Elite Academy

Fundamental Skills

Players learn the fundamental skills of the game, which includes:

• Ball-handling.
• Handballing.
• Kicking.

At all levels of football it is critical to develop and maintain a strong foundation for the important skills of the game.

The Rookie Me Elite Academy teaches the execution of these skills with accuracy, at great speed and under physical pressure, in game-like situations.

Elite Level – Key Focus

Executing the fundamental skills with accuracy, speed and under physical pressure to simulate game intensity.

Between the Lines

Rookie Me Coaches progress with game sense education for Rookie Me Elite Academy players, with a focus on the in-depth topics of the game.

Elements of focus include:

• Defending dangerous space
• Impact or locate.
• Reading the play

Today’s Game

The Rookie Me Coaches review the current top teams in the AFL; and analyse how they play, using up-to-date stats and current state of the art AFL vision (behind-goal vision).

The players are then asked to grasp all the knowledge acquired in these sessions and ‘go out and train like these teams’.

It's important for Rookie Me Elite Academy players to watch current AFL senior footballers and elite players, analyse what is happening throughout games, then introduce it into their own games.

Game Situation

A variety of different games are designed for the players, which emphasises the education being taught in the classroom and in the training sessions.

The game of Australian rules football is a physical contest. Therefore; learning the correct techniques for some of the most common skills required, is of the highest importance for both safety and impact on a game. It is mainly to ensure the player's ability to care for their well-being and that of others in a game situation.

Elite Level - Key Focus:
Technique is KING

• Tackling – control your opponent.
• Hand-to-hand combat.
• Weapon with the ball.
• 1%er – 2nd efforts, fending off, repeat efforts.

The experience of the Rookie Me Academy coaches spans from junior development, through to AFL level. Based on their extensive knowledge and expertise, they have designed specific training activities and techniques, to meet the needs of our Rookie Me Elite Academy players.

AFL Conditioning

Our High Performance coaches expose the Rookie Me Elite Academy players, to the critical fitness components required to play AFL football.

These include:

• Power.
• Endurance.
• Strength.
• Speed.

As the Official Talent ID Partner of the AFL, we conduct the State and National AFL draft combine events. Our coaches pass on our knowledge and experience to train the individual player, on the correct protocols and techniques to achieve optimal performance.

Skills Conditioning

In conjunction with the skills program, our High Performance coaches conduct a conditioning program, which aims to identify the required physical needs for the specific skills sessions.

Self-review and Reflection

Our coaches review the impact of player's ‘self-reviewing and reflecting’ on their performances, at training and in games. Post review our coaches implement actions, to encourage improvement in performance.

Players are introduced to regulated physical combine testing at the beginning of the Academy. This is the exact testing we conduct at the AFL National and State Combines.

It is important to educate each player on technique when performing the official AFL combine testing battery. This provides a level of insight into the experience; and creates benchmarks for what players need to aim for.

Rookie Me Academy players have the additional opportunity to attend all Rookie Me Testing events, which are public testing events conducted outside the Rookie Me Academy program. Providing the opportunity to re-test throughout the year. Rookie Me is also the Official Talent ID Partner of the AFL; therefore, understanding the requirements and technique players require to obtain optimum results.

A variety of recovery strategies are undertaken at the Rookie Me Elite Academy level, which include:

• Self-massage;
• Stretching;
• Water-based recovery; and
• Yoga and mobility.

*The team is focused on creating regular opportunities for players to be educated on the importance of recovery. By introducing a recovery-specific session during each camp (on the school holidays). This ultimately increases the sentiment, ‘a healthy mind and body - stems from a strong physical body’.

Optimal Time To Fuel

Our coaches introduces the Rookie Me Elite Academy players to the process of fuelling their bodies to perform, with an emphasis on training and game day. The players receive education on what type of food is more beneficial to them and when it should be consumed. The impact of making the right food choices allows players the opportunity to achieve enhanced energy levels. 

The team prioritises personal development and growth of self-worth, this is an important theme throughout the curriculum – providing the chance for every player in the Junior, Pro, Elite and Women's programs, to IGNITE their leadership qualities and impact the group.

Learning to be a better leader can be difficult in some cases, it is about having an opportunity… to speak up and communicate, or the chance to answer a question, or work through a problem in a group. These scenarios help ignite leadership within players.

Trademarking

What are the trademarks of our team? As a group of dedicated Elite players, we discuss the behaviours and actions, which we commit to as a team.

It is an opportunity to learn the importance of working within a group and looking beyond yourself, to help others achieve.

These behaviours and actions are displayed regularly throughout the camps and will be a strong part of the program.

Goal setting is designed around the five key areas of the life of a footballer (environment).

• On-field.
• Off-field.
• At home.
• At school.
• In the community.

Youth Topics

Throughout the Rookie Me Academy journey; each player is challenged, to step outside his or her comfort-zone – and listen to a range of guest speakers addressing issues, which young players may face as they mature.

For the Rookie Me Elite Academy players, the Rookie Me Coaches have selected topics, which will be prominent and relevant in their life. By addressing these topics, our coaches aim to equip our players with significant tools to utilise and navigate topics both on-and-off the field.

These topics include:

• Dealing with adversity.
• Social media and protecting your brand.
• Discrimination in sport.
• Choices and consequences.

Behavioural Assessment

Our coaches assess our Rookie Me Elite Academy players’ behavioural traits, and study how they interact in group situations. This identifies extroverted (outgoing and loud) or introverted (reserved and quietly spoken) players, and how it can impact their game.

The Rookie Me Elite Academy players are young adults, who all play a different role in a group situation. By identifying specific areas, our coaches will assist you with techniques to improve your overall social impact in a group.

Each camp is held at a high quality facility, with the program hosted at varied private schools, where the facilities rival the standards of some AFL club environments.

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.

VFL venues:

• Williamstown FC.
• Essendon FC.
• Frankston FC.
• Box Hill FC.

AFL venues:

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

*Please note: This experience may be altered in the 2022 program due to COVID 19, we anticipate using one quality venue to assure safety and reliability. It is our priority to ensure that we are able to secure and confidently operate events throughout this program.

Hear from special guests, including past and current sporting legends, who share their stories and insights.

Listening to their personal journey is a great learning experience, for any young player. They have the chance to understand what these mentors were doing at the same age (as the Rookie Me Academy players) in order to reach their goals.

The carnival event is an anticipated game experience, where players present their skills and knowledge learned over the Rookie Me Academy program’s duration.

An external squad is invited to compete against our Rookie Me Elite Academy players in an authentic AFL environment, with umpires, official trainers and AFL guests (who assist), with this unique game-day experience.

*Please note: This experience may be altered in the 2022 program due to COVID 19, as the program is condensed, we aim to utilise the time to focus on completing all important education.

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!