Player Devt/Academy sub thread:
Ronaldoknow - I agree in principle with devt in local catchment area as it is all about developing the game in your own backyard. [bold]BUT clubs need the qualified peronnel and resources to be able to offer it[/bold][/QUOTE].
Absodoodle. And this is the area Mainland should be operating in. Identify key clubs in key areas and stick the FDO's in there, get them on the grass and get them working. make the WOF programme accountable to the clubs and get the double whammy from that scenario, meanwhile backing it up with topline administrative support. This is now starting to happen with Colin Grant getting out and about with his new role of game development manager.
3-0. Going strong. All kids are essentially dreamers, some of us never recover.
[QUOTE=Stretford End]Bill Tuiloma is trialling for LA Galaxy and he was only as good as a current certain Coastal player of similar age when they played each other a couple of years back. Money should NEVER be a reason not to make a rep team. Mainland have a player hardship fund, don't they?
Ronaldoknow - I agree in principle with devt in local catchment area as it is all about developing the game in your own backyard. [bold]BUT clubs need the qualified peronnel and resources to be able to offer it[/bold][/QUOTE].
Absodoodle. And this is the area Mainland should be operating in. Identify key clubs in key areas and stick the FDO's in there, get them on the grass and get them working. make the WOF programme accountable to the clubs and get the double whammy from that scenario, meanwhile backing it up with topline administrative support. This is now starting to happen with Colin Grant getting out and about with his new role of game development manager.
From my perspective a club has to be broad-church - ie cater for players of all abilities; but for the top 1-2% I agree they should have higher aspirations than playing in the flippin Mainland league.[/QUOTE]
2-0. Those identified clubs then must market the game to everybody in their area, liaise with schools etc. Start shifting the soil to uncover those nuggets that would benefit from a properly structured development programme while the social stream are still catered to.
[QUOTE=Stretford End]And Foal, what on earth is wrong with kids having those aspirations?
2-0. Those identified clubs then must market the game to everybody in their area, liaise with schools etc. Start shifting the soil to uncover those nuggets that would benefit from a properly structured development programme while the social stream are still catered to.
[QUOTE=Stretford End]And Foal, what on earth is wrong with kids having those aspirations?
3-0. Going strong. All kids are essentially dreamers, some of us never recover.
[QUOTE=Stretford End]Bill Tuiloma is trialling for LA Galaxy and he was only as good as a current certain Coastal player of similar age when they played each other a couple of years back. Money should NEVER be a reason not to make a rep team. Mainland have a player hardship fund, don't they?
4-0. Game over. My own club is guilty of excluding kids from the beautiful game on financial grounds, with Junior subs at $100 no wonder Rugby League has such a foothold in our area (Celebration Lions, Linwood Keas, Aranui Sea Eagles) where the junior subs range from free to $35. Even rugby with a $50 sub can't compete. In the past we have supported rep players with a $50 donation but even that has become financially out of our reach with 20 odd players making the grade last year. Maybe that's where Mainland should stick their hardship money? I know when Mike Coggan came out to the club recently to get some guidance from us on how they could distribute the $115,000 they had put aside for a relief fund he wanted to know if we could identify who was no longer in the game for financial reasons. We answered honestly and said we did not have that data nor could we provide it. At Coastal we know of only 6 kids no longer with the club for earthquake related reasons, however the club is looking at a massive hole in its budget due to loss of income from Bexley so how about making a grant to the clubs like us affected through loss of facilities? It will be interesting to see the outcome of any decision. Key criteria should be the non-payment of senior players to qualify. Now wouldn't that be a doozy of a decision!