SA Footy

Just wondering what everyone's thought are on this. We have U13's in the HFL & it really brings out some ugly coaches & parents.

Back in my day, there was only 2 junior grades. U/12's was first past the post and the league would present a shield.

Won 2 flags back to back and 4 players from that team went on to play at least SANFL reserves level. 1 went to the AFL.

Only sort of dishonest sportsmanship was our arch rivals tried to shorten the length of the field to a ridiculous level (both teams had to agree to this). We smashed them at our ground one time with the full size oval and they clearly wanted to flood and press our game style.....

U/16 was the next level and it was sheep stations to a certain extent with finals. Got into a few scuffles with other peanuts trying be heros and picking on the smaller kids.

Our league has U17 and U14 playing finals then U11 and U8 where scores are not kept. I think this is about right.

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.

Sky Pilot wrote: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.

Finally some sense from you SP

Sky Pilot wrote: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.

But what age should kids start playing for a premiership. I mean a finals series where the winner of the GF gets the trophy & medallions.

daysofourlives wrote:

Sky Pilot wrote: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.

Finally some sense from you SP

The BL&G u13's dont play for points and score isnt kept.
By that age they should be playing for points and premierships

As a junior, i remember playing for premiership points from U/11's onward
Back to Back u/11's and 12's
Is a great memory. I think the parents enjoyed it as much as us kids did. Little did we realise back then how rare premierships in any grade were to come by....we lost the GF in U/13, 14, 15 and 16's

cracka wrote:

Sky Pilot wrote: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.

But what age should kids start playing for a premiership. I mean a finals series where the winner of the GF gets the trophy & medallions.

I hear you cracka. Premiership shield up for grabs from entry level grades whatever they are. You gotta teach kids that while winning isn't everything, losing is nothing.

It's not the kids that need to learn about winning & losing....

Sky Pilot wrote: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.

Like Christopher Pyne

Banker wrote:It's not the kids that need to learn about winning & losing....

Now F##$*&^?@# listen here young fella you are F##@?$# gallivanting around in Melbourne while your team needs you for Finals. I have a mind to go over there and grab you by the ear #@$??^!

Sky Pilot wrote: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.

Sky Pilot wrote: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!

roodog wrote:

Sky Pilot wrote: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!

Sure thing roodog. That's your experience and your belief and its valid I guess. I definitely came through the old school where the system of natural attrition from kids dropping out on their own accord led to the rest being part of teams who were coached to succeed. Skills, fitness and courage were drilled into us just as it is today. We just played for keeps from early on and not too many of us grew up with phobias as a result.

I think that when aussie rules was the only sport to play on the weekend, it made sense to play a junior game in the same spirit as senior levels with ladders and flags etc... but with increased variety in sporting options compared to 25+ years ago, keeping the kids happy is very important, otherwise you quickly lose a team. I recently coached a school year 8 footy team that went through four shortened games and scored a combined 34:30 to 1:2 over the day. Great result for us but wouldn't have been too many boys in the other teams who would choose to play footy again. Most kids are smart enough to know who wins and loses,but having it publicised and reinforced that it is the only reason to play isn't a good thing imo.

roodog wrote:

Sky Pilot wrote: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.

Or never get the chance to find out their best position, due to someone else having first dibs to it.

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.