That argument is something the ALP or Greens would run in their belief of us calling each other Comrade.
Fact is kids will play where their mates play and no amount of capping will ever work.. Can't play club together will play school together then years down the track be lost to football as school is loving and caring and not about developing a CLUB culture for the kids to believe in.
So the 70 odd under 8's at one club won't be lost to the game when they can't play together when they reach seniors 2 years after the 50 odd under 10's and 4 years after the 50 odd under 12's. That's around 180 kids trying to break into a strong senior outfit from this years mini's. But as long as we keep them in the game.
you are not convinced?? If kids cannot play with their mates they will go elsewhere. Have a look in E/town backyard.. Before you tell me I have NFI.. I have 2 nephews (unfortunately) playing at E/town juniors. It is a mind set I want to play with my friends.. Not where some old bugger tells me I should be playing..
Geez Vics01, going off half cocked again. Please tell me where in my post I questioned kids not wanting to play with their mates? Pretty clear I wondered if there is data on kids going to other sports if caps or put on minis. Just maybe you do have NFI. Cheers
Dutchy wrote:Bring caps in and kids will go to soccer and basketball, is that what we want?
We keep hearing that argument but I'm not convinced. Is there any proof out there other than heresay? community Football surely must have some data on that?
Coaching school and club footy for the last 5 years I have seen it first hand. This year we couldn't get a school Year 6/7 team up and got offered by a nearby school for our kids to play there and only 2 kids took that up, the rest went and played soccer.
There is no reason why Lonsdale can't be like Reynella in 5 years time, instead of complaining about things you can't control, do something you can control, get out there and work hard.
Dutchy wrote:Bring caps in and kids will go to soccer and basketball, is that what we want?
We keep hearing that argument but I'm not convinced. Is there any proof out there other than heresay? community Football surely must have some data on that?
Coaching school and club footy for the last 5 years I have seen it first hand. This year we couldn't get a school Year 6/7 team up and got offered by a nearby school for our kids to play there and only 2 kids took that up, the rest went and played soccer.
There is no reason why Lonsdale can't be like Reynella in 5 years time, instead of complaining about things you can't control, do something you can control, get out there and work hard.
Anecdotal but at least addressed my question thanks Dutchy.
How many players for year 6-7 teams. Is it possible to play reduced numbers e.g. 15 so that the kids get to play with their mates and represent their school?
It would be interesting to see if there is some solid data and if community football league have any strategies to address that issue.
15 for 6/7 teams...struggle is the best year 7's will be playing u14's on Saturday, really need to change school footy in the South to 1/2,3/4,5/6 grades.
vics01 wrote:1919 naughty boy commenting and editing..
You're kidding right, trying to infer my original post was different to what currently displays? The edit simply corrected a typo vics01, in no way did that change the intent or focus of my post. Now, what's your excuse for totally missing the point of the post and responding so way off line?
It might also be an idea for clubs who are struggling with junior numbers to come and have a look at how the likes of Reynella go about running their junior program. Playing with your mates does play a role, so does parents who have had a positive experience at a club talking to other parents. Yes Reynella do it well at the moment, as do Happy Valley, Flaggies and Brighton. It's all about a positive culture, football runs a distant second to that. Strong clubs are all about people, and using football as a medium to make young men into great citizens. Parents look at clubs as a whole, the clubs mentioned above work extremely hard on their culture and their overall image. Something several clubs don't seem to get!
As an observer of the current discussion what is the topic of the discussion?
Are clubs unhappy because other clubs hav less junior sides than them, which consequently means on Saturdays when 2 clubs face in the seniors, in the morning it would be preferred that all the junior sides of those 2 clubs face each other too?
And people are upset because smaller clubs don't hav the numbers to fulfill every side that the bigger clubs can, which means the template of club vs club in every grade on one particular afternoon is not possible?
So the bigger clubs want the smaller clubs gone? Cos they cant keep up?
Dutchy wrote:Bring caps in and kids will go to soccer and basketball, is that what we want?
We keep hearing that argument but I'm not convinced. Is there any proof out there other than heresay? community Football surely must have some data on that?
Coaching school and club footy for the last 5 years I have seen it first hand. This year we couldn't get a school Year 6/7 team up and got offered by a nearby school for our kids to play there and only 2 kids took that up, the rest went and played soccer.
There is no reason why Lonsdale can't be like Reynella in 5 years time, instead of complaining about things you can't control, do something you can control, get out there and work hard.
Would think that all clubs work there arses off trying to get kids to there clubs. I know a few people down at Lonsdale and can tell you for a fact they aren't just sitting on there hands waiting for kids to come to them. They are working there buts off. Kids Would rather play at a successful club before going to a lower club, as bad as that sounds that's how it is. Helps when you have a winning A grade team. Also if you struggled to field a 6/7 team at your school isn't that saying something? Maybe there isn't enough kids wanting to play football and when the majority of them go to 3 or 4 clubs, it makes it very hard for the lower clubs to get teams up and running.
Sounds like everyone wants the league to start making the tough calls. What way should they go? Div 1 with teams that have all Saturday grades. Reynella, Flaggies, Brighton, Happy Valley and Christies (last 2 clubs currently not in the . Or maybe top 8 from this year are div 1 and bottom 7 div 2. No matter what decision they make (if any) plenty of people disagree and say they should have done something else. Will never make everyone happy.
Boof wrote:It might also be an idea for clubs who are struggling with junior numbers to come and have a look at how the likes of Reynella go about running their junior program. Playing with your mates does play a role, so does parents who have had a positive experience at a club talking to other parents. Yes Reynella do it well at the moment, as do Happy Valley, Flaggies and Brighton. It's all about a positive culture, football runs a distant second to that. Strong clubs are all about people, and using football as a medium to make young men into great citizens. Parents look at clubs as a whole, the clubs mentioned above work extremely hard on their culture and their overall image. Something several clubs don't seem to get!
Great post Boof! "Positive culture" is something that the long serving Flaggies president has been going on about for many years and whilst we have had outstanding junior success that is now transitioning into the seniors, whilst being maintained at junior levels. Like you said its about people, footy runs a distant second, and we are blessed at Flaggies to have many many great people.
Boof wrote:It might also be an idea for clubs who are struggling with junior numbers to come and have a look at how the likes of Reynella go about running their junior program. Playing with your mates does play a role, so does parents who have had a positive experience at a club talking to other parents. Yes Reynella do it well at the moment, as do Happy Valley, Flaggies and Brighton. It's all about a positive culture, football runs a distant second to that. Strong clubs are all about people, and using football as a medium to make young men into great citizens. Parents look at clubs as a whole, the clubs mentioned above work extremely hard on their culture and their overall image. Something several clubs don't seem to get!
WHEELS&DEALS wrote:Also if you struggled to field a 6/7 team at your school isn't that saying something? Maybe there isn't enough kids wanting to play football and when the majority of them go to 3 or 4 clubs, it makes it very hard for the lower clubs to get teams up and running.
You didn't read my subsequent post, kids in year 7 are playing u14's on Saturday mornings for the clubs and when your school is in between Flaggies and HV who are only 3-4kms apart anyway what can you do? Club footy will always win over school footy in this instance.
WHEELS&DEALS wrote:Also if you struggled to field a 6/7 team at your school isn't that saying something? Maybe there isn't enough kids wanting to play football and when the majority of them go to 3 or 4 clubs, it makes it very hard for the lower clubs to get teams up and running.
You didn't read my subsequent post, kids in year 7 are playing u14's on Saturday mornings for the clubs and when your school is in between Flaggies and HV who are only 3-4kms apart anyway what can you do? Club footy will always win over school footy in this instance.
Aberfoyle Campus I'm guessing? If so, isn't there 4 different primary schools on the one campus? If so, do each of the schools run a footy program or is thee a single program for the campus?
Dutchy wrote:3 small schools running a single program. School footy is great but also dying, only 4 year 6/7 teams left in the West Adelaide comp.
It's interesting to me that it seems most clubs have plenty on auskickers and under 8's then number start dropping off. Maybe regardless of how the kids respond to loaded questions in the surveys, the kids actually get bored with the game pretty quickly because what they are playing after all the modifications and PC'ness, is nothing like they see their hero's doing on TV or at Adelaide oval da h week?
Dutchy wrote:3 small schools running a single program. School footy is great but also dying, only 4 year 6/7 teams left in the West Adelaide comp.
It's interesting to me that it seems most clubs have plenty on auskickers and under 8's then number start dropping off. Maybe regardless of how the kids respond to loaded questions in the surveys, the kids actually get bored with the game pretty quickly because what they are playing after all the modifications and PC'ness, is nothing like they see their hero's doing on TV or at Adelaide oval da h week?
How is this possible when the powers that be at the highest level dribble continuously that the numbers are at their highest levels ever?
. Or maybe top 8 from this year are div 1 and bottom 7 div 2. 
