Level 2 AFL Coaching Course – October 9 and 10, 2010

AFL (NSW/ACT) will be conducting a Level 2 AFL Accreditation course on the 9th and 10th of October at the AFL Office in Moore Park, Sydney.

SYDNEY: Level 2 Coaching Course - Saturday 9 and Sunday 10 October, 2010. 9.30am to 5.30pm. The cost of the Level 2 Course is $275. For further information and to register for this course online please visit the coaching section at www.aflnswact.com.au. Once online registration is complete you will receive a confirmation email closer to the course date with final course details.

New AFL (NSW/ACT) website

The coaching section of the new AFL (NSW/ACT) website is a communication resource that needs to be used to its full potential. The site provides relevant and prompt information to all coaches. This powerful communication tool needs to be the first port of call for all coaches in the future. You can find all information in the coaching section at www.aflnswact.com.au.

AFL Club Community online portal

The AFL has recently launched the new AFL Club Community Online Portal which contains a fantastic Coaching Section filled with loads of coaching information including Skills and Drills, Coaching Resources, Injury Management, Videos and Multimedia, as well as a Coaches forum where you can chat with many other coaches from across the nation. This is a wonderful resource. Please check out the portal at www.aflcommunityclub.com.au.  

Coach accreditation and re-accreditation

Over recent years in NSW and the ACT we have seen an expansive growth in our game regarding participants, volunteers and also coaches. It is important that all coaches understand that they need to keep any coaching qualifications they have received (Level 1, 2 or 3) updated and relevant.  It is mandatory that all coaches involved in our great game be appropriately accredited to help continue the high standard and growth of AFL not only nationally but importantly in our state. Therefore all clubs and coaches need to understand the importance of not only attending courses to receive coaching accreditation but also what is required in regards to the process of re-accreditation prior to the 4 year expiry date of all qualifications. For further information please visit the coaching section at www.aflnswact.com.au.  

Coach development opportunity

The North Coast Academy for Sport is holding its annual North Coast Coaching Conference on the weekend of July 17 and 18 at Lennox Head. This event is being run by the North Coast Academy for Sport and all enquiries must be directed to kseymour@ncas.org.au or phone 02 6620 3073.

Coach acronym

Coach for all players
Operate by means of a whole club approach
Adopt a positive coaching model
Coaches are facilitators not dictators
Have a games based

2010 Cougar Sportswear NSW/ACT Regional Championships

Eight AFL leagues from NSW travelled to Wagga Wagga in the heart of the Riverina for the 2010 AFL (NSW/ACT) Regional Championships to watch the best footballers from around the state battle it out for their respective leagues. AFL Sydney Under-23’s and NAIAFA (NSW/ACT Indigenous Australian Football Association) took out the titles for division one and division two respectively. AFL Sydney U23’s produced a hard running brand of football that couldn’t be matched by Black Diamond AFL in the grand final.

NSW-ACT Indigenous Australian Football Association (NAIAFA) was dominant in division two all weekend, remaining undefeated throughout the event and defeating a gallant South Coast outfit in the final. Lachlan Pryor of the AFL Sydney U23s capped off a superb tournament claiming the Player of the Championships award for division one while NAIAFA’s Chris Cooper and Adam Jennings won the award for division two.

More Clubs Accredited Bronze level in Quality Club Program

A number of clubs across the state have recently been accredited the Bronze status in the Quality Club Program. The AFL Quality Club Program helps community football clubs improve their administrative operations and overall club environment, which ultimately benefits all club participants – whether they are a player, spectator or volunteer.

Clubs recently accredited include: Quakers Hill JAFC, Baulkham Hills JAFC, Kellyville/Rouse Hill JAFC, Campbelltown AFC, North Shore AFC, North Coffs JAFC and Sawtell / Toormina JAFC.

Australian Football Championships

Sunday 25th – Saturday 31st July
The National Schoolboy Championships are commencing on the 25th July with the U/12s and U/15s NSW representative teams both competing first up against the respective ACT’s team. For further information about the championships please view the following link http://www.schoolsport.edu.au/about/sportinfo/football.aspx We wish both teams the best of luck for the championships.

RAMS impress at the Championships

Despite a 42 point loss to Tasmania in the 2010 NAB AFL Under-18 Championships grand final on June 29, the NSW/ACT RAMS will be happy with their campaign after challenging the best teams in the competition.

The RAMS played fluent, free flowing football at times during the Championships and even had the chance to upset their division one opponents during their respective matches.

In further good news for the side, midfielder Anthony Miles and forward Josh Bruce capped off an incredible month by being offered contracts with Team GWS and making the 2010 NAB AFL All-Australian team.

The RAMS started their Championships campaign with a 41-point victory over Northern Territory before going on to beat their division two opponents Queensland by 74 points. They RAMS almost upset the division one Western Australia, going down by only 16 points, and despite a strong showing against the highly fancied Vic Country, they lost by 66 points.

Unfortunately the RAMS couldn’t replicate their good form on grand final day and fell short to a Tasmanian side that rarely missed their opportunities in front of goal.

Umpires selected for representative opportunities

On the June long weekend the North Coast took on the Tamworth AFL in an Inter League Representative match. As part of this match umpires from both competitions were selected with Luke Turner and Sean Staniforth from the North Coast, and Lindsay Brash from the Tamworth AFL rewarded for their efforts in 2010. The match was held in Armidale with North Coast running out winners in the end.

In other selection news Luke Turner has recently been given the opportunity to travel to Sydney to umpire a Division 1 match. Luke has umpired the last five North Coast AFL Senior Grand Finals, and was also part of the NSW/ACT Umpires Development Academy in recent years. Luke was invited to Sydney by Graham Glassford, AFL (NSW/ACT) State Umpiring Manager, and AFL Sydney umpires coach, in order to provide Luke with some further coaching and development. As part of the opportunity, Luke sat in the AFL Umpires observers box at the Sydney Swans v North Melbourne match on Sunday 11th July to assist Luke in gaining a further insight to developing his own umpiring skills.

Federal Government Regional and Local Community Infrastructure Program

Round 2 of the Regional and Local Community Infrastructure Program (RLCIP) included $120 million of Federal Government funding towards large scale Strategic Projects ($120 million). Projects of which AFL (NSW/ACT) was a partner generated $4 million of Federal funding. These projects were:

• BCU International Stadium, Coffs Harbour – $2.2 million (towards $2.5 million project) – Installation of television standard lighting.
• Fisher Park, Grafton – $1.8 million (towards $2.5 million project) – Upgrade of sporting facilities including the AFL/Cricket Oval.

Both results are outstanding and credit must go to the hard work of Chris Schaefer, James Hourigan, Leith Bassett, Clarence Valley Council, Coffs Harbour City Council and Mark Heaney – Regional Manager Northern NSW.