of supporers are widely spread these days unlike the old days they should give the kids the option of what footy they get, all the kids looked about as thrilled as when getting served up a serve of brussel sprouts when they saw they got Panthers balls today.

PS Phil H has also touched on this point before and was spot on.

I agree 100% Wedgie.

The other 'modernism' that annoys me profusely is in the mini-league, where we have a situation of the home team playing v Coca-Cola....... What a disgrace.

I couldn't even imagine growing up as a kid not being given the opportunity to pull on a league uniform. I represented Norwood against North at FP in 1988, what a buzz.

The excuse I have heard is the SANFL choose two teams/schools from the same zone, rather than from the opposition team's zone. SO WHAT, I was Double Blue the minute I popped out the shute but I still got a huge kick out of donning a league uniform.

[Cooper]

Watching the socceroos last night I thought it was good that none of the national teams have advertising on their jersey! Pity the SANFL can't be the same.

[Magpiespower]

The excuse I have heard is the SANFL choose two teams/schools from the same zone, rather than from the opposition team's zone. SO WHAT, I was Double Blue the minute I popped out the shute but I still got a huge kick out of donning a league uniform.

Even though I barrack for Port, I got a huuuge buzz out of playing mini-league.

For Centrals. At Elizabeth.

The Bulldog faithful were so appreciative, they spat on us.

FWIW, we got flogged by West.