Football Is An All Year Sport These Days

In tonights program we have a Premier League Grand Final wrap (more to follow in the next week), but the rest is given to junior Football development.

We begin by continuing our discussion with Eddie Senatore and Eddie gives his thoughts on the standard of the Under 13 Open competition this season and the impact of the national curriculum. Very intersting and encouraging.

Then its on to Ian Shaw, Technical Director Capital Football. The Summer High Performance Program is the key topic for Part 1 of this interview series.
There have been huge changes in junior / youth player development over the last two years, with the introduction and implementation of the National Football Curriculum. Ian has been at the forefront of impementing changes demanded by the FFA. Its not an easy job, but it's also not above critical examination. Ian has never stepped back from making himself available to the NPL and its not always been comfortable. Everyone in Football has an opinion and in times of change, it can be hard to bring everyone with you, particularly when the change is mandated by the FFA. Waiting and admiring the problem is not an option for any techncial director and staff. So they got moving.
Change we have had and there is a fair bit to be please about. These changes (ie the national football curriculum) will take many years to embed in our football culture and practice. Clubs will increasingly become the agent of theis change. Witness the changes at clubs like Majura, Woden, Belconnen (United, West, South etc), Tuggeranong, Monaro to name a few. Summer programs and Futsal are now well and truly on the agenda. The Boomerangs admission to the NSW Supa League Futsal competition and their success is another.
The emphasis on coach education cannot be overstated, it was and is a key underpinning requirement of successful implementation of the curriculum, all the way down to the depths of junior clubs. We are now seeing many more new coaches (Senatore among others is one of those that make this change possible at the grass roots), trained in the current football thinking, developing the future generations of players - and keeping them in the game. Thats a big change. There is no room for egos in this work.
Listen carefully as Ian talks of the importance of developing as many young players as possible, not just a seleceted few. Building the player base, the opportunities, keeping them in Football, getting them better technically and so on. You might say that this is not really "High Performance" in its purist sense and you would be right - its more important than that - it's ensuring that here in the ACT region we give every young player a chance to get better and in so doing, the whole game improves, with the result that we create a Club competitive environment that nutures good footballers.
We like fast results in Football, but when did the best ever happen quickly in Football? We have made progress in the ACT and more must come, a lot more and that will take time, resolve and greater resourcing (other than from parents pockets) than is to hand at this time.
Ian and his crew have made a difference.

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