Junior Academy

Fundamental Skills

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

• Ball-handling.
• Handballing.
• Kicking.

At Junior level, it is critical to develop a strong foundation and understand the execution of important skills of the game. As players develop with age, it is important to continually develop knowledge and skills

KEY activities:  FUNdamental 550 and Kicking School

Junior Level – Key Focus

Repetition and grasping the simple elements of the game.

Phases of the game

Learning to read the game of Australian rules football and understand the ways, in which you can impact in any situation.
At the Junior age level the coaches will detail the three phases of the game, and train the important area of how we look to use the ball when we have control of it.

Positional education

As a modern-day footballer it is important to be flexible and learn multiple playing positions. The Rookie Me Junior Academy players are introduced to the on-field positions in Australian rules football throughout the program’s duration. This provides a basic understanding of what is required to play different roles on the field.

Game Situation

A variety of different games are designed for the players, which emphasises the education being taught in the Rookie Me Academy 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 to ensure the player's ability to care for their wellbeing and that of others in a game situation.

Welcome to the battle

• Tackling.
• Repeat efforts.
• Fending off.
• Contests (ground and air).
• 1%er - shepherding (blocking/bumping), smothering.

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 Junior Academy players.

The RM Warmup – Prepare to perform

The program assists with key elements of physical development, the understanding of critical movements and gaining a strong physical base to build upon and help prevent future injuries.

It is critical to allow player's bodies to grow and develop naturally. Our coaches focus on methods, which emphasise the importance of ‘preparing to perform.’

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 Junior Academy level, which include:

• Stretching; and
• Water-based recovery.

*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’.

Healthy Options

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.

Attitude Is Everything.

At junior level, we focus on exploring our attitude, by identifying the key behaviours and actions which can impact your life, both on and off the field.

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

Goal setting is designed to find moments of opportunity in our weekly schedule and help commit to small changes.

Looking at areas such as:

• 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.

Former Rookie Me Academy players re-visit our Rookie Me Junior Academy players, as guests to pay it forward, by sharing key knowledge and experiences they have learned from their own Rookie Me Academy journey. Guest speakers highlight the elements, which have helped them succeed in life (not exclusive to football).

Examples of previous Rookie Me Academy players include:

• TAC Cup Leaders;
• VFL players;
• AFL draft picks;
• Victorian Police Officers; and
• Paralympic athletes.

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.

*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.

This provides insight into the professionalism of state-level football and the quality of facilities, venues and grounds available.

*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.

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!