Youth 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 Pro/Youth Academy, athletes will be exposed to level 2 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 Pro/Youth Academy players with the Game Sense Football module topics:

• Ball Movement
• Scoring
• Defenders Craft

A range of football education covered in 2024 where we give 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. Also included is looking at upskilling players on the key ‘craft’ of playing as a defender.

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 play as both a defender and attacker. Physically creating space for myself from my opponent, protecting the drop zone in a marking contest, or controlling your opponent in 1v1 combat 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 Pro/Youth 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 two verified combine testing events 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 and 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 consistently progress on their physical development journey. Across the Pro/Youth Academy, athletes will be exposed to level 2 education on topics such as:

• Strength training
• Understanding Speed and Agility for AFL
• Understanding Endurance for AFL
• Injuries / Rehab training / Overtraining

We focus on challenging the 2024 Pro/Youth Academy players with the Strength & Conditioning module topic:

• Understanding Endurance for AFL

The nature of Australian Rules Football requires players to work extremely hard, both speed and endurance are desired fitness components and have the ability to keep going when they feel exhausted. Exposing young players to the standards that are needed can give them the edge to know what they are chasing.

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 Pro/Youth Academy, athletes will be exposed to level 2 education on topics such as:

• Pre and post game nutrition
• Game day routines
• Psychology for better mental health
• Prehab training
• Dealing with concussion

We focus on challenging the 2024 Pro/Youth Academy players with the Preparation module topics:

• Psychology for better mental health
• Pre and post game nutrition.
  There are always ways you can improve, with the 2024 Pro/Youth Academy we explore how caring for your mental health can impact your overall output as a player and teammate. Then looking at your diet, specifically at what you eat prior to a game to fuel your performance, and what you eat after to recover and repair. The Pro/Youth Academy works on building high impact strategies off-field so you can perform at your best on it.

At the Pro/Youth level, we actively promote the need 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. This progresses to also include team trademarking where the collective group works together to help each other and the group succeed.

Development of your own individual leadership is definitely a powerful addition to any team. Across the Pro/Youth Academy, athletes will be exposed to level 2 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 Pro/Youth Academy players with the Personal Leadership module topics:

• Choices and consequences
• Showing gratitude
  Gain an understanding of the ‘now’ and actively reflect on the people and efforts going into your development. Also, be aware 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 Pro/Youth Academy, athletes will be exposed to level 2 education on topics such as:

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

We focus on challenging the 2024 Pro/Youth Academy players with the Team Leadership 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

AFL venues:

• Collingwood FC
• Essendon FC
• St Kilda FC
• Hawthorn FC
• Carlton FC
• Western Bulldogs FC.
• Richmond FC
• North Melbourne FC

Module experts

(eg Olympians, Police and Fire Officers, recruiters)

Past and current AFL/W players

Aligning with what our focus education is for Football, Leadership and High Performance the Pro/Youth Academy players hear from special guests, including module experts, and 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.

The carnival is the finale to the 2024 football program. *The Rookie Me Pro/Youth Academy players are divided into teams, allowing players/teammates to compete against one another out of an elite venue. This is an opportunity for players to apply their knowledge and showcase the skills learned throughout the 2024 program in a match environment.

For this age level there is a unique opportunity for players to be selected to compete against other pathway programs. These players will be selected from their output in the program across the season.

Please note: *Rookie Me intends on having this event at a high quality venue such as a VFL venue. Also, we intend to invite a group of players to come into this event and compete against our players, these are yet to be confirmed.

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!