Minimum age to start playing for premierships.

[Sky Pilot]

They say junior sport is all about fun and enjoyment well what's more fun than winning? Nothing scores should be kept for all levels of football.

I'm amazed the issue wasn't raised at tonight's debate

[FlyingHigh]

I'm old school on this. You should keep scores from the entry level grades. Under-8 started it for me. Teaching kids that it is poor form to play a contest and not score because the losers might suffer some sort of long term trauma is just BS that is foistered upon us by do- gooders.

I'm old school too Sky Pilot, but having coached junior footy for a number of years, and been a Junior Development Officer, I can tell you from experience that you don't want finals or even ladders for grades under 14 years old. There is FAR too much inclination for coaches and parents to push for results at the cost of skill development and enjoyment of the game.
Kids don't get tried in different positions, kids on the fringe don't get selected, the better skilled kids are directed to ignore lesser skilled team mates, etc., etc. At least by 14 y.o., they are starting to make their own decisions and are starting to sort the wheat from the chaff. I would argue against finals and ladders for levels below that until the cows come home. We would lose too many kids (including some good ones) by having programs with finals, due to pressure and burn out. Remember, before they start under 15's, some kids have played over 100 games of footy!!
I don't have a big problem with keeping scores in under 13's, but really, it should be all about skill development and fun - just teach the kids to play the game!

...and as a result learn a position properly. Too much focus is being put on rotating players through all the positions on the field. They never end up learning how to play any of them.

I can see both sides of this argument as it sums up my junior footy to a tee. Played only as a defender as a kid, and learnt to play it reasonably well, however probably became too defensive because of it. Also, when I got the chance at senior level in the forward lines or on the ball I never really nailed it consistently enough, and now I feel it's because I was never instilled with those instincts.
Overall it doesn't bother me because I felt I nearly always contributed as a defender in senior footy, except for one thing that gives me the sh!ts now I look back, and that is that of all those players kicking the goals and playing on the ball and being the star players in juniors, hardly any went on to play much senior footy at any level.

[cripple]

Same problem with me. Was always stuck in the ruck and learnt the role well, but never really ended up growing to the required height to play the position at a senior level. Not totally against scoring as learning to lose graciously and in the right spirit is almost as important as learning how to win, i can just see the reasons for not scoring at a junior level.

[FlyingHigh]

Feel for ya cripple, ruck would be the worst for this situation.
To answer the question, keep scores from about 9-12 years old, and premierships u/13's IMO.
Depends too, on the depth and number of kids in the competition as a whole. At times I think competing clubs could/should work together more to give kids a competitive game of footy. For example, in Midwest, for years West Coast Hawks have had heaps of kids and won premierships by streets, whilst a small town like Wirrulla really battles for kids and often gets thumped, ie 10 goal mercy rule well before 1/2 time. Surely it would be better for some of the fringe Hawks kids and the Wirrulla lads, if some of those Hawks lads played some games for Wirrulla, albeit still be tied to the Hawks (obviously this might not be possible every week with programming etc)

[MatteeG]

Leave U8s score free, keep scores in U10s-U12s. Finals etc from 13s onwards.

Can someone involved in juniors confirm when tackling is first allowed? U12s?

[roodog]

Under 13's in the Barossa, Light & Gawler FL

[cripple]

Also when is it compulsory for kids to wear helmets in sa. I know central murray league around swan hill has kids wearing them until under 14's.

[cracka]

Leave U8s score free, keep scores in U10s-U12s. Finals etc from 13s onwards.

Can someone involved in juniors confirm when tackling is first allowed? U12s?

HFL start tackling from U10's.

[MatteeG]

Leave U8s score free, keep scores in U10s-U12s. Finals etc from 13s onwards.

Can someone involved in juniors confirm when tackling is first allowed? U12s?

HFL start tackling from U10's.

Cheers- When I was a kid it was bumping until U12s.

I think if the kids are old enough to tackle they are old enough to have scores kept.

[heater31]

Maybe the 'academics' have this one wrong about not playing to win.....


http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2397064/Its-winning-counts-Children-develop-competitive-streak-age-four.html

[cracka]

Maybe the 'academics' have this one wrong about not playing to win.....


http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2397064/Its-winning-counts-Children-develop-competitive-streak-age-four.html

Very interesting. I think maybe banker is on the money that its the coaches & parents who need to learn how to win or lose graciously.

[choppy]

Cracka. You meant to say the HFL have a premiership for under 13 central division & a mickey mouse unfair more games for some teams sort of comp for Country Division. Have a look in the Final Siren u13/s country ladder & you will see what I mean.

[cracka]

Cracka. You meant to say the HFL have a premiership for under 13 central division & a mickey mouse unfair more games for some teams sort of comp for Country Division. Have a look in the Final Siren u13/s country ladder & you will see what I mean.

Yeah that was an absolute debacle. They new it would be unfair from the 3rd week of the season & promised to sort it into some form of fairness but didn't. Meadows were the most hard done by as they would have finished 3rd instead of 5th, with the double chance. They lost their elimination final & are now out. If the HFL did something though it would have been at the detriment of Maccy I think so then they would be up in arms.