You're asking the Herald to do some actual Journalism. That's not going to happen.Originally Posted by sammydog
It should be noted that one of the clubs to raise their fees by $100 this season, is also the only club in the area to receive quite a large grant courtesy of the Asian Cup Legacy Fund.
seriously this whole voucher bullshit was ALWAYS going to cause this.
If anyone has paid 2 seconds of attention to childcare costs they would know this was coming.
ditto the grand idea to subsidise electricity prices.
good on the clubs for taking the extra money. some might even spend it wisely.
I'm disjointed The Newcastle Herald included a club that DIDN'T have a big increase whatsoever.
HeraldParliamentary Secretary for the Hunter Scot MacDonald will announce on Thursday a $2.25m grant for the project through the State Government's Regional Sports Infrastructure Fund. Northern NSW Football will contribute $750,000.
The development includes the construction of a multi-purpose building, improvements to lighting and turf playing surface as well as new change rooms.
“This is fantastic news not just for Northern NSW Football but for the Lake Macquarie region,” Lake Macquarie MP Greg Piper said. “ The facility not only provides first-class facilities for locals, it has put us on the map nationally and even internationally, so I again applaud everyone involved.”
The facility at Speers Point has hosted a number of state and national junior tournaments.
The Matildas will take on Chile at McDonald Jones Stadium on November 13 and there has been a push by Newcastle City Council for the national women's team to be based in the region.
Football Federation Australia are bidding to host the 2023 FIFA women's World Cup. If successful, McDonald Jones Stadium is a likely venue and competing teams could use the region as a training base in the lead up.
Stage one of the Lake Macquarie facility, which is the home to Northern NSW Football, was completed in 2014 at a cost of $11.3m and consists of 14 synthetic pitches, including two full-sized fields, change rooms, meeting rooms, cafe and administration complex.
Pity There isnt a football academy marked for the unused fields at Broadmeadow.
Saw an interesting post recently on Australian Cricket detailing how if you take a look at the average backyard there's no room for kids to have a bowl/bat.
Made me reflect on a lot of the environmental barriers to supporting grassroot kids e.g. nets not allowed on goals, not many brick walls at our local parks for a kick and half of the year not even a goal present.
My nephew played this season gone
Started first game in Late April Finished Last game start of August
They missed weeks for School Holidays Long Weekend in June etc
So it was basically 3.5 to 4 months of the year the season
and what makes it worse it is the worst time of the year weather wise for washouts
That is a giant impediment there and then you look at the cash paid for it
How can you develop kids in a 3/4 month season ??
This is a giant issue for the FFA to resolve
I guess my point adds on with the fact that not only are the kids playing inconsistently schedule football for 4 months are year...but the other 8 months there's little resources for them to go practice by themselves or with friends. No wonder kids don't fall in love with the game
If you have ever done maintenance at a local ground you would understand the necessity to remove goals for non game days.
As for kick walls, I'm pretty sure that they are outlawed now.
What is stopping kids going down the park and setting up some hats? Nothing.
Gaming consoles and public safety/parents not letting kids out of their sight are more of a concern than lack of facilities for kids having a kick down the park.
I fully understand the reasons behind no goals and walls, doesn't mean I have to agree with it.
There's nothing stopping a kid putting cones down but lets just put our minds into the frame of a 10-15yr old shall we?
In the mind of a child having a goal with nets & a wall to kick back and forth with sounds more appealing than dribbling around cones.
If a kid is engaged enough he'll choose football over FIFA on the xbox.
Lets get FFA to give all grassroot kids some cones, that'll fix it.
P.s. I'm not saying this whole goals and wall thing are some big lightbulb moment for Australian football.
I just think it's an environmental barrier to encouraging kids to kick a footy down at their local park when they aren't playing.
Kids need more unstructured football time to develop a love for the game and increase overall contact time.
from U/9's on the NNSW development program starts from early Nov (1 might training), then a Christmas break, then 2 nights per week training from end of Jan (one night at home ground, one night at Speers point facility). Then from (i think) April through to Sept they play about 2 x 40 min games per saturday against their peers. I think the season had about 36 games all up.
So nah, youre wrong. There is a path, and its open to every kid to trail.
If your kid doesnt make it into one of the 18 clubs (with approx 18 players per cub) them maybe your kid aint good enough.
If you think at age 5,6,7 or even 8 that there should be a program for talented kids then you're probably one of those parents who think your kid is the next Ronaldo because he can dribble around a bunch of uninterested toddlers.
If the kid is good enough, he'll get in, and if he doesnt make it then hes prob not good enough at that age, but there is always next year.
One of Plague Jnrs mates triled last year but didnt put in much effort and didnt make it.
He went away played mini roos and busted his ass to get back in the next season, which he did, and it was awesome.
Also, as for recreational space, Plague Jnr lives in an apartment. he is forever practicing his skills (the stuff his coaches want him to do) and has had no issue with his development.
If your kid wants wide open spaces with full goals nets etc, get him and a few mates together and go rent a court at Speers Pt every now and then. Its all there to use.
Thats great for players aspiring to the elite pathway but I talking about rank and file players
My nephew was in U6s this year just gone.
14 games and 1 x training session a week to me aint cutting it
We should be aiming for a 6 month season minimum
Start of April through to end of September should be a minimum for all football in this country
There is no excuse why this shouldnt happen
I agree the Community junior (and All Age/O35) seasons are way too short. 14 games (+trials and finals) is over way too quick.
Crickets use of some fields is probably the issue. Junior cricket books our top oval from October-March. I have a feeling senior cricket may be a longer season. This can be the only reason I can see that the seasons are the length they are.
I dont tjink it helps that the FFA are happy to run and hide from the other sports
The HAL season starts after the Afl and Nrl for exposure etc instead of running our own race and starting when WE want to and giving a middle finger salute to our critics
The FFA needs to have the same attitude and be out there fighting our corner on this issue of season length and being aggressive in our approach so other sports are on the back foot for us
But no we are bending over and taking it as per usual
ummm, you realise that your kid can get all the help and training he wants. its all out there.
also, you want to develop our best talent but immediately write off the program that is available for kids who want to go down that path.
its almost as if you didnt even comprehend what you read.
also, maybe go read up where the likes of Iniesta, Griff and others were at age 6. not sure you'll find many of them in any sort of 'development' type programs.
Dont know why you talking about development programs and what not for
Seems to be sailing straight over your head my point
3 months of training 1 time a week and 14 matches aint cutting it regardless of whether you are a good bad or trash player
FFA should be upping this as much as possible so as to expose the football community to it for the bulk of the year not a short windows through the year
Besides the increased skill sets all kids involved will get it will allow a greater opportunity to expose kids and make kids addicted to the game
This isnt about turning kids into the next Iniesta or Griff
It is about us demanding more of the pie
It wouldnt be bad for u6-8 to play for a few more weeks either side of the season. Summer is crap for running around a park though.
Could have more skills days either side of the season. So have 4-6 weeks skills on Saturdays before and after season and still have a weekday training session to reinforce what they learnt on the Sat. They'd get more out of that. Every kid regardless of ability gets max training.
As for the U9 & U10 SAP the 9 month season is pretty much right.
Nearly all clubs in top 2 tiers are fielding SAP teams this year. Thats over 300 players for each age plus others in the Net system. Some clubs didnt have enough kids trial for 2 teams.
there are 2 types of kids playing soccer in australia.
1) the kids who just want a run with their mates and dont take it all too seriously.
2) kids who take it more seriously and want to play and train more than most.
FFA caters for both.
if you want something more/less or right in between those 2 groups then there are options available.
go find them.
because your argument is wack.
Kids Football in Oz goes for 3.5 months
NPL in NNSW goes from Mid March to Mid August 5 months
HAL goes from Mid October to Late April 6 and a 1/2 months
Now if you think we are playing enough football or as much as we could and should be at all levels you are deluded
Football in this country needs to be a 24 /7/365 thing for those involved not some time filler as it currently is
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