adelaide Universty Football Club - Coach

[Blacks130]

Seriously,Uni only take footballers and in general dont give individuals a real sense of club and social environment in regards to what it takes to run a family and community orientated club,their cricket situation is the same.As much as they have been an institution in both forms over the years time has come that Uni with no junior responsibilities or involvement are now being recognized as non contributers in social development in sport.

If we are the worst, who is the best in these skills you identify and to be fair, pick a couple of clubs with from divisions 1 to 3 and then a couple from divisions 4 to 6.

[finn]

Seriously,Uni only take footballers and in general dont give individuals a real sense of club and social environment in regards to what it takes to run a family and community orientated club,their cricket situation is the same.As much as they have been an institution in both forms over the years time has come that Uni with no junior responsibilities or involvement are now being recognized as non contributers in social development in sport.

sorry, i have to take this point up. the club would not have ran successfully for 100 years without a sense of club or social environment. people have been involved for years on voluntary levels making the club work and these have often been people who have enjoyed long associations with other geographically based clubs eg payneham, broadview etc. every time the a grade makes the finals there is a massive turnout from the lower grades to support - i believe that the notion of community is fine within the club.

uni could run junior sides but why would they? juniors don't go to university and they should have the opportunity to play locally or with their schools. if we did run junior sides we'd be crucified for being involved in competitions that we have no real basis for being in, if we don't we get the 'nothing for junior development' argument. blacks past players are intimately involved in junior development at other clubs - would you want this to stop?

without a clubrooms of our own, uni have difficulty in broaching other sections of the community but then how different are we to old scholar sides.

we have teams (8) that cater for all levels of footballers, from those who have never played before to overseas students to those whose abilities will never take them to the a grade to a graders. players will often play 2 games to keep these sides going during holidays and other rough patches. i'd think you'd find that the forfeit ratio of university sides would be very very low and you can't do this without people being willing to do extra for the club.

the notion that university is not a real club is boring, old hat and twaddle.

[beeroclock]

Thanks for your response Finn and Blacks,but what is the rate of turnover through your As and Bs, my point is Uni are a convienience more so now and even more in the future for career people, its not the atmosphere that attracts them more so the possible job allotments at the end of the day that is appealing.I take on board the work been done by people now and in the past but i think things are going to go by the wayside with the change of human culture.Old sch clubs will suffer the same fate only those with strong junior lines will be of any strength in the next decade and behond,there are massive numbers playing junior footy at community clubs,14 at my Div 4 club alone,we had no junior side in1999,TTG has 26,Modbury also up there,Pooraka,Para Hills,Eastern Park the list goes on.Good luck in the future but things are about to become very difficult.

[finn]

cheers for that measured and thought out reply beer o'clock.
i know people do come to university with the intention of getting a job but that's more often than not, something to do with their choice of course to study - i'm not silly enough to suggest that there isn't a percentage of people who play to network but there is also a healthy percentage of players who play for the social aspect.
I'd be curious to know how much resistance (from geographical based clubs) there would be to university getting behind junior development or whether indeed there is something in the club's constitution or university that stops this? I'll check this last section out myself.
cheers.
which is your club by the way?

[Blacks130]

Thanks for your response Finn and Blacks,but what is the rate of turnover through your As and Bs, my point is Uni are a convienience more so now and even more in the future for career people, its not the atmosphere that attracts them more so the possible job allotments at the end of the day that is appealing.I take on board the work been done by people now and in the past but i think things are going to go by the wayside with the change of human culture.Old sch clubs will suffer the same fate only those with strong junior lines will be of any strength in the next decade and behond,there are massive numbers playing junior footy at community clubs,14 at my Div 4 club alone,we had no junior side in1999,TTG has 26,Modbury also up there,Pooraka,Para Hills,Eastern Park the list goes on.Good luck in the future but things are about to become very difficult.

You make some good observation BOC but I guess we would respond that we have a high turnover of players because of the job allotments that drive players to the eastern states or O/S. That's not a whinge, just one of the many intricacies that make up our club. The clubs you mention and TTG are the stand out have certainly done a good job in fostering a youth program but I think clubs in general if for no other reason than social habits and other options available to young people will have to find other ways to remain profitable and be sustainable besides those fortunate enough to have gotten in before the freeze on Gaming Machines. My frustration at some criticism of the Blacks stems from friends involved at some suburban clubs where they give examples of players (recruits) lining up for an envelope after the game with some folding stuff in it only to walk out without even putting a fiver over the bar for a pint. My question and I suppose it's an evolution of problems is how a club is going to keep home grown players satisfied when recruits come in and are treated like royalty and locals like the furniture, I would say that has an adverse effect on club morale in the long term. You see, suburban clubs have or will have problems as well just a little different to ours. Interesting times for all in the future I'd say.

[beeroclock]

Yeh boys linked with a club that will be relegated myself,probaly only due to the lack of vision by their pathetic and inactive committee who did nothing, even though they all knew we were going to struggle,we have no pokies and dont pay a razoo to anybody, many of our players have moved on to higher divisions and good luck to them, but when you dont look after your most important assets thats what happens,hopefully they start doing things a bit better for the 15 blokes that played their first season of senior footy from our juniors and for next years crop, thats where the future is for club survival, kids with a sense of belonging.Is Gavin Cragg still playing,cousin of mine.

[Blacks130]

Is Gavin Cragg still playing,cousin of mine.

He certainly is, one of the good guys who answered the call at the start of the year when stocks were low(er). I haven't been over to main oval for a few weeks but I reckon I heard he broke his foot about a month ago

[beeroclock]

Boxing day now the only time we catch up,he is a down to earth bloke.Was or is he still a good footballer.Any stories i can spring on him.

[Felch]

Gavin Cragg is the tightest man on earth, wouldnt shout if a shark bit him !!!
In all seriousness, great bloke, ex-school and team mate from Riverside days.
More than handy player.

[stan]

what has happened to Adelaide Uni?
now this might be a stupid question but has the slide got partly to do with the Uni union fees being cancelled? (genuine question)
Because the Fed Gov has abolished Union Fees has it had an effect on the football side of things or any other sport within Adelaide Uni. (discount books etc.)
i am curious.

Burglar I have been thinking along the same lines....

[heater31]

what has happened to Adelaide Uni?
now this might be a stupid question but has the slide got partly to do with the Uni union fees being cancelled? (genuine question)
Because the Fed Gov has abolished Union Fees has it had an effect on the football side of things or any other sport within Adelaide Uni. (discount books etc.)
i am curious.

Burglar I have been thinking along the same lines....

the only thing that I can think of it affecting would be their claim on some funding may be reduced. but according to uni they don't pay players so it shouldn't really affect too much

[Blacks130]

Thankyou Heater31, Beeroclock, Fudd03, Finn. Now that we have some steady heads contributing to this discussion on our demise it has some credibility, I don't think anyone involved at our club would dare suggest that we were anything but competitive in games albeit some more/less than others. At the end of the day we weren't good enough to even scrape through to avoid the dump but we'll take it on the chin and go to our post season sypnosium with a sole purpose of identifying the way forward ti find our way back. I think the biggest issue is to realise that whilst we had plans for a magnificent centenary in 06 with which it was but we then took our eye off the ball for 07 and we are paying the price. I hope we're back sooner than later with the current custodians of Division 1 and resume our healthy repect with those clubs that have been able stay up the top.

Finn will I see you out at Golden Grove tomorrow

[finn]

sorry blacks130 but i was out at pertaringa on saturday with the other c1 socialists being involved in a way too close game (1 point) in a belter between 1st and 2nd.
hopefully the 1 res will make the finals - come on gepps do the right thing and beat henley.

[Blacks130]

sorry blacks130 but i was out at pertaringa on saturday with the other c1 socialists being involved in a way too close game (1 point) in a belter between 1st and 2nd.
hopefully the 1 res will make the finals - come on gepps do the right thing and beat henley.

Finn, do you know who's hosting HYB this week.

[bulldogs]

didnt know BOC had so many brains actually made sense, poor boy was hard done by.

[finn]

blacks130 - ask kernas re: hyb. then buckle up for super sunday.

[FootyMad]

Blacks130 there is no doubt you boys will need to find some cash from somewhere to return to A1 in 09, hopefully your board comes up with a 2 year plan mate. They must realise now that other clubs will be vying and spending up to take a place in div for 09 rather than think of it as div 2 and save any penny's for 09, pay now or expect a long stint in div 2 or lower. Players goodwill has seen you relegated so relying on this wont see you rise anytime soon.

To cover your point regarding juniors due to the University not have a constitution that covers you for junior programs this cannot happen in its current state, your club is still very much tied to the constitution of the University I'd say, by there current by-laws there are not entitlements or priorities for juniors - Im sure you can word this better than me or maybe even post a snippet of it here. However one loop hole for Uni that they must investigate is the ability to field an U/17 team, currently there are senior schools (feeders) tied to the University, infact doesn't Adeladie Uni have its only senior college for kids in year 11,12? This may be your way to have the constitution amended to atleast include juniors - this being done will see young blokes fill your ranks at junior level.

[finn]

a very good point regarding the senior college and one worth investigating - i'll also look into the University's and clubs constitutions regarding permissibility of juniors.
2008 should be an interesting year given the massive shakeup that the club has experienced this year and hopefully, we'll learn from it.
i guess some positives have emerged - matt birchmore from roseworthy won his association medal as did a young guy second year out from school in c1.
c1 (2nd semi), c4 and the 6 reserves (1st semi) are still in the finals and the club will not lose money.
good luck to all still involved in finals unless you're playing uni's c1 grade in which I hope you do well personally but uni win.

[FootyMad]

Finn you'll find the clubs permissibility of juniors under the constitution will state that they must be atleast 16 yrs in order to be registered.