Youth Football a focus for WAFCSaturday, February 18, 2017 - 7:44 AM

New strategies to engage and retain more teenage participants at football clubs will be implemented by the West Australian Football Commission based on the 2016 findings of a Youth Football Working Group (YFWG).
 
The YFWG was formed to develop strategies aimed at engaging and retaining 13 to 17-year-old football participants and researching reasons for youth sport drop-out, which is an increasing national issue.
 
The YFWG included representatives from the WAFC, WAFL clubs, WA Amateur Football League, WA Country Football League, District Football Development Council and independent consultant Craig Turley, a former West Coast Eagles player who specializes in community and social impact research.

 The YFWG researched global best practice in engaging and retaining youth aged participants and surveyed more than 600 players, coaches, parents, and club committee members on a range of topics including influences to play, reasons for drop-out, engagement in school football, influence of other sports and the impact of coaching.
 
Based on research, consultation and survey feedback, recommendations were developed for inclusion in a WAFC Youth Football participation plan for 2017-2020, which is aimed at achieving growth in youth community club football, improving player retention and increasing the interaction of school football with community competitions for 13 to 17-year-olds in WA.
 
Key Focus Areas:

Environment

Create an environment where players continue to have fun, enjoy the game, learn new skills and are challenged.

Leadership

Develop and support quality coaches. The impact of the coach on player retention is critical.

Format

Consider new timeslots and alternative game formats such as Friday night games and 15-a-side football to address competing time demands with school, study and/or work.

Partnerships

Build stronger partnerships between junior clubs, schools and senior clubs to improve conversion rates through the age groups.

Download: Youth Football Working Group Recommendations

WAFC Executive Manager Football Operations Jon Haines said that increasing and enhancing Youth Football participation was an important area of focus for the WAFC and thanked the YFWG for delivering recommendations to achieve outcomes in this area.
 
“Growing participation in the youth segment is really important for the future of our game as it is a feeder for talent, colts and senior community competitions. We want to ensure that once participants are engaged they remain involved as life-long participants.
 
“It is promising that we have managed to arrest a declining participation trend in Youth club football over the last couple of years with 0.5% growth in 2015 and 2% growth for males in 2016, but we know there is still a significant amount of work to do to ensure this can be maintained and increased further,” he said.
 
“The recommendations of the Youth Football Working Group give us a clear plan of how we will work with the industry to ensure this growth continues.”
 
Register to play football
 
Players interested in registering for football this season are encouraged to visit www.playafl.com.au
 
Junior Registration Day at Junior Football Clubs around the State is being on Sunday, February 19, with a number of clubs holding sausage sizzles and family fun events.