What Will the Capital Football Board Decide To Do? Clubs First or the Chosen Few?

As they say - stay tuned to the Nearpost Local. The Capital Football Board would by now have reviewed its position, following the meeting with the Zone Representatives and Club Presidents. Among the issues of concern are the continuation of playing squads in the Capital Football HPP. Clubs don't want them, the CF Technical staff have advised against it, but the Board has enabled it to continue. As to the concern over ACTAS involvement in the PPL, that's another matter and not a happy story for Clubs.

There are other issues, important ones and as one Club President pointed out to the NPL this week - "when do we get to talk about other critical issues affecting the game and clubs in the ACT, and why is so much importnace and precious time being given by the Board to such an incredibly small minority of players." Spot on!

I guess by now that Zone Reps and Club Presidents would have been advised of the Board's final view. Let's hope the Board sees reason - or to be specific, some of the Board!

What happens if the the Board finds itself in pretty much the same position as when the meeting was adjourned last Tuesday evening? Somethings gotta give!

Woden Valley FC host Hakoah FC at the AIS

Woden Valley hosted Hakoah FC at the AIS as part of the PPL and PL18s pre-season preparation program.

Go here for a quick look at the Hakoah football story - it's terrific:


Woden Vally FC U18 v Hakoah FC
The Woden Valley FC Premier League U18s, the defending PL18 Champions had an important pre-season friendly against that well known and experienced Football club from the Easterm Suburbs of Sydney, Hakoah . This is a club that takes it's Football very seriously!


There is nothing to compare in pre-season preparation than to play against teams you never play against during the Premier League season and importantly, not from the ACT! Hakoah fielded a very capable and well coached U20 team. They could play!

It was a terrific game and just the tonic if you had just come from a couple of Fed Cup games at Hawker. Hakoah took an early lead and had the edge in the first half. But Woden lifted the tempo of the game in the second half and came within a whisker of winning. Both teams kicked sparingly, preferring to play it out form the back. The FFA's message on the way ahead it getting through! It was a highly entertaining fixture.

Woden Valley are playing the FFA's endorsed 1-4-3-3 system under head Coach Pat McCann and PL18 Coach Tony Olivera. Tony has prepared his team with customary thoroughness, with Alex (manager) doing his equally well known "Highland jig" on the sideline (no one suffers like Alex when they get it wrong!) and they are good to watch. Woden has made a conscious effort to hold players at age where they can and give the players time to mature, be good at age and enjoy their football - this is a splendid approach and brings results to the player, parents and club. They are in good hands. The same can be aid of Micheal Azize's PL16 teams. Belconnen United seem to take a simliar approach and it no surprise that they both do well.

Competition in the PL18s is always very tough, so a game against Hakoah was a game against a team at the appropriate level of resistance. So it proved to be.

You would have been hard to please if this game did not hold your attention. The good surface was a massive bonus.

Woden Valley FC Pathways v Hakoah FC senior team

The Woden Vally Pathways team played a very competitive Hakoah FC senior team. It was a game playerd with speed and skill - both teams. It ended in a draw, a fair result.

Hakoah were well coached, had a very capable playing roster and played attacking football.

Woden Valley is a club that has underperformed in the Pathways in the first three year of the PL - talent to burn, less expereience than was necessary to win the lot and an unnerving habit of losing to many games in the first round, then looking like the real deal in the second round. Alas too late. Time and tide beat Woden every time in this grade. That will change this season.

Again, Woden Valley are playing the FFA endorsed 1-4-3-3 system. Head Coach Pat McCann and Pathways Coach Martin Lategui had a firm hold of the reigns, requiring the players to continue to become familar and effective with the new plaing style and system now being run across all PL grades. The PPL team have been building steadily and things began to "click" last weekend during he road trip to play two NSW teams. They were hard matches and the PPL squad did very well.

Hakoah matched Woden and the game gave the spectators (players) a lot of pleasure. The game began in daylight and ended under lights at the AIS. Just look at the images below. This is one fixture Woden Valley FC simply must repeat next season.

The bottom picture captures the spirit in which the game was played. You would come and play or watch this sort of football every day of the week if it were possible. Nothing better than Club football! Why else do we play?

For the Woden Valley coaching brains trust, it was a good result.

Federation Cup Starts for the New Clubs in the Premier League

The three new teams to the Capital Football Premier League went on show in the first round of the Federation Cup - Coome Tigers, Goulburn Strikers and Monaro Panthers. We all got a good look at them today!

Cooma Tigers v Goulburn Strikers
The second clash in the Federation Cup at Hawker on Saturday saw two of the new additions to the Capital Football Premier League go head to head. It must have been just like old times in State League One!

In fact it was a terrific match to watch and a marvelous contrast in styles.

Cooma Tigers are a confident and comfortable team on the ball, they seem to play at one pace and don't get too anxious if they go behind, prepared as the seem to be, to play the ball out of the back and keep possession. It works a treat and they create more than their fair share of chances to score. They are very adept at controlling the pace of the game. It takes a lot of work to break free of them and get control of the game. Its a style that would bring rounds of applause form the FFA's Technical Director.

The Goulburn Strikers might well prove to be the "greyhounds" of the PL competition. They are fit, real fit and quick with it. Not quite as proficient as Cooma when it comes to retaining possession, but very fast on the counter attack and if they get behind your defence, your Goalkeeper is going to be tested because they get most of their shots on target. They might not represent the technical summit of new national curriculum, but they are going to be awfully hard to beat. This is one team that is not going to die wondering! Don't have a off day against this team.

So here we have it. Strikers scored first, then the Tigers got one back, the game was locked up tighter than the Club Treasurer's purse, when the Strikers got the winning goal. It was a hard fought game, a few too many fouls due to poor tackling, but terrific to watch. Better than most A League games that get time on television. They are two competitive additions to the Premier League mix. No wonder their respective Club Presidents are confident.

Monaro Panthers v Canberra Olympic

Alas, it was not the hoped for start to the Monaro Panthers Premier League aspirations in 2010. They were soundly beaten - no other way to say it. I stopped counting at 9:1 against.

Olympic have a splendid playing roster and must be regarded at this early stage as one of the final four contenders. They were close last season and will get closer in 2010. The game for them seemed little more than an opposed training game. In spite of scoring many goals, they seemed to make it hard for themselves, this often happens when you play weaker teams and no doubt their coach will know only too well that this game does little for the games ahead against Belconnen United and Canberra FC.

There is not a lot to say about this game, except that it demonstrated just how much work the Panthers have to do in a few short weeks before the PL Competition begins in earnest. The question that comes immediately to mind is - what do they have in their playing roster across the PL and PPL players that might make a significant difference? Probably not a lot.

This was always going to be hard for the Monaro Panthers, creating two Senior teams where none existed before. Today demonstrated just how hard that assignment is going to be in 2010. The lack of recent experience in campaigning senior teams in State League may have left  the Panthers adrift in terms of playing strength and competitive expectations. This has added significance (and pressure) as the Panthers have a one year PL Licence and it was this issue that made Capital Football cautious.

The Monaro Panthers coaching staff and officials seemed in pretty sombre mood, looking out at the game that followed with what could only be described as the "thousand yard stare". Welcome to the Premier League lads! We can only hope that the Monaro Panthers find some competitive form as the Federation Cup continues. Planning has stopped and execution has begun for 2010. We all now how that feels.

Its important for all of us to remember that a strong Premier League Club across all grades is not built in a season and most of the established clubs are still struggling to demonstrate a strong presence across all grades. For Monaro Panthers, creating competitive senior grades (PL and PPL) from absolutely nothing is a daunting task. It will be important for the Panthers PL18 and PL16, built as it will be on a very strong Junior Club base, to lead the way in 2010. This was only one game and that's not a season, so let's call it the way it is and always wish them the best. They'll make it.

Not in the Spirit of the Game

A very timely piece by the President of Football NSW.

Go to this location for more of the President Football NSW's comments on the game in NSW:

In truth there is no such thing as a "professional Foul" in our game. Its just a pathetic construct by those seeking to justify unacceptable conduct, conduct contrary to the rules of the game. There is no glory in it! Its cheating!

Well said Mr President!!

Not in the Spirit of the Game


In the Sydney-Melbourne A- League game last Sunday evening, Sydney player Terry McFlynn made a late challenge on Melbourne player Robbie Kruse.
The result was severe tissue damage to Kruse’s ankle area which will keep him out of the Hyundai A-League finals series. It was also a severe blow to injury-ridden Melbourne Victory’s finals series hopes.
Okay, accidents will happen, but surely there comes a point where any tackle falls over the line into ‘reckless endangerment’. That’s up to the referee to assess at the time and apparently Sunday’s referee did not see anything sufficiently wrong to warrant any particular action against McFlynn on the day.
In an article in the Sydney Morning Herald SportsDay today (17th February), however, there is an unusual admission from Terry McFlynn which casts doubt on the whole spirit in which senior games are played.
McFlynn is quoted as saying “The ball was played to Robbie [Kruse] on the attacking side of halfway for us [Sydney FC], he’s obviously a quick player and it was late in the game, he got away from me and I just tried to trip him to stop play” [Italics added].
We’d all be very naive to imagine that the professional foul is not, unfortunately, an integral part of the game. My concern is that young players see all this and try to emulate what they see in what can only be described as a cynical blow to any attempt to inculcate sporting behaviour on and off the field throughout our code.
The A-league is rightly held up as the highest level of our game domestically. A-League players must realise they may be held up as role models to our younger players. Terry McFlynn’s actions in his late tackle do nothing to promote either the game as a whole or the A-League in particular.
Over to you, Football Federation Australia.
Jim Forrest,
President, Football NSW
17th February 2010

Overview of the ACL Tear in Football

Too many Footballers seem to get a tear to the ACL (Anterior Cruciate Ligament). Once it was the end of your playing days. Not so today. Treatment usually requires surgery and lengthy rehabilitation. Most players seems to get back to playing, but its a serious injury and there are now cases of multiple ACL tears and surgical procedures among our elite Footballers.

The incidence of an ACL tear is apparently much greater in women Football players. This should be taken very seriously. FIFA have released a publication for the purpose of providing guidance on how to minimise the likelihood of this type of injury in Women's football.

The Medical University of South Carolina, Sports Medicine Centre has produced an excellent overview of the ACL tear injury and treatment. A must for those that want to become familiar with this injury and treatment.

The ACL is often stretched and/or torn during a sudden twisting motion (when the feet stay planted one way, but the knees turn the other way). Dr. David Geier, a sports medicine specialist, discusses exercises that can help to strengthen the knee and help to prevent an ACL tear. Dr. Geier also talks about which sports are prone to ACL injuries and what type of physical therapy is required after surgery.

Download to the Podcast here:

MyFootballClub - FFA's Home of Community Football in Australia

If you haven't had the time to catch up with some of the plans, programs and good intentions at the FFA for Cummunity Football then go to

 

MyFootballClub

Two things are worth a look:
1. Club Accreditation, and
2. Facilties (Grants)

 

Club Accreditation

Clubs play a fundamental role in the development of football in Australia. In order to raise the overall standard of club administration at all levels of the game, FFA, in conjunction with our Member Federations, will introduce a National Club Accreditation Scheme (NCAS) that will identify, support and reward development best-practice in our football community.

The overall aim of the National Club Accreditation Scheme is to raise standards and to recognise and reward quality clubs, which contributes to quality football experiences for players, volunteers and parents.

FFA will work with the Member Federations to stagger the implementation of the scheme nationally, which will commence from April 2010 onwards.

Facilities Grants
The Grassroots Football Facilities Fund (GFFF) gives grants for projects that improve the quality, safety, reliability and accessibility of facilities for football (and other sports) in local communities. The GFFF helps grassroots clubs to play a key role in maintaining and preserving important community assets.

Round 1 of the GFFF was open throughout August 2009 and was a well received by clubs with over 300 applications received.

 

Grants are available for one, or a combination of:

1. portable goals for Optus Small-Sided Football
2. installation of rainwater tanks attached to club rooms/amenities blocks
3. planting of winter grass and improvements to drainage of pitches
4. enhancements to change rooms, particularly those that cater for female players
5. construction of artificial turf pitches and multi-use sport areas
6. conversion of open space to allow for the playing of small-sided football (e.g. marking of pitches, provision of goals)
7. re-marking of futsal pitches and replacement of futsal goals
8. fixed floodlights or other lighting
9. field of play improvements such as nets and corner flags

The minimum grant payable for a club is $5,000 and the maximum is $20,000.

  

Round 2 Grants
Round 2 will be open for clubs to apply from Monday 4 January through to Sunday 31 January.

  

Clubs are able to apply for EITHER funding (up to $20,000) or small sided football goals.

Boomerangs U12 Girls Victorious

Here are some images of the ACT girls that conquered the best in thier age group in the NSW Supa League.

Federation Cup Men's Draw Has Changed

Not a whistle blown, a ball kicked, a tackle made, a free kick given or a sub made and it changes! Strewth.

We will update the content at the NPL later today.

In the meantime, go to Capital Football for the changes:

Capital Football Board Adjourns to Consider its Position

Well now, things are really bubbling for the Capital Football Board. I'll bet some don't like the smell of scrutiny in the morning!!! So sorry lads and lady, but we are all here to serve and no one is above a question.

So what happened at the meeting last night? I'll bet it was a cracker! The are plenty of smart people in football land.

The meeting was called by the Zone Member (and Belconnen United President) Mark O'Niell, for the purpose of enabling the Zone Members and Club Presidents to put questions to, receive explanations from  and have decisions reviewed or changed by the Capital Football Board.


This morning the NPL spoke to the President of the Capital Football Board, John Logue. John made it clear that he could not comment on the meeting (although it is a matter of public knowledge), as the Board would meet again this evening on the matters discussed at the meeting.

John was able to say this:

1. The meeting had been adjourned to enable the Board to meet in order to consider its position on the matters raised at the meeting.
2. The Board would meet tonight for that purpose.
3. He (President of CF Board) would advise the Member who had requested the meeting (Mark O'Neill, Pres Belconnen United and Zone Rep) of the Board position. He expected Mark O'Niell to in turn brief the Zone Members / Club Presidents on the Board's position.
4. The meeting of the Zone reps, Club Presidents and CF Board would reconvene next Tuesday.
5. He was unable to comment or speculate on the likely outcomes of the meeting next Tuesday, particularly if the respective positions remain unchanged.

So there it is. As they say "the game is delicately poised"!

I wonder if some of the Board comprehend the potential significance of this encounter? If the Board is unable to see it way clear to accomodate the Club Presidents / Zone Reps on the matters they have raised with them, what then? I such circumstances, is that as good as a vote of no confidence in some or all of the Board? If you take this view would it be reasonable to expect some or all to resign? A good old fashioned "spill'! Perhaps that would be the proper thing to do.

Time is running out for the CF Board. The Federation Cup kicks off on the weekend.

An enterprising solution in Victoria to the shortage of grounds

This item was published in the Goal Weekly fanzine.

Go here for the online version

Brighton Grammar redeveloped its playing fields and installed an artifical playing surface, then hired it back to a large junior club. Smart and sustainable! This is the way to go and not just for schools.

Grammar helps Sandy to beat the drought
Written by Craig Mackenzie / Friday 13th November 2009

SANDRINGHAM soccer club juniors have signed a three-year agreement with Brighton Grammar believed to be in excess of $100,000.


One of the state-of-the art synthetic surfaces at Brighton Grammar.

The agreement gives Sandringham year-long access to the school’s recently developed synthetic pitch and football facilities in what is understood to be the first significant community-style sports relationship entered into by the Anglican boys school based in Melbourne’s bayside suburbs.

Brighton Grammar launched a $3.5 million redevelopment of its three playing fields late last year with the Mitchell Oval being extended, levelled and transformed into a world class soccer pitch.

Last season Sandringham soccer club fielded 59 junior and sub-junior teams and ranks just behind neighbouring junior club Brighton in terms of registered participants. Brighton is the largest junior club in Victoria.
“Basically we want to provide a pathway for children from around five and six (years old) to progress into elite competition,” said Sandringham president Simon Polinelli.
“Bayside and so many other councils have a well-documented problem with water and one of the answers to this problem is a synthetic surface.”

GW believes that Sandringham will pay Brighton Grammar $35,000 a year over the course of the agreement but Polinelli was loathe to discuss a specific figure.
“I’m not going to get into a discussion about commercial arrangements but obviously a significant fee is involved.”

Capital Football publish Junior Football Club Websites

Well done the Junior Football Co-ordinator! A very useful reference.

Belnorth Football Club - http://www.belnorth.org/

Belsouth Junior Soccer Club - http://www.belsouth.netspeed.com.au/

Belwest Foxes Junior Soccer Club - under construction

Brindabella Blues Football Club - http://www.bbfc.org.au/

Canberra FC - http://www.canberrafc.com/

Canberra Girls Grammar - http://www.cggs.act.edu.au/pages/index.asp

Canberra Grammar - http://www.cgs.act.edu.au/

Cooma Tigers Football Club - http://www.coomafc.org.au/

Gungahlin united Football Club - http://www.gungahlinunitedfc.org.au/

Marist Canberra Football Club - http://www.maristsoccer.com.au/

Majura Football Club - http://www.majurafc.org.au/

Monaro Panthers Football Club - http://www.monaropanthers.com.au/

Players FC - http://playersfc.wordpress.com/

Queanbeyan Football Club - http://www.queanbeyanfc.com.au/

Radford - http://www.radford.com.au/

St. Edmund's - http://www.stedmunds.act.edu.au/

Tuggeranong United Football Club - Juniors - http://tujsc.netspeed.com.au/

Weston Creek Soccer Club - http://www.westoncreeksoccer.org.au/

Woden Valley Soccer Club - http://www.wvsc.canberra.net.au/

Yass Football Club - http://www.yassfc.com.au/

Futsal works for Football

This program was broadcast on 23Feb10 on 2xxfm, Community Radio.

Download this program here:



We speak to John Barilaro of the Monaro Panthers, one of the new Premier League Clubs this season.

The NPL has a very interesting conversation with Eddie Senatore, Co-founder of the only ACT based Futsal club ever to compete in the NSW Super League. Some said it couldn;t and shouldn;t be done. Well suffer in ya jocks lads! They have just completed thier first season and its been a monster success. Eddie speaks of the relationaship between futsal and football, some of his expereinces in game situation when he has coached, while they different, Futsal has so much to offer Football. It meshes nicely with the direction set by the FFA in the new national curriculum. Thinking of the 1-4-3-3 system in football, well it might help to think futsal.

Federation Cup Draw 2010 - Women's

Federation Cup 2010 - Women's

Group A
Belwest Foxes
ANU WFC
Canberra FC
Belconnen United

Group B
Tuggeranong United
Woden Valley
Brindabella Blues
Weston Creek

Round One

Sunday 28th Feb 10am Woden Valley v Tuggeranong United Hawker Football Centre
Sunday 28th Feb 12pm Weston Creek v Brindabella Blues Hawker Football Centre
Sunday 28th Feb 2pm Belwest Foxes v ANU WFC Hawker Football Centre
Sunday 28th Feb 2.30pm Canberra FC v Belconnen United Deakin Stadium

Round Two

Tuesday 2nd Mar 8pm Tuggeranong United v Weston Creek Hawker Football Centre
Thursday 4th Mar 8pm ANU WFC v Belconnen United Hawker Football Centre
Sunday 7th Mar 2pm Belwest Foxes v Canberra FC Woden Enclosed
Sunday 7th Mar 4pm Brindabella Blues v Woden Valley Woden Enclosed

Round Three

Sunday 14th Mar 2pm Belconnen United v Belwest Foxes UC Oval 1
Sunday 14th Mar 4pm Canberra FC v ANU WFC UC Oval 1
Sunday 14th Mar 2pm Woden Valley v Weston Creek Woden Enclosed
Sunday 14th Mar 4pm Tuggeranong United v Brindabella Blues Woden Enclosed

Semi-Finals

Sunday 21st Mar 2pm 1st Pool A v 2nd Pool B Hawker Football Centre
Sunday 21st Mar 4pm 1st Pool B v 2nd Pool A Hawker Football Centre

Grand Final

Sunday 28th Mar Winner SF 1 v Winner SF 2 Deakin Stadium

Federation Cup Draw 2010 - Mens

2010 Federation Cup Draw 2010

Note: * Denotes the Duty Club with Duty Club responsibilities.
# Denotes the Home team with home team responsibilities.

Round 1 – Saturday 27th February & Sunday 28th February

Hawker FC 27th February
Group B
*# Tuggeranong v Weston Creek 8pm
Group A
# Canberra City v Yoogali 6pm
# Canberra Olympic v Monaro 4pm
Group D
# Goulburn v Cooma 2pm
# White Eagles v *Woden Valley Rivals 12pm

Deakin Stadium 28th February
Group B –Deakin Stadium 28th February
*# Canberra FC v Belconnen United 5pm

Hawker FC 28th February
Group C
# ANU v Woden Valley 6pm
# Narrabundah v ACTAS 4pm

Round 2 –Saturday 6th March & 7th March

Group A – Hawker FC 6th March
#* Canberra City v Canberra Olympic 6pm
# Yoogali v Monaro 4pm

Group C –Woden Enclosed 6th March
#* Narrabundah v Woden Valley 5pm
# ACTAS v ANU 3pm

Hawker FC 7th March
Group D
#* White Eagles v Goulburn 4pm
# Cooma v Woden Valley Rivals 2pm
Group B
# Belconnen United v Tuggeranong 1pm
# Canberra FC v * Weston Creek 11am

Round 3 – Saturday 13th March

Hawker FC
Group D
# Goulburn v Woden Valley Rivals 12pm
#* Cooma v White Eagles 2pm
Group A
# * Monaro v Canberra City 4pm
# *Yoogali v Canberra Olympic 6pm

Woden Enclosed
Group C
*#Woden Valley v ACTAS 2pm
Group B
#* Weston Creek v Belconnen United 4pm

Deakin Stadium
Group C
# ANU v Narrabundah 3pm
Group B
# Tuggeranong v *Canberra FC 5pm

Quarter Finals – Saturday 20th March

Hawker FC
1 #* Winner Group A v Runner Up Group B 4pm
2-# Winner Group B v Runner Up Group A 2pm
Woden Enclosed
3- #* Winner Group C v Runner Up Group D 3pm
4- # Winner Group D v Runner Up Group C 1pm

Semi Finals – Hawker FC – Wednesday 24th March

Semi Final 1:# Winner QF 1 v Winner QF 4 8pm
Semi Final 2: #* Winner QF 2 v Winner QF 3 6pm
3rd v 4th Playoff – Woden Enclosed TBC 27th March
Men’s
# Loser SF 1 v Loser SF 2 3pm
Women’s
Loser SF 1 v Loser SF 2 12:30pm TBC

Final – Deakin Stadium 28th March

Men’s Federation Cup Final
Winner SF 1 v Winner SF 2 4pm
Women’s Federation Cup Final
Winner SF 1 v Winner SF 2 1:30pm TBC

Troubled Talent - every Club has them!

Football has its fair share of idiots among players, coaches, managers, administrators, supporters and spectators. Just sit on a Disciplinary Hearing or an Appeal Hearing and you will be amazed at the rubbish some of these idiots trot out to justify unaccaeptable and anti-social behaviour. And there is a healthy population of repeat offenders.

The Capital Football disciplinary structure has more holes than a lump of Swiss cheese. Its part of the problem, not part of the solution.

The Nearpost Local has been informed that Captial football has the disciplinary process under review. We must find out more.

The article below by Virginia Trioli is first rate. Leaving aside the appalling nature of the offence which the player has been charged with, so much of what Trioli writes should resonate with our code and Clubs.

The message is as good as it is simple - Don't take on badly behaved players or troublemakers, especially when you know that is what they are - you can't save them. If you have got a badly behaved player in your club, on or off the field of play get rid of them - quickly!

Lovett: Innocent until proven a liability
By Virginia Trioli

Go to the article on the ABC Website here:

Just days ago Andrew Lovett was charged with rape. (AAP: Julian Smith)

There was a saying amongst my older brother's contemporaries back in the Vietnam War and Watergate days: "You knew the job was dangerous when you took it".

It was an arch admonishment against self-pity and shock; a cynical acknowledgment that, when things go wrong, you should have expected nothing less.

I'm reminded of this as I watch yet another football club - this time St Kilda in the AFL competition - cut loose another wayward player - Andrew Lovett - all with the rounded eyes of bewildered and disappointed parents.

Just months after it picked him up in a high-profile draft selection, St Kilda has sacked Lovett, who just a few days ago was charged with rape and will make an appearance in court on Friday.

The club says Lovett's sacking has nothing to do with the rape charge - he is, after all, innocent until proven guilty, the officials were at pains to say. Instead, the transgressions are said to precede this matter and they were enough to "bring the club into disrepute". Lovett would have to go.

The football bad-boy stories are the evergreens of Australian society and the narratives all seem to run to a familiar script. The often childish and sometimes even criminal behaviour of some high-profile sporting figures is ignored, then hidden, then absolved, and then justified by their clubs - right up to the point where the organisation appears suddenly horrified by the revelations - and then the rope is cut.

The shock is all of a kind, too: where-oh-where did it all go wrong?

In the case of Lovett, the job always seemed a dangerous one. The question is whether these clubs ever really know how to handle the task they've taken on.

When St Kilda, a perennially almost-successful Melbourne club, picked up the former Essendon player, the club clearly knew it was buying talent.

He had shown himself to be an explosively impressive player; but equally he was trouble.

An intervention order had previously been taken out against Lovett by his former girlfriend, which he then breached, and while at Essendon he had been suspended for missing matches after big nights on the town. The club eventually dropped him.

At St Kilda the form continued: missed training sessions and a charge of public drunkenness soon followed. St Kilda started to shrug the young man off - this wasn't what they had signed up for!

But it was. Why take on such a difficult player in the first place? And if you do, what duty of care do you owe the relatively young and clearly troubled young man?

The answer to the first question lies within an easy formula: when talent and bad behaviour appear equally weighted, many sporting codes around the country are prepared to take the heat. Rule-breaking and even law-breaking behaviour is not always a deal-breaker.

But the answer to the second? Sporting codes stuffed to the gunwales with lawyers and corporate image advisers have not yet figured that out.

We'll leave it to the lawyers to rake over whether Lovett's recent club infractions constitute bringing the club into disrepute - a close reading of the AFL's Players Code of Conduct certainly doesn't indicate he's reached the institution's upper-level of patience.

But the timing of the sacking makes it impossible to avoid the conclusion that St Kilda has brushed aside the presumption of innocence for the difficult Lovett, and that's an action that serves nobody.

It doesn't assist the woman, who must have found it difficult enough to take serious charges of rape to the police and have them rigorously tested in court.

While her wider identity might be shielded by laws prohibiting identification, within football circles that extraordinarily tough decision to go to court has been made even tougher by Lovett being found intolerable even before his day in court.

And as a matter of consistency, the decision is bewildering, when a breached intervention order was clearly not enough to convince St Kilda that this was a player whose attitude towards women was clearly always going to be a problem.

The club brought home a fire-breathing dragon and has fallen about in horror when it set fire to the curtains.

Risk management in sport always seems to me a tricky thing (isn't a club-room full of competitive, aggressive, physically powerful and universally adored young men inherently a risk?), but when it's not backed with consistent standards of what's acceptable and what rules you out from wearing the club jersey in the first place, the job becomes dangerous to everyone.

Boomerangs FS Under 12 Girls Victorious in the NSW Futsal Super League!

The Boomerangs FS Under 12 Girls won the NSW Futsal Super League final tonight by a massive 4:1

That's a big score at this level and in a final it's just unbelievable!

Who said the Boomernags FS couldn't do it? Not the Nearpost Local. The Boomernags had already exceeded expectations with a large number of their teams earning a place in the Preliminary finals and finishing about middle of the table in the Club Chapionships.

All in their first year of competition in what is certainly the most competitive and hotly contested Futsal competition environment in Australia. Just sensational!

Capital Football simply must get a picture of this young team on the front page of theirwebsite and into the Canberra Times. Nothing less will do.

We should be competing our best in NSW in Futsal and Football in some fashion. Co-founders Senatore and Collins took a big chance when they started Boomerangs FS for the specific purpose of giving our your players a chance to try their luck in a higher standard of club competition. A genuine development opportunity. We need more of this sort of thinking in our football and futsal community in the ACT.

And I'm sure they would want to record the contributions of the parents who hit the road to Sydney for the away games and gave their support. This is community Futsal / Football at its best and if that isn't a quality "development" opportunity this isn't the Nearpost Local!

The Boomerangs will go again next season and this is the club to join if you want a Fustal experience that will add considerably to the players technical ability and widen their horizons. A rock solid development pathway in Futsal with terrific transfer of outcomes to the Football season ahead. Wonderful preparation for the Futsal Nationals in 2011.

Congratulations to the girls in the Boomerangs FS U12 Girls. They are real trailblazers. This result is right up there with the ACT Women's Youth Team victory at the recent Nationals.

Canberra United, ACT Women's Futsal Team, Boomernags FS U12 Girls - the women are doin it for themsleves!

What about a fearless prediction - The Under 12 girls in the victorous Boomerangs team are in the mix to be selected play for the ACT U13 Girls Football team at the National Youth Championships in April this year in Canberra. I reckon that a team to watch.

This isn't just a win in an important competitive game - its a triumph for a good idea pushed through by people with determination and simply willing to "give it a go". The Australian Way!

Is there another Futsal club in the ACT out there that wants to give it a go?

A CF Board Member(s) does the talking on an operational / technical matter, while the CEO and Staff wait and wonder!

It seems that one of the underlying concerns for Clubs, which has in significant part inspired the need for next Tuesdays meeting between Clubs, Zone Members and the CF Board, is that a Board member has taken to communicating directly with a coach on a matter, not yet made public and one that should have been undertaken by the CEO or staff.

The matter leaked / discussed is said to be with ACTAS concerning a playing condition. ACTAS emailed their constituency with the information. The Board member got it wrong and ACTAS fired out another email. Whatever inspired the Board member to be involved in something that was clearly and most properly the province of the CEO and staff?

Leave aside the further concern that the Board did a backflip without warning nor consultation with Clubs, on a related ACTAS matter (among other things) following an undertaking given late last year, and you have an explosive mixture.

Why would a Board member seemingly breach Board confidentiality, if that is what has occurred?

Why would any Board member undertake to play the role of CF CEO, Technical Director or any other staff member for that matter?

Someone seems to have crossed the line between Governanace and operational / technical management. Is it the first time? Have other Board members done the same thing in recent times? It's a question that comes to mind following this ham fisted example of inappropriate conduct.

Why didn"t the President of the Board require the Board memebr concernd to submit his resignation - immediately?

This can't go on! It totally compromises the position of the CF CEO and principal staff. Perhaps that was the intention. If so, it must be stopped.

While the Board members (some of them)play with the toys, who is planning and preparing for the future? We need three parts of CF working - Board, Staff and Clubs.

Put a stop to it Mr President. Get your Board in line, on task on on message. Move them on if they don't comply.

ACT: Boys Are Better Than Girls!

Well at least they are going to be treated differently in Canberra. Different skill focus, different resources and different pathways.


You recall that our interview last week with CEO Capital Football, Heather Reid (see earlier post and podcast) covered the decision by the Capital Football Board to persist with playing squads at the U13, U14 and U15 levels. The U15 level (boys) is contingent on some ridiculous gymnastics with ACTAS.

You may also recall, that in an extensive interview with the CEO and Technical Director of Capital Football in 2009, they spoke of the design of the new Football HPP. There would be no playing squads and the players would return to Clubs for their normal season of competitive football. It was a substantial, well considered and insightful break from the CF Academy system which it would replace.

Capital Football would focus on developing players (and running representative teams to the NYC) and Clubs would be integrated into the development process by means of having the players under development, train and play in their teams.

Then the Board stuck it's sticky fingers into the mix, all the HPP information content was removed from the website, people were confused, rumours abounded, the Football HPP got the staggers after a good "first over" and frankly, its probably never really recovered. The Board reinstated playing squads and here we are today.

Its no surprise, that some of the Board are said to be on the side of the debate that favours playing squads while the others are not. The Board is rumoured to sit within two factions. But its probably not as simple as that - or is it? And if it is, what's the real agenda or are we just bubbling along from one thing to another, pushing private agendas, agendas never declared to the football community. Which faction brings hope for our Clubs? Wouldn't you like to be a fly on the wall when these people talk about Football in the ACT? You could sell tickets!

I cannot help but return to that excellent quote from David Simeone (see previous post):
In the case of board members (club, league, state) they must operate with the technical professionals in the mutual interest of the players and the game. They must avoid being inclined to carry out the aims of their own “technical plan” based on their presumptions and not expertise.


You may also recall that the men's ACTAS program would not countenance a return of players to Club in season, preferring to play in our PPL again. The Women's program,, now under Ray Junna (also Coach of Canberra United)has a different view - Junna will allow his players to return to club (as well as playing in squad in a separate competition) to play in season. Some coaches can and others can't! Some seem to embrace the opportunities and change, while others seem to prefer things just as they are - forever.

But back to the matter to hand at the CF Football HPP!!

I assumed that the Board would treat the girls as they did the boys - that is, the girls too would be placed in playing squads. All the other externalities that are used to justify the boys playing squad soltion are pretty much the same for the girls.

I was wrong!

It seems that the Board has decided that the girls will not be treated in the same fashion. There will be no girls playing squads in the ACT competition from the Football HPP. What are we to make of this?

So there we have it, its offical, we really don't need playing squads from the Football HPP. Don't dare suggest that womens football is less important than mens!!! No two standards here thnk you very much. What an exrtaordinary decision by the Board. Well done lads and lady!

Look on the bright side - that makes it dead simple for the Clubs at the meeting next Tuesday with the CF Board. This meeting is intended, among others things, to have the Board to explain to those representatives too whom they are accountable, declare what they are doing, why they are doing it, explain their lack of effective communication to Clubs and their preferred means of communications in the future (Board or staff). The members now have further reasons to instruct the CF Board - that no playing squads are required for the boys, just as there are none for the girls. Problem solved. Guess the CEO and Techncial Director got it right after all.

We need a bit more gender equity on the Board, not too mention "balls" and I bet if we did, we would have more inclusive decisions, far better means of communication, a more collaborative approach to work, a willingness and respect for the operational and technical staff of CF to do the work they are employed to do and of course, no playing squads. Well, that's my prediction.

Positive Parenting for Football - Part 2

Download more from this excellent series

Some points to note for parents:
1. Don't live out your athletic dreams through your child
2. You can be too involved
3. Trying too hard is possible
4. You can be too serious
5. It's the players' game not yours

Soccer Development Strategies - Necessities for Being “in it” For the Long Term

This article and more is available at

Soccer Development Strategies
Necessities for Being “in it” For the Long Term

Dave Simeone
Soccer Development Strategies
National Staff Instructor – U.S. Soccer


Philosophy

The development of soccer talent is an on going process; it truly is longitudinal. It is a process in which individuals’ progress gradually from simple to the more complex experiences that the game provides. The process of player development requires planning that has clarity and based upon a modern technical development ideas. This plan and direction needs to come from the technical people; coaches who are educated, experienced and knowledgeable. Anything less than a comprehensive and coordinated effort only means that player development is left to chance rather than being maximized as a result of coaching, programming, competition and well thought out planning.
This process can not be rushed.
It is not positively affected by “if this much is good then more must be better.” The process of player development can be influenced by elements that are essential for
effective player development.

The Necessities

Training:
The development of HABITS and a TRAINING MENTALITY.
To stimulate players to raise the level of response training needs to balance demanding and challenging with motivating and interesting. Much of a training mentality has to do with the development of concentration and the responsibility within the players to coach themselves. While we often hit the peak we’d like to in training --- the attitude and intensity, we lack the ability to pick up in the next session where we left off in the previous one. Transferring what’s been retained from one session to the next is one indicator of learning. Even the simplest aspects that are associated with mentality – punctuality, correct equipment and attentiveness are huge in the whole process.
The additional aspect of training is to balance it with games. The accepted ratio at U12 and older between competitive games and training is 2:1 training to games. At U16 the ideal ratio is 3:1 training to games. Too many games results in a poor mentality and attitude; “it’s just another game”. The lack of training also creates the added difficulty of fixing problems from competitive games.
It is the basic issue of QUALITY versus QUANTITY. There needs to be balance!

Competitive Matches:
Games of varying difficulty. Games that suffice for different priorities or purpose; Games that are player development opportunities (PDO) versus games that are result driven. Competition is important but games differ in importance of achieving a result versus player and team development. Ultimately competitive players must earn
playing time in result oriented games. There’s also a necessary element of “fear free” playing time in games that are oriented towards player development versus a result. While the result is not the be all, end all, it allows for the necessary experience of “winning” or “losing” in games other those that are the most coveted to win in order to be successful in.
There are those coaches who also believe that losing a “big game” while disappointing in the short run is beneficial in the long term of winning more important matches in the future.

The “Political Pipeline” of administrators, politicians, coaches,
referees and parents.
Parents are tremendous assets and necessary pieces of the youth sport mosaic here in the United States. Parents can be tremendous during the entire player development process or detractors. Parents can, and do have, operated in what they believe to be the “best interests” of their children. While parents can lend all the necessary financial support and assistance they can’t do it for their youngsters. They can only assume an ancillary role which is best described as supportive.
Sometimes the best and most realistic thing parents can allow youngsters and teenagers to do is to learn to fail in order to decide how important soccer, and learning to be an accomplished player is to them.
In the case of board members (club, league, state) they must operate with the technical professionals in the mutual interest of the players and the game. They must avoid being inclined to carry out the aims of their own “technical plan” based on their presumptions and not expertise.
The coaches owe those in the positions of being “trustees” explanations and the rationale for planning out technical and competitive issues. The organization of recreational and competitive playing environments need to come in line with the mainstream and accepted rationale based upon what is tested , tried and definitely in the best interest of players.

Coaching
It is the one thing that interfaces MOST with the one product in the game; the players. Coaching is responsible for more than 90 minutes of training or 90 minutes of game management.
In the youth game coaches are instrumental in communicating with parents;
articulating information in order to educate them. The club in concert with the coaches is collectively responsible for the long term of preparing players for collegiate opportunities. This includes working towards academic requirements, matching players with institutions, ensuring that players are working with guidance counsellors at school and networking with college coaches.
In coaching older teams and players this is an absolute necessity in the United States. There are some older boys who are now by-passing college and transferring directly into MLS. Dealing with this is also an important facet for the coach and the club.
Coaching younger players under 12 years of age has become its own art and science. Coaching these players involves putting experiences into them that contribute to their development while investing in them for the future.

There is no guarantee that every player will reach his or her potential. Much happens outside of training and the club to distract and deter individual players and their progress. But at least we must give all of them the opportunity to “Become The Best They Can Be”.

Bobby Howe, former U.S. Soccer Director of Coaching remarked “Soccer is
as much art as science. The game should be played attractively as well as effectively. Soccer is a game of skill, imagination, creativity, and decision making. Coaching should not stifle, but enhance those elements. Neither should politics or alternative interests.”

“There is no magic formula or short cut to successful player development,” added Howe. “Coaching at youth levels is all about working with players to improve performance, not about recruiting players to build teams to win championships. Soccer is a player’s game and players should be considered first when political, administrative, and coaching decisions are being made”.

Good principles of business or enterprise are mainstays no matter what continent or country. Good principles of player development are no different. It’s a long term proposition in either case. Business and enterprise is not a seasonal activity neither is soccer and player development. It’s not a matter of convenience or chance in terms of
doing what will be best for achieving goals in the long term. It is a matter of priorities, planning and design.

Federation Cup draw and let the 2010 season begin!

The Federation Cup draw is out and this is how they line up:

Men’s Federation Cup Draw
POOL A: Canberra Olympic, Monaro Panthers, Canberra City, Yoogali SC
POOL B: Canberra FC, Tuggeranong United, Belconnen United, Weston Creek
POOL C: White Eagles, Goulburn Strikers, Cooma Tigers, Woden Valley Rivals
POOL D: Woden Valley, ANU FC, Narrabundah, ACTAS

Competition begins on Saturday, 27 February.

For further details go to the Capital Football website

So you want to get on the talented player treadmill? At what cost to football in the ACT in the long run?

Apologise for this long post. But for now, stay with it and work through the detail. Its a tricky subject.

Where do our better ACT Junior Players go to, when do they go, for how long, who do they play for during the normal football season and do they get to play for their Club and if so when?

The more we talk of developing the talented player, the more it seems we fail to ask these questions and if we do, we seem to be much less certain of the outcomes for Clubs and community based football.

The talented player focus which seems to have beset us seems to owe more the the gold rush days than to good balanced strategic decision making.

Where's the balance? Who's being developed and who is not?

there are a lot of forces at work in football now and more reason to think carefully about what is best for the ACT Region.

Here's an example on the table right now for all the PL Clubs - use all options to develop talented 15 year olds (away from Clubs), or, give playing in season a priority to Pl U16? Go to ur podcast this week with CEo Capital Football to listen to the competing interests, all of which seem to take away from PL clubs and undermine the Premier League structure at the PL16 level (which in turn impacts on PL18's)

In this brave new world of national curriculum based player development, with a focus on high technical development and "develop" not "win", we face some important development issues of our own in the ACT Region. We have become dangerously fascinated by the false god of the "talented player" development stream contained in the new curriculum - forgetting that there is another stream - the community based football stream. Community football is Club football and it doesn't come second it comes first and it is the first place, not the last to focus on talented player development.

The options created or accumulated around the talented player abstraction are as dazzling as they are so often lacking in substance. We seem to flutter from one thing to another, but at what cost and what benefit? Are we incapable of thinking this through in the ACT for ourselves - developing players and the game in our region at the same time and in partnership with our Clubs? Doesn't look like it at the moment. You just can't keep implementing "develop" by means of taking players away from clubs, for the sake of slavishly implementing a doctrine put down by the FFA. The FFA may be focussed on the next Socceroo, but it should mean less than it does by comparison to strong community football here in the ACT.

Consider some of the options and influences in play right now; the universal introduction in each State and Territory of a Football High Performance Program under the direct influence of the FFA National Technical Director,the use of HPP Playing Squads in the ACT at Capital Football, Capital Football makes itslef a Club to compete in the very competition(s) it is meant to develop, then joined / overlapped by the further development of some players at the State and territory National Training centres (eg ACTAS), attendance of NTC's at the NTC Challenge, identification of State and Territory playing squads for Junior players by age group to compete at the FFA's NAtional Youth Challenge, Sports Australia National Championships to name a few of the obvious ones. And so it goes. And we run around all these options here in the ACT, constantly picking away at a small parcel of players, with seemingly little concern for how this impacts on our Clubs or the impact on the development of community football.

We need less numbers of options, and instead, limited high quality options that work at all levels for the development of players and Clubs. We are at presnt "an inch thin and mile wide"! This way doesn't work, it just looks pretty! Do we want it good or pretty!

Questions for you.
1 When among all these competing and overlapping options, which continually harvest our best from our Clubs for protracted periods of time, do you think they come back to their Club, any Club, to play with their mates, at age or level and contribute to the general development of the game at the grassroots community level?
2. How do they socialise, develop and gain endearing community based affection for the beautiful game, which can only be found through Club, a vital consideration which as they get older and have other options to hand outside football, sees them stay with the game and just play for the love of it and help develop others ???
3. Do we really have a "High performance Program" here in the ACT at Capital Football? (would someone care to define the term high performance program so that we may know precisely what it contains)


How about this - once they go and get on the football elitest path (call it by any clever name you want) they don't see a club again for many years. Maybe not till they are 18 year of age. There is good chance they walk away from the sport. The second question - nothing comes close to a good football Club and development programs are not Clubs and nor should they be. And the answer to the third question - no, we don't seem to have a high performacne program and I can say that because neither Capital Football nor the FFA have told us what is meant by the term and what is contained therein (periodised programs for the year, detailed curriculum to examine, what other related development inputs such as other core training, sports psychologist etc) - not there yet and it should be. I reckon a number of Clubs and Club coaches could claim to do just as good a job at Club, if we are take what is being deliverd now as the starting point.

Talented player programs in organisations remote from Clubs cannot do what clubs do for the game, but clubs can do the development of players if supported, trusted and developed. So where is our effort best placed in order to develop the game and talent? Surely not on a minority of players? It's a no brainer - Clubs!

We risk the young player departing the game because the development program stops. They sometimes think the journey in football has ended because they have nothing else outside the limited sphere of the development program. What a unforgivable societal and sporting waste!

We have lost our way and there is only one way back - Clubs, and a rationalisation is necessary of our current "development options" and it must at least see the return of players to Clubs for their ordinary playing in season.

The one talented player initiaitve in the ACT which makes a contribution in this context is the John Mitchell coached, ANU, Under 20 Elite program which plays in our Premier League. A productive amalgamtaion of football interests. We should pay careful attention to this example. Other Clubs are well place to the same thing and some have demosntrated player development capaibilities.

How does this top down talented footballer development smorgasboard help football? Its a question we should take a real good look at. It must be possible to develop all our players and our better players without losing the enduring connection to Club football.

This concern is at the heart of meeting next week between the ACT Clubs and Chairs of the Capital Football Standing Committees, and, the Capital Football Board.

I wonder if the one justification used by the Capital Footabll Board members who are runoured to have advocated and carried the day on the decision to continue playing squads, was that they did not believe their was a suitble capability among coaches at Club level. What an insult if true and what have they done to make it better and transfer the responsibility to Clubs? Any arguement of this sort carelssly dismisses the progress made in coach education, game development at the operating level and does little to encourgae Clubs to do more. Its the sort of myopic arguement that holds the game back - forever! So ask the question.

Get stuck in!

CEO Capital Football speaks on HPP Playing Squads and ACTAS Particpation in the Premier League.

Broadcast on the Australian Community Radio Network, 2xxfm, 98.3mhz on Tuesday, 16 February 2010 and podcast around the world!

The program is given to an extended interview with Heather Reid, CEO Capital Football. This part of the interview comes at a time when clouds are rising on the Football Club front here in the ACT toward Capital Football. There appears to be some good reasons for some clubs (if not all) to be aggrieved at the manner in which Capital Football has made and advised some very recent decisions which decisively affect Clubs going forward in 2010 and beyond. Club anxiety seems to be directed at the Capital Football Board.
Against this background, the CEO has agreed to speak to the NPL. After all, there is a lot going on in Football in the ACT region and neither the CEO nor her staff have the luxury of admiring problems. They must of necessity get on with the job. And this is a big job!

Download the Nearpost Local Program podcast



Heather speaks to the current position on two issues which have got Clubs offside, in one way or another - the continuation of playing squads from the Football HPP in our local competition, the vexatious issue of the ACTAS playing arrangements for this season, and all the factors which appear to have influenced decision makers up to this point. One thing is clear, the CEO has a comprehensive grasp of all the facts of the matter and that’s as it should be. We are fortunate the Heather is willing to communicate and assis us to understand Capital Football’s position.
There has been a “call to arms” by one of the North Zone representatives who is also the president of a Premier League club. A meeting is to be held Tuesday. This meeting was initiated by the Member, one of our most well credentialed club officials. The meeting is correct and proper and has been requested in accordance with the appropriate constitution rules and by-laws. It seems the Football Zone representatives and Chairs of the Standing Committees (making up the Members) as well as Clubs will meet with the Capital Football Board members, for the purpose of seeking some understanding / discussion / consultation / review of decision(s) on issues of importance to clubs, including those covered by Heather Reid in this interview. Apparently there is some explaining to done in the wake of decision(s) which Clubs say are contrary to previous advice and have been changed with little amount of consultation. This goes beyond the operational activity and responsibilities of Capital Football staff. It seems we may be talking about operational decisions made by the CF Board. That makes it a very interesting meeting – particularly for the Board members – I hope they attend and speak. There will be more to this of course, but that seems to be the essence of it. Not something to be taken lightly. Perhaps its a Capital Football Board moment of truth!

Where does governance finish and operational management begin? Interesting question. The two issues covered in tonight’s interview seem to illustrate the problem. The CEO gives no hint that this is so. Heather is a “rock solid central defender”!

What is of concern is that these matters appear to be such a small proportion of the entire Capital Football portfolio of activities. At a technical / operational level they seem to be so very easy to resolve, particularly with more direction and leadership coming from the national Technical Director, Han Berger at Football Federation Australia. In this case, it seems they are not resolved to the satisfaction of the Clubs and that is important. A CEO and staff would know just how time consuming and distracting these matters can be, while they must continue to advance with everything for the year ahead. Clubs are not happy, because they seem to feel these matters undermine their capacity to support and grow the game at Club and premier league level. Now this is serious. What matters at Club matters to the game!

Any right and fair minded person would have to acknowledge that the CEO and staff manage every day, seven days a week for most weeks of the year, a large, never ending operation, in a complex external environment, on balance, generally with skill, insight and good judgement. They service the needs of 18,000 plus participants and heaven knows how many officials (most voluntary), spectators, parents, sponsors, government interests and other stakeholders. It’s massive. Keeping everyone happy is not possible – football is too emotional and its participants too passionate for that to be an achievable outcome.

One thing is certain, the Board doesn’t take the heat in the community when clubs are unhappy. That dubious honour seems to be directed in the first instance to the CEO and staff. Is that fair ? And is it correct to do so. When things go well critics say “it’s just your job and when they don’t go so well – for whatever reason – “it’s all your fault”. We are hard markers in football!

I can say this, you would be very hard pressed to find a more accessible CEO and staff of a large organisation than Heather Reid and Co, always willing to speak about Capital Football’s intentions and explain why things are as they are in our football region. That’s good leadership at the CEO level and a damn good work ethic at the staff level!

Which seems to bring us full circle back to the CF Board. So let the meeting begin and where the weight of operational and technical argument by the Clubs evidences in favour of change to particular Board endorsed or initiated decisions and it is possible to make it so, let’s hope they in turn take the leadership role and undertake to direct the CEO to make the necessary changes immediately. Then on with the season.

When do Board positions become vacant? Anyone out there interested?

The NPL will report the outcomes next week.

Positive Parenting for Football - Part 1

The US Youth Soccer organisation has produced some excellent video and audio for parents and coaches.

Download the video / audio at the Us Youth Soccer Organisation

Parents have a massive influence on their children and others when they are present on the sideline on game day. Its not all good!
Coaches of Junior (youth as the US calls it) usually find that their are a couple of parents who breaks ranks during the season and behave in an unacceptable fashion toward their children, the opposition team or the referee.
Try staying away from the Coach and the players till the game is over.
Parents who live vicariously through their children and behave poorly on the sideline are a PEST! They drive their children from the game, cause willing coaches to simply give up and see to it that young referees are driven from this critical football job by the sheer weight of abusive utterances and conduct.
If you can't think of something positive to say to the children of both teams as they play - say nothing! Better still go away.
Our children do not play to entertain adults. They play for sheer fun.
Keep it that way.

The Role of the Sports Psychologist in Football and NTC Challenge at the AIS

Broadcast on the Australian Community Radio Network, 2xxfm, 98.3mhz on Tuesday, 26 Januray 2010 and podcast around the world!

This program covers the FFA NTC Challenge and we examine the role of the SPorts Phsycologist in sport - not just elite sport. The ASC provides a neat synopsis of this expert contribution to sports performance. Our interview this week is with Paul Penna, a very experienced sports psychologist. Why don’t we see more of their professional contribution in clubs, the Premier League, Capital Football’s HPP just to name two football opportunities?

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The FFA NTC Challenge is underway and ACTAS is participating. It’s a terrific football treat this early in the year, its tense and there is plenty of football talented to amaze. This is the first activity for the FFA as it will be the first consolidated football competition in the a pivotal age group (15-16 years), in which we will see how well the New National Curriculum has been implemented. The games are tense and the coaching staff under a lot of technical scrutiny by the FFA’s Technical Development Committee. How will ACTAS be rated in this competition. Early games indicate that it seems unlikely to be scoring too many “Technical Points” for its style of play. Football West and South Australia are early standout performers, but that’s not a surprise. If it the new curriculum is not evident in the manner and style of play at this age, there is real cause for concern, early days or not! Hope they publish the full points scores for each team by game, so that we can see what the FFA thinks is happening at ACTAS and elsewhere. More to follow on this important football development event.

The interview this week is with Paul Penna, a very experienced sports psychologist. Why don’t we see more of their professional contribution in clubs, the Premier League, Capital Football’s HPP just to name few football opportunities? You don’t have to be an elite player to benefit from the integration of a sports psychologist into your football team’s efforts this season. Paul Penna has seem most of what there is to see where elite sports persons are concerned, he is practical and insightful. In this first part of his interview, he sets the scene and note his favourite saying when advising athletes of sports and levels – “swim in your lane”!

NTC Challenge, Player Transfers, What does it mean to have a "good engine" in Football and more from Sports Psychologist Paul Penna.

Broadcast on the Australian Community Radio Network, 2xxfm, 98.3mhz on Tuesday, 2 February 2010 and podcast around the world!

In this program we cover the NTC Challenge. It was a sensational tournament, directed at the nation’s best 15 / 16 year boys and don’t we have some good players! SASI won everything except the goalkeeper award and were a wonderfully prepared team from the first whistle to the last.

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Football West continued to demonstrate just how good they are all the way through from their Football HPP through to their NTC. ACTAS did very well on the scoreboard (wins, draws) but fell short on the award of technical bonus points, denying them outright Challenge winner. Why did we play 17year olds in this challenge?

You have probably heard coaches comment that a player has “a good engine”. Well, for “engine” read “the human body’s’ energy systems”. The Australian Sports Commission tells us what this means for us in football. Then we move to a very hot issue in football from club all the way to A League and the FFA.

It’s the compensation and payments made to community based clubs by A League clubs when they recruit a player and then sell the player to an overseas club for lots and lots of money. I can think of several players from the ACT who might be in this mix. No surprise to learn its community football that might be at risk of being the loser.

Then it’s on to Paul Penna for the second part of his interview, in which he covers player and parent attitudes, motivation and behaviour. You can’t go past his common sense advice. How much it from professionals like Penna do our HPP participants get as part of their player development?

Interviews with Presidents of Cooma Tigers, Goulburn Strikers, Head Coach Belconnen United; ACTAS in the PPL??; HPP Playing Squads ??

Broadcast on the Australian Community Radio Network, 2xxfm, 98.3mhz on Tuesday, 9 February 2010 and podcast around the world!

I speak to two of the new PL Club presidents – Cooma Tigers and Goulburn Strikers. We will catch up with Monaro Panthers next week. We have a very interesting interview with an experienced and established Premier League Coach – the Head Coach of Belconnen United, Scott Conlon.

A thinking person’s football coach. He has some important points to make on Capital Football intentions to continue with playing squads in Junior Football, together with ACTAS’s decision to enter the PPL – again???

Download Nearpost Program Podcast



The new clubs have been very busy and are brimming with confidence. Not sure yet how Monaro Panthers are going but it is worrying to see they are still looking for coaches for the PL18 and PL16 teams. There is a lot of movement across the established clubs – real and imaginary between the clubs with the arrival of these new teams in the PL.

One thing comes through, these new clubs have all been long in the planning and for the most part, that seems to have served them well in this early and difficult period of pre-season start up preparation. They will contest the Fed Cup, so we’ll have a chance to take a close look.

Have you read the notice on the CF website concerning the HPP schedules and in particular, the proposed playing squads from the HPP for U13, U14 and possibly U15 Boys. What’s the story? There are more moves on this than a bag of snakes.

There is no place for harvesting the better players at age , keeping them as a playing squad and then playing them against the clubs they come from. This seriously diminishes the worth of club football and is of dubious technical or developmental virtue, particularly when accompanied, as it is, with the desire to push the players forward against players of older age and greater physicality.

It’s a hangover from the defunct Academy system. It is not necessary to run playing squads from the HPP. These boys need to be back with their clubs, enriching the club environment and being developed in a community environment – not one of elitism.

Clubs have so much to offer, they are the bedrock of our football community. Continuing the practice of playing squads does not work in the best interests of football at any level. It only works for mendacious parents who care to live vicariously through their children. And that has no place in junior football.

The argument that the players will not be developed at clubs because they will not have good coaching. Too some extent that is true, but much is being done to improve this situation and clubs have a role to play – a role they will accept more slowly if we continue to display a lack of trust by removing the better players. And who says the Capital Football HPP has the best coaches anyway.

They are in the main the best that could be obtained from those generous enough to volunteer. We need to get our feet back on the ground and firmly placed in community football in order to see the way ahead. These flights of fancy into the imaginary world of elite football serve no useful purpose.

Importantly for us all, this was not the solution first proposed by the CEO and Tech Director of CF when the HPP program was first revealed. They had it right and their plan reflected best practice in football development - good technical and developmental reasons. They had consulted with and had the FFA Technical Director’s approval. So why has it emerged again? We are left to conclude that a number of the CF Board take a different view of things. Who are they? We should ask them to account for their views. What is their reasoning and shouldn’t they be focussed on governance and not football technical operational matters.

That’s what we pay the football professional staff to do. What special football insight and expertise do these Board members have that their staff do not? It would be good for us all to know. This needs to come out into the light of day and not remain behind the closed doors of the Board room. What’s the secret?

The requirement to prepare for NYC is no argument. The boys get developed in the HPP, play for their club in season, go to genuinely “open trials” (refer to the Football West interview for how this is done and ask yourself – is that what we are doing ? Hmmm!), select the playing squad, organise fixtures, play in the NYC.

Surround these players in a high quality technical development program. Its about “develop” not “win”. Job done. If we do what we have always done we will get what we have always got – which is no way to go forward – not in the context of the FFA’s new national curriculum. We need to get closer to “develop” rather than “win” in junior football in the ACT. The Capital Football Board should be setting the example, instead, on this issue, they are lead in the saddlebags.

This is community football and this community is the largest sports participation group in the ACT. We are in a World Cup year and our participation rates are about to get another large bump.

Same for ACTAS. Capital Football has managed to really anger the PL clubs on this subject. Where was the consultation? And why are they entertaining this stupid notion of an U15 Boys Playing squad just so that ACTAS can warehouse those players they do not intend to play in their playing squad each week of competition? Just madness.

Why are ACTAS competing in the PPL again – it doesn’t work. The level of resistance is too high for 15/ 16 year olds, which can only compromise development. The PL18 level seems about right. And why oh why should clubs be saddled with a mid week game (every few weeks) for the convenience of ACTAS? Why aren’t the ACTAS players back at Club for the normal football season? Because they need to play in the NTC challenge? They could do that, be developed each week at ACTAS and play in clubs during the season – they intend to play in our competition anyway.


What’s wrong with just being a good player at your age? It takes time and effort to get to be good at anything in life. Football is no different. Yet we push our young players as hard as we can, thinking that playing against harder, bigger, older, faster players somehow brings out the best and matures them as players so much earlier, than if they had played in their age with the same amount of quality training.

This is very simplistic and almost always produces sub optimal results. Fun goes out the window and with that goes the player. Who’s needs are being served here I wonder? It seems to me that it is not just parents that live vicariously through our junior and youth players!



Next week we will speak to CF CEO Heather Reid and catch up on the major issues going forward for football in the ACT Region – and there are plenty of them when you run a large organisation like Capital Football.