St Kilda Football Club’s Next Generation Academy Partners with the South Metro Junior Football League’s Interleague Program in 2018. Background In late 2017, the St Kilda Football Club (St Kilda FC) and the South Metro Junior Football League (SMJFL) signed an agreement to partner on a single development and talent pathway program in the SMJFL region. St Kilda FC’s Next Generation Academy (NGA) for 11 to 15 years in age will partner with the SMJFL’s interleague program. This exciting partnership will see AFL expertise collaborating with the existing interleague program to provide SMJFL players the highest level of coaching and personal development in their journey as a player. The St Kilda FC’s NGA will be the sole pathway program for SMJFL players 11 to 15 years of age to participate in, in the region. A transition to the SMJFL TAC Cup club partners – Sandringham Dragons, Oakleigh Chargers and Dandenong Stingrays - will commence at the completion of the U15 Interleague program. The purpose of St Kilda FC’s NGA is to identify and develop talented players – both male and female and will have a focus on players with Indigenous and multicultural heritage from ages 11-18. St Kilda FC’s NGA region covers a large area from Port Melbourne to Frankston. SMJFL are within the northern part of the region, known as the 'Northern Hub' with the remaining region known as the ‘Southern Hub’. St Kilda FC have been given the responsibility by AFL Victoria to oversee the programs from 11-18 in the region and will work with SMJFL to deliver its Interleague program (ages 11-15), and TAC Cup Clubs (ages 16-18). In previous years, SMJFL operated the Intraleague Under 12 programs as well as the Interleague program for Under 13 through to Under 15’s with great success. TAC cup clubs have previously operated their own Under 14 and 15 development programs at the completion of interleague each year. The new St Kilda FC NGA collaboration with the SMJFL Interleague will replace the TAC Cup U14 and U15 programs and will be the only talent development pathway program in the region. At Under 16’s, the St Kilda FC NGA, SMJFL Interleague and TAC Cup clubs will be represented on a talent and selection committee to identify and transition players to TAC Development programs. At the end of the Under 15 program TAC Cup Clubs in the your region will make contact if you’re successful. Players are recruited to TAC Cup programs based on their residential address, in the SMJFL region this is predominantly the Sandringham Dragons, however a small number of SMJFL players will be in the Oakleigh Chargers or Dandenong Stingrays zones. From 2018, TAC Cup clubs will modify their programs and focus on Under 16-18 development and talent programs only within the Northern and Southern areas of St Kilda FC’s NGA region. The graphic below demonstrates the new pathway for SMJFL players dependant on age group. St Kilda FC NGA players in the Under 14 or 15 programs may be selected to represent SMJFL at AFL Victoria’s annual Victorian Metro Championships. This selection is a fantastic opportunity to compete against peers from other leagues. A high percentage of SMJFL players competing in interleague have been successful in being selected into TAC Cup club programs as a pathway to being drafted to the AFL and AFLW. 1 Program Details The NGA collaboration with the Interleague program for SMJFL players will be offered via nomination from their respective clubs for eligible boys and girls. Talented Indigenous and Multicultural players may be selected outside of the nomination process into the NGA program but would be ineligible to elevated to the interleague program. Under 14 girls will be an exception as this age group is introduced and builds over the coming years. Each age group program is specially designed to develop players in football skills, game development and off field personal and leadership skills. Under 12 program A free four-week program that offers both girls and boys exposure to additional coaching and skill development. SMJFL clubs can nominate two players each - boys (2) and girls (2). At the completion of the 4-week program, players will participate in an Intraleague representative match - SMJFL players vs SMJFL players. This match is known as the "Community Cup" and is sponsored by both St Kilda FC and Melbourne FC with opposing teams wearing one of the AFL club's guernseys. The U12 program begins in August and concludes with the "Community Cup" at the beginning of September. Under 13 program A 13-week program offered to both boys and girls. Both on-field and off-field skills are focused on in this development program. 6 weeks into the program, 50 players will be selected for each of the Interleague squads (boys and girls) and will train to compete in a one-day carnival held on the Queen’s Birthday long weekend in June. The carnival is a series of round-robin matches between three representative teams from junior leagues in metropolitan Melbourne. The program begins in February and concludes in June. Players not selected for the interleague squad will continue to train in the NGA program working on fundamental skills and off-field development. At the completion of the Queen’s Birthday carnival the full group will return to complete a 4-week training program for transition to the Under 14 NGA program. 2 Under 14 Boys program A 14-week program commencing in February providing participants the opportunity to develop their football skills, training ethics and off-field skills as well as providing insight into playing representative football. A 50-player Under 14 boys Interleague squad will be selected to play in the AFL Victoria Metro Junior Championships held in late-May (Round 1) and on Queens Birthday weekend in June (Round 2 & 3); if successful a Grand Final would follow the carnival. The championships are played against junior leagues from metropolitan Melbourne. Players not selected for the interleague squad will continue to train in the NGA program working on fundamental skills and off-field development. At the completion of the AFL Victoria Metro Junior Championships the full NGA group will return to complete a 4-week training and testing program for transition to the Under 15 NGA program. Under 15 Girls program Designed for female players in both the Under 14 & 15 age groups. A 14-week program commencing in February that provides development opportunities in football skills, training ethics and off-field leadership for girls aspiring to play football at the highest level. 50 players will be elevated from the NGA squad to train for the Under 15 girls Interleague squad to compete in the AFL Victoria Metro Junior Championships against junior leagues from metro Melbourne. The championships commence in late-May for Round 1, with Round 2 & 3 held on Queens Birthday weekend in June and the potential of a Grand Final shortly after. Players not selected for the interleague squad will continue to train in the NGA program working on fundamental skills and off-field development. At the completion of the AFL Victoria Metro Junior Championships the full NGA group will return to complete a 4-week training and testing program for transition to the TAC Cup Girls program Under 15 Boys program A 14-week program commencing in February that encompasses all aspects of skill development and training at the highest level in readiness for TAC Cup club selection to the U16 Development squad. 50 eligible players will be selected from the NGA training squad to from the Under 15’s interleague squad, training to compete in the AFL Victoria Metro Junior Championships against junior leagues from metro Melbourne. The championships are held in late-May (Round 1) and on Queens Birthday weekend in June (Round 2 & 3); with the possibility of a Grand Final to follow the carnival. Players not selected for the Under 15 interleague squad will continue to train in the Under 15 NGA program, working on fundamental skills and off-field development. At the completion of the AFL Victoria Metro Junior Championships the full NGA group will return to complete a 4-week training and testing program for transition to the TAC Cup Under 16 development squad. The Under 16-18 Sandringham Dragons development program - compliments and runs in the older age groups following the integrated St Kilda FC NGA/SMJFL Interleague program. Sandringham Dragons will partner with St Kilda FC in the delivery of this phase of the talent pathway ensuring continuity for participants. TAC Cups teams are regionally based, as such this program is for players 3 residing in the Sandringham Dragons zone only. A player's residential address determines which TAC Cup club a player can train with. The SMJFL region is predominantly a 'Dragons' zone, with a smaller number of players located in the Oakleigh Chargers or Dandenong Stingrays zones. If unsure, the St Kilda FC NGA Manager or Coordinator will be able to clarify which TAC Cup club is appropriate. Official Communications Under 11 –U15 St Kilda FC NGA/SMJFL Interleague Program One of the important developments of this new program is to streamline communication to parents and players. Previously parents and players may have received multiple communication from different organisations - SMJFL, St Kilda NGA, TAC Cup Clubs and other third-party providers representing themselves as the talent pathway lead in the SMJFL region. This partnership, verified by AFL Victoria will mean there will be only one official line of communication. Communication relating to the NGA/Interleague collaboration will be signed by both the St Kilda FC and the SMJFL.