Take under 12’s for example - around 300 kids playing JDL and 800 playing community.
How can that be considered a ‘talented’ program?
If the clubs stop thinking about the massive money making scheme that it is and we go to one team/club, then we may see more even results with a much better standard of football.
As a community coach and JDL parent, I’ve seen plenty of kids out of that 800 that are also arguably better than quite a number of kids in the 300.
Parents want their kid to be ‘talented’, and if you are willing to pay and trial at every club, most will get a spot.
Let’s take it back to the 80’s when you earnt your spot in a rep team and didn’t pay ridiculous money for the privilege.
150 would be enough for the NPL clubs to draw from for 13’s, but how would they then fund their 1st grade players???