Gungahlin Junior AFC

Coaching staff.

The coach(es) of the under 14 team are encouraged to have, at least, a current level 1 coaching certificate and a demonstrated level of experience in coaching and playing. The approach of the coaching and support staff is to try and impart as much as possible, without overwhelming the kids with information overload.

An aspect of consistency will also be established to try and ensure that key messages are transferred. In achieving this it will seem at times to be rather mundane or boring to the kids but it is necessary to embed thinking. Over the course of the year, and depending on the skill level of the team, the ánte will be raised (slowly) to test the kids out on how they are handling the game. So for parents who may be well versed in various aspects or those who think that things are moving a bit slowly then we hope you will appreciate the strategy.

In any case, if as a parent, you have a concern about the development of your child or the way they are being managed then please let the current coaching staff know. We need your support to help the child and we'd prefer to know if you are telling them one thing while we are instructing them differently.

The Coaches & Manager for the under 14's are <click here>

So, what is being an Under 14 all about ???

The under 14 grade continues to be played along normal competition rules (with full tackling). Under 14's comprise of players aged from 13 and 14. They play weekly over a 15 or 16 round season. While we play competition rules with wins and losses, the focus in the Under 14's is primarily on enjoyment, participation and learning. Coaches try to increase the amount of strategy and tactical difficulty associated with the game. However, the number of players we have at the moment still learning the game drives us to persevere with simple skills and if by the end of the year those players have improved by 10 or 15 percent then overall the game, the club and the player has had a win.

We encourage those kids with previous years experience of AFL to be the leaders of the club and to apply that back to the new and younger players - remembering what it was like when they too were new.

The leadership we expect of all under 14's is tolerance of others who are less skilled, have physical or mental difficulties or are from various backgrounds that may influence their personalities. In fact, the tolerance extends to everyone by everyone.

Being an Under 14 in the Jets Juniors is also about being a prominent component in a team. We certainly do not wish to curtail the talent of individuals but rather re-direct their productive talents to positive aspects the team can use and try and diminish the unproductive ones. We wish to develop passion as a fundamental of football and put dedication into our players so they begin to demonstrate what commitment to each other means.

Above all, being in the Under 14's is about being the future of the Jets and the AFL in the Gungahlin area - our own local side playing at the highest level in Canberra.

While we understand that the kids of today have an abundance of interests other than football, it is nonetheless necessary to ensure that if intending to play football it is a commitment and requires the appropriate responsible attitude by the player. Thus we need strong parental encouragement to allow the kids to develop because a lot of the skills necessary are honed away from training. To play this game involves training the body to do what is basically unnatural movements. Kicking a ball, on the run or the dodging and weaving, spinning and tumbling, tackling and marking are all achieved only with practice and persistence. Those that are motivated to train will appreciate and enjoy the game better than those who don't.

Timings for Training and Games.

Training is held every Thursday afternoons at Amaroo Oval from 5.30 - 7.00pm. The seniors have indicated a willingness to become more involved with the development of the juniors and several senior players will be on hand at various times to conduct training sessions or generally help out. At times the senior club will have event nights i.e. Pie nights or Sausage sizzles, to which the juniors can also participate in. This type of inter-relaionship is something we are hopeful becomes a strong tradition of the Gungahlin Jets (Junior and Senior) AFC.

Under 14 games are normally played on Saturday at 9.00am on a home and away basis within the ACT and Queanbeyan district. Players are expected to arrive at the ground by at least 8.15 am.

What happens at and away from training ???

The ideal for the 14's training is to spend as much time doing increased skill drills where everyone is involved, however the reality is that we have a mixed level of player skills mainly at the entry stage that a lot of time is spent on basic skills and drills. While still important, it nonetheless detracts from those boys with the higher levels. Our dilemma is in keeping the better skilled players occupied while attending to the newer players. Furthermore it is difficult for the new kids to enjoy the game if they get frustrated with not meeting the level of their mates.

To assist the coaches, basic skills of kicking, marking and handball should be practiced away from training nights and in that sense we ask parents to encourage the kids and support them in achieving this. The difficulty the kids new to the game face is in trying to take in so much about actually playing the game while still coming to terms with fundamental skills, at an age that normally they would (or should) have had a couple of years up their sleeve in learning the basics. So any help to make this transition phase enjoyable is appreciated.

Hopefully the things we will spend time on to improve are:

• More intense marking, kicking and handball (under various pressure situations),
• Application of "1 percenter" skills,
• Complex drills (aimed to increase mental pressure),
• Play patterns,
• Strategies and tactics, and
• Tackling where we concentrate on applying, evading and taking a tackle.

In any case, we will spend what we can on improving each player so that hopefully by the end of the season they will have improved by at least 15-20%.

What to wear for games and training?

The club will provide socks and shorts for each boy which you get to keep (all part of the membership cost). Jumpers are provided at the beginning of the season and you are responsible for this and returning it at the end of the season.

Normal game-day playing attire is boots, socks, shorts and jumper. However !!! This is Canberra and winter is cold. Skivvy's under jumpers are ok on the colder days (both long and short-sleeved guernseys). The emphasis is to have fun, not freeze to death. It might be worthwhile also having a spare set of clothes for occasions where the wet has entirely soaked through the gear.

Training attire is generally whatever will maintain warmth but will not impede on movement. For instance, tracksuits, old footy jumpers etc are common. Remember that as training involves some physical activities i.e. tackling, then clothes that parents would not like to see ripped or obliterated should not be worn.

Boots.

It is strongly recommended that proper football boots are purchased by parents/players that include the flexibility of playing in both wet and dry conditions. The grounds in Canberra are generally soft enough in winter to enable boots with large stops to be worn. Moulded soles and Grass-sports type boots can lead to slipping in adverse (very wet & sloppy) conditions.

While on slipping, the club also recommends high(er) cut boots for juniors to assist in supporting and holding firm the developing bones and ligaments. Though it may not look cool it will provide some assistance to stop rolling over on the ankles (without the need for strapping). If getting these boots is difficult, then at least look for the tie-up ankle braces that are readily available.

Also, keep an eye on the actual size of the footwear as players at this age tend to find an inch or two etc over the season so it may be wise to have a bit of give. Popped toenails is not that uncommon.

Mouthguards.

We wish to advise all parents that the club has a mouthguard policy whereby all players must wear one. The Under 14 competition applies normal competition rules with full contact. Accidental head clashes do occur and footballs, arms, hands and knees etc do hit kids in the face, besides, starting early encourages good habits for later in life when the kids join open age leagues.

Headgear (Helmets).

Protective headgear is not compulsory but for parent peace of mind as well as helping players gain confidence then we strongly recommended its usage. No one is discouraged from appearing on the field with one on or suddenly deciding to wear one when they haven't previously. Players should not be discouraged from wearing headgear - especially if friends or other players want to ridicule them either.

Drink Bottles.

The 14's are supplied with water during games but we strongly support and welcome the practice of players supplying their own bottles. This is primarily to get them into a habit of using their own equipment and being responsible for keeping fluid intake up.

For training, the players are required to bring their own water bottles.

The basic AFL rules in the Under 14's are:

• Standard AFL rules are applied for managing the game.
• 18 players a side on the field.
• 4 x 20 minute quarters.
• Full tackling, bumping and shepherding allowed (the intensity of this is still umpire discretionary - no slinging etc).
• Even up rule is applied if a side has less than 18. The opposition either loans some players to balance the numbers or can elect to reduce its team on the field.
• Forfeits occur if a side has less than 14 players. However, the opposition can elect to loan some players if a game can be commenced (the forfeit will still stand though).
• Send-offs can occur at the umpires discretion - usually from the point of send-off until the end of the quarter.
• Generally, a limit of 2 overage players can play in the team. The ability and maturity of the player is assessed though by the league.

Training Rules.

We have several basic rules during training sessions:

Where there is a smiley face against the round it means that a match report exists so click on it to go to that report.

The JL uses the Sporting Pulse website to display draws so you can also check it out as it may provide updates quicker than here. To print out a PDF version of the draw click here.