Junior Academy

At all levels of football, It is critical to develop a strong foundation for the fundamentals of football.

The technique for the fundamental skills of the game, and also the basic understanding of ‘game sense’ have been identified as key foundation pieces for your journey as a footballer. This section of the curriculum will be built on throughout each player's Rookie Me Academy journey.

Skill

Each year players will be set up to excel at the key fundamental skills of the game, which include:

• Kicking
• Hand-Balling
• Ball Handling
• Combat safety

Breaking down the layers of technique, allows players to see first hand how their skill can be improved. Key elements include high repetition and the balance of speed and accuracy to support development of each skill.

Strategy

Each year players will be exposed to the initial concepts of reading the play.

Understanding the 3 phases of the game, and piecing together the basic questions of game sense:

• Where am I?
• Where is the football?
• What is happening?

Australian Rules Football is diverse and always changing. The development of a players ‘Game Sense’ is to identify a moment in a game and react accordingly to have an impact. Across the Junior Academy, athletes will be exposed to level 1 education on topics such as:

• Defending an opponent and space
• Pressure defence
• Using an outnumber
• Ball Movement
• Supporting the ball carrier
• Scoring

We focus on challenging the 2024 Junior Academy players with the module topics:

• Ball Movement
• Scoring

A heavy focus on the Attacking side of the game, giving players a greater understanding of how to move the football from a contest, or a specific part of the field and ultimately work together to score.

Australian Rules Football is a physical contest and we encourage you to embrace combat, and welcome the battle. Combat skills are important everywhere and can be used in every position and in every situation in a game. Across the Junior Academy, athletes will be exposed to level 1 education on topics such as:

• Tackling from all angles
• Protect the drop zone
• Falling safely
• 1 v 1 combat
• Creating space
• Corralling to control space
• Bumping and shepherding
• Ball winning under pressure
• Gaining an advantage in a contest

In 2024 we explore the need for combat when in attack. Physically creating space for myself to lead, or protecting the drop zone in a marking contest, or blocking and controlling your opponent to gain an advantage.

*The combat education will mirror the football ‘Game Sense’ education at each school holiday event. So whatever the football module being taught, the combat program will be used to enhance the education.

At the Junior level, It is critical to develop a strong foundation for the FUNDAMENTALS of High Performance and how you can best set up your journey physically both on and off the field.

Preparing to perform and assessing your physical characteristics have been identified as key foundation pieces for your journey as an athlete. This section of the curriculum will be built on throughout each player's Rookie Me Academy journey.

Combine Testing

Players will be exposed to one verified combine testing event throughout the 2024 Rookie Me Academy. These events are set up to introduce players to the techniques of each test, and allow them to create a profile for monitoring progress and improvement and connect players to talent pathways throughout their Rookie Me Academy journey.

Warming Up

Being prepared for physical activity is a key foundation of getting the most out of yourself and your training. Learning the keys to warming up properly, sets you up to hit the ground running when you start training, and prevents you from getting any unnecessary injuries.

Strength & conditioning is a huge piece of the ‘footballers’ puzzle. Developing yourself as an athlete is as valuable as kicking and handballing, and learning adequate techniques and concepts allows players to start strongly on their physical development journey. Across the Junior Academy, athletes will be exposed to level 1 education on topics such as:

• Physical literacy - Mastering basic sports skills like catching, kicking, bouncing, coordination.
• Physical competency - Mastering basic physical movements like changing direction, jumping, controlling your own body weight.
• Strength training

We focus on challenging the 2024 Junior Academy players with the module topics:

• Strength training
• Physical competency

Exposing young players to introductory strength training and physical competency is amplifying the importance to set up a foundation to build upon in the future. 

Preparation is an important element for every footballer. Both physical and mental preparation impacts a players ability to develop, stay focused, be consistent and ultimately perform on the field. Across the Junior Academy, athletes will be exposed to level 1 education on topics such as:

• Healthy choices for a balanced diet
• Pre and post game nutrition
• Routines
• Emotional control - dealing with conflict

We focus on challenging the 2024 Junior Academy players with the module topics:

• Healthy choices for a balanced diet
• The first step into understanding nutrition is to identify the types of food that can assist performance, the Junior Academy works on building positive habits around food choices.

At the Junior level, It is critical to develop a strong foundation for the FUNDAMENTALS of leadership and how you can look to impact as an individual, and as a teammate.

Setting up structures for success and committing to the actions needed have been identified as key foundation pieces for your journey as a leader. This section of the curriculum will be built on throughout each player's Rookie Me Academy journey.

GOAL SETTING

Using S.M.A.R.T GOALS to set up our intentions for the year ahead and putting the steps in place to chase them.

TRADEMARKING

Exposing players to the idea of identifying personal trademarks and looking at how we can actively take responsibility for our actions to improve our leadership.

Development of your own individual leadership is definitely a powerful addition to any team. Across the Junior Academy, athletes will be exposed to level 1 education on topics such as:

• Identifying support networks
• Dealing with adversity
• Choices and consequences
• Showing gratitude
• Building motivation
• Developing Individuality.

We focus on challenging the 2024 Junior Academy players with the module topic:

• Choices and consequences
• Gaining an understanding of the choices we make, and the many people around us that are impacted by that choice.

Australian Rules Football is a team sport and requires faith and trust in others to achieve success. Across the Junior Academy, athletes will be exposed to level 1 education on topics such as:

• Effective communication
• Giving and receiving feedback
• Teamwork makes the dream work

We focus on challenging the 2024 Junior Academy players with the module topic:

• Giving and receiving feedback
  To receive feedback is sometimes tough. In a team sport it is critical to be proactive in giving and seeking feedback from your teammates and coaches. Being receptive to feedback, and to understand that if you are getting help from a coach or teammate, it means that person is eager to support you getting better.

Each camp is held at a high quality facility, with the program hosted at a variety of venues, where the facilities rival the standards of some AFL/VFL club environments. Each year we aim to have our camps spread across Melbourne to help accommodate the fact that everyone has to travel.

Past venues include:

• Camberwell Grammar, Camberwell.
• Penleigh and Essendon Grammar (PEGS), Keilor East.
• Wesley College, Glen Waverley.
• Geelong College, Geelong.
• Assumption College, Kilmore.
• Knox School, Wantirna South.
• La Trobe University, Bundoora
• Casey Fields, Cranbourne
• Point Cook FC, Point Cook
• Highgate Recreation Reserve, Craigieburn

VFL venues:

• Williamstown FC
• Essendon FC
• Frankston FC
• Box Hill FC
• Sandringham FC
• Collingwood FC

Each player will have access to our coaches for advice and mentoring, throughout the year. We are committed to impact every player, both on-and-off the field with constant communication and to engage in ‘footy chat’ via Rookie Me Connect.

Rookie Me Connect is the online Rookie Me system.

Each player will create a player profile, which holds his or her comparable data.

The system allows Rookie Me Academy players to ascertain real-life benchmarks in elite performance. It is the foundation of creating goals to work towards. As players develop, they have the ability to compare their stats against fellow players of the same age, position and gender.

Compare yourself against AFL stars like Pendles (Scott Pendlebury), Stephen Hill, Matty Kreuzer; and recent No.1 Draft Pick Andrew McGrath, whose stats are already on the system!

Past and current AFL/W players

Aligning with what our focus education is for Football, Leadership and High Performance the Academy players hear from special guests, including past and current AFL/W players, who share their stories and insights and importantly what they were doing at the same age in order to reach their goals.