Getting them in early obviously makes sense but the idea is wasted if they ain't making it interesting enough for kids in the 10-18 rangeOriginally Posted by sammydog
Far too many drop out after a few years in the game and never return
Maybe a strategy of all juniors up to 18 years at a cheap rate is needed
the changes to the Talented Player Pathway will make it interesting for smaller clubs.
We already find that with one team in each age group, when you reach the U12's and up the loss of 2-3 players to SAP or NPL can spell the end of a team as there is no return flow of players. We always work with surrounding clubs to find kids new homes, but ultimately a lot of kids just drop out rather than change clubs.
When the TPP drops to U9's and every NPL and NL1 club its running a program, there could be a lot of teams that aren't viable at lower ages. My fear is kids left behind drop out and stop playing.
I agree with you though on making it more interesting for kids in the U10-18 range. We have been trying to in the last few seasons make the linkage from our juniors into the Zone League a lot more obvious and having the older kids train with the ZL squads. What we are finding hard is that, even though there are kids that are easily good enough to come through, if their team folds before the U18's, none of them flow through. We charged $215 for the U17/18 this season, of which the club takes $50 and none of the players ever raise $$$ as an issue for them. The reasons for the teams folding are always the same. A few players leave to pursue higher grades (which we encourage) and new players aren't around to fill the void so the team folds. Some players find a new club, the rest just stop playing.
We are working to address this, but at the older ages the rego seems to be the least of the issue.
6-7 $70
8-11 $100
12-14 $150
15-18 $180
Adults $300
We work very hard to keep rego fees at a minimum on the peninsula. Fees are what make it tough when we compete against league in Stocko where rego is $50.
We have made a conscious effort to reduce fees and increase numbers for our 5 year plan which we are 2 years into.
We can see the progress already with the club growing from 180ish in 2015 to 320 in the season gone. Our biggest growth areas being the SSF especially in Girls only teams. Something we are very proud of!
Well done. This is what I think is most important for growing the game at junior level and consequently seniors.
If you do get much larger numbers would you have to increase fees due to using more resources?
It's a balancing act though.
I tip my hat to Stockton who have been able to drop their fees that low, but it is dropping them below the base rate from the associations (at least in Macquarie it is). We cut it fine with budget as it is and taking a hit to lower the regos as much as they have would have impacts elsewhere, like our program to improve the pitches.
I'll be working hard this off season to drop ours, but you have to be sustainable doing it (not saying Stockton aren't). The kids are the future, but as MFKS has posted, the U12 tomU18 is a big issue as well.
Ive got to say though, even $150 for 14 games (plus trials) including coaching is actually cheap to other activities. It's just the highly subsidised cricket, AFL and League that have us questioning it.
Actually, the interesting thing here for me is, why is it the clubs scrambling to cut costs and subsidise rego?
Shouldn't that be FFA and the federations taking the hit, not clubs doing their best to make ends meet?
well this circles back to one of the original points as to how the FFA cant get a corporate on board to do exactly that.
especially with by far the biggest 'customer' base to lean in to.
Ozzy sockah at its best.
this is dope.
well in to everyone at the club.
hope bizness keeps booming for you all.
We aren't silly enough to operate below costs. These fees cover the association registration fees, referees fees, playing gear, some maintenance costs for the fields and a few other things. We just work hard off the field to make sure we have enough financial resources in terms of a well functioning canteen, great fundraisers and sponsorship.
Just goes to show how much some clubs are ripping kids (or parents) off in terms of costing. There's no way some of the prices I've seen could be justified regardless of how much gear they get.
Each to their own I guess. We are just very proud of where we have come so far and plan to go. And the fact that we are one of the largest growth clubs in the NNSW makes me think that we are on the right track.
Thanks for the support though fellas! Appreciate it!
Hear hear to that. Shouldn't be up to clubs to be scraping the barrel to cover costs so fees can be low. The assistance should come from above as it does with other sports!
The market supports higher fees, by your own admission your fee structure handicaps your clubs ability to invest in your capital for the future. It amuses me that clubs are hell bent on being the cheapest club to play for, and that's fantastic... But whilst your cheering over the $150 you collect in rego for those 12-14 year olds... How many of those players at your clubs are getting extra training at your Jobe Wheelhouses', Thompsons', etc, training camps? Where they charge $300 for a 3 day training camp. And these training camps etc are popping up everywhere and there are so many of them now. So whilst clubs collect peanuts, private academies are collecting the cash by the sack full, whilst clubs complain about the burden on their volunteers. And what investment in capital, facilities etc are these academies providing for the future?
Oh I think that can be answered in remembering there's 2 distinct groups of people playing football.
One group of kids want to strive for something more, play rep and follow the dream.
The other group see it as a social event that teaches them about teamwork, gives them exercise and gives parents a reason to gossip on the sidelines.
Both groups 'should' be as important as each other, not to every club, but hopefully there's room to keep kids interested and enjoying themselves.
It's also interesting as our* club is trying to do 'both', but it's already presented it's own problems.
* meaning the club Plague Jnr plays for, I'm not involved with the club.
Yeah but that an area where the FFA should be really clamping down on
Any tom dick and Harry can start up an academy and charge what they want
Let's also be honest there many of these out there where people making a full time living from and not just a bit of cash as cream on the top
Many of these have very iffy credentials too
If the FFA had coaching academies available at half the price then you currently do then you kill 85% these businesses over night
They are only filling a niche as the current set up from the FFA is failing to provide for
Well done to Stockton.
We're actively trying to do much the same at the moment in the Valley.
Our plan is to try and pull in at least 1 more big sponsor specifically to help lower registration fees for all juniors, and help fund further skill development among players and coaches.
Muswellbrook is already the biggest Junior sporting club in the Upper Hunter, and we'd love to get back to the numbers we used to have. Unfortunately it can be hard when league is almost half the price for rego, and they get buckets of money from CRL to provide clothing and uniforms for junior players.
Matching these kinds of deals is a real struggle without active help from the Associations that should be helping all clubs.
Note how FFA slugs juniors instead of giving. leeches
Yes. FFa, northern and Newcastle all taking a chunk of what isnt theirs yet. Hands off junior $$ even Allage shouldnt be slugged. Their corporate support or management should get off their ass and hit the streets for support
I can see where junior reps is an area where rego can go higher espesh if we are investing in big coaches and more training time etc but the other grades should be rock bottom.
I'd have no probs in putting $ up for other kids reg if it was like Stockos.
At Plague jnrs club they are estimating SAP program will be $500ish vs $250 for other grades.
As per your point, the SAP program goes 30 weeks 2 nights training so the 'value' per training and game is equivalent.
It's certainly been explained well by the club which was cool.
Just a thought, perhaps both of the Rugby codes and AFL heavily subside rego and throw merchandise at the kids because they are on struggle street and are desperate to get players. Not to mention the flagged risks of serious injuries etc. Football is not suffering from these same issues.
A mate of mine always puts rego costs for young footballers into good perspective. If you had your kid in dance/piano etc and you sent them along every week you would end up paying a very substantial amount of money. We are probably not too bad value at that rate.
No that argument is flawed
They are actually trying to recruit kids at a young age by keeping costs low to get them in the door
The cocksuckers at FFA / NNSW etc are just too lazy to get off their arse and keep costs down
The opportunity is there and it our code that pays the price as these guys rest on their laurels of giant junior participation base
Our junior participation base should be much much higher
and it high time the ****s at the FFA actually got off their arse and done something about this
Because improvement in this area is going to squeeze the shit out of the other codes and see flow on effects to the top end of the game
Actually an interesting thing to come out of this whole junior SAP program was that ONLY kids in the SAP program were available for selection for state championships.
Lightly worded reason was to steer kids to NNSW clubs rather than these satellite camps etc.
Now ONLY clubs with a NewFM or NPL side can do the SAP program, and only then they still need to apply for the right to do so.
A couple of people have told me that their clubs probably won't be applying for the SAP licence.
So now we have a massive chunk of the talent pool already told they are illeligable for their first crack at rep football.
It was also hinted at that the emerging Jets will only take kids from the same program. Is that true?
Unless I heard wrong, but if it's true does anyone think it's a good thing for the long term trying to get kids interested?
Or are the alternate pathways good enough that by the time kids are old enough it won't matter where they came from?
Seriously? **** me Brazil have Neymar coming out of the Favelas and we narrow our talent pool to kids with a household income of $200k +
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