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The Coon Dog
10-05-2008, 04:54 AM
A club with no kids: it's a nightmare (http://www.realfooty.com.au/news/news/a-club-with-no-kids-its-a-nightmare/2008/05/09/1210131268467.html)

http://img398.imageshack.us/img398/4279/49552596fg2.jpg

BARELY five kilometres from the AFL's Docklands headquarters, and close enough to Whitten Oval to hear the renovators at work, is football's greatest nightmare: the club with no kids.

Last year, West Footscray fielded teams in under-10s, 12s, 14s, 16s and 18s, the latter three reaching the grand final. At the presentation night in August, not one more body could have been squeezed into the Roosters' heaving clubrooms.

When season 2008 began, they were down to just two teams, the under-12s and 18s. It is the first time in the 82 years since the club was formed as Tottenham Imperials that it has been unable to field under-14s and 16s. And no one knows why. "There's probably three or four gone to other clubs, but the rest have just completely disappeared," says president Robert McGhie, who played juniors at West Footscray in the 1960s before embarking on a 13-year, dual-premiership career in the VFL with Footscray, Richmond and South Melbourne.

"And the worst part about it is, you're never going to get them back."

West Footscray is a club proud of its history, equally so of its diverse make-up — vice-president Geoff Mason says it boasts players from "18 or 19 nationalities". It is financial again after a five-year drive to erase a $38,000 debt and, according to Western Region Football League chief executive John Batty, well run.

"The fact they got back into division one (after the seniors and reserves won premierships last year) indicates that," Batty said.

Mason, who has been with the club since the under-16s in 1966, has overseen the juniors for the past eight years. He has scratched his head for answers, and didn't see the exodus of youth coming.

Batty says that West Footscray's case is an anomaly, citing the boom in nearby Yarraville.

"You're always going to have changing patterns, changes in population and growth trends. We might lose a few teams from West Footscray, but we'll have more teams out in Tarneit, Point Cook or Hoppers Crossing."

Maribyrnong deputy mayor Catherine Cumming, who lives near the club's Market Street ground, stumbled on the problem when she took her son along looking for a game in the under-10s.

"It's kind of crazy that we've got three scout halls, three primary schools, and we can't field a footy team. And yet in Yarraville they're bursting at the seams. Why can't I take my son to the local club at the end of the street?"

McGhie thinks a combination of "an older area" and the concentration of clubs within a five-kilometre radius hasn't helped, and while there are "some young people coming back and buying the California bungalows and renovating", it will be the best part of a decade before their children graduate from Auskick, which the club introduced this season.

"We've gotta crawl before we can walk again, I suppose," McGhie says. "We want to fill the seniors with home-grown kids, but you just don't know where they're going to come from."

All insist the great "enemy" of Australian Rules, soccer, is not a factor here, but Mason envies the kick-along soccer clubs receive compared with those in "established" sports. "Soccer seems to get the coin."

Mason says the club has been "waiting 15 years for another set of lights" at Shorten Reserve, where it is hoped a patchwork of couch grass slabs and runners will transform the surface of the dusty former bluestone quarry. The club thinks its player shortage was not helped by a drought-inspired council edict banning training at the venue until April 1, which meant none of the usual "drive-by" recruits materialised.

Mick Daniher, AFL Victoria's manager of development and planning, says the drop-off is at odds with a big increase in team numbers across the state between 2004-06. "Overall, interest in kids wanting to play the game is outstripping access to facilities," he says. "It's not that there's a lack of interest in Footscray, it might just be that the demographic has changed, and we have to be smarter in the way we attack those demographics."

Daniher says a multi-cultural football program, introduced in 2006, is crucial to such areas, although West Footscray points to the melting pot of cultures wearing its red and white jumper as evidence it is anything but exclusive. Sensitive to Muslim diets, Mason is practised in removing bacon from the chicken burgers he serves after training on Thursday nights.

"But it's so important that the kids actually get out, are able to walk to their local football field, understand teamwork and get to know their neighbourhood friends," Cumming says. "That's how communities are built."

BulldogBelle
10-05-2008, 07:46 AM
This is a very sad story. You would just love to know where the kids have gone.

My son is playing Nth Footscay U10 on sunday so it will be interesting to see how many kids they have.

ledge
10-05-2008, 11:06 AM
Interesting he mentioned they only just started oz kick, should have had it the last 10 years.
The cricket club i am involved in (which is only 10 yo) has been running Milo since clubs beginning, we now have 5 senior, 3 u10s, 2 u12s, 2 u14s and 1 u16 team, we also have 30-50 milo kids, oz kick would be your breeding ground as milo is at cricket clubs.
Would say something or someone in the junior committee the parents arent happy with, and yes maybe the water restrictions and ground watering.
I played at West for a couple of years and that is sad to see, a very very proud club.
Braybrook had the same problem for years i believe.
I remember playing at Sunshine juniors back in 77 and the man running the juniors said there was going to be none the next year, that club was never going to survive after that, even as a kid i never understood that decision.

dog town
11-05-2008, 04:42 PM
All there senior players left because they didn't want to go up to division 1 and get spanked every week. Who can blame them when you have to compete against sides spending massive amounts of money on players. IMO the spending of some local footy clubs is a huge problem for our sport. I dont play in the WRFL but how can a side like West compete with sides like Hoppers Crossing and those sort of sides who will pay the equivalent of a weeks wage for a game of footy.Not sure what the answer is. Salary caps are very hard to enforce at that level. Alot of the leagues are more like the EPL than the AFL with the same 2 or 3 teams way out on top every year because of the money they are able to recruit with.

My side is sort of lucky because we have developed a culture where we are all proud to stay at our club for very small reward. All players are paid the same amount and it has formed a bit of a bond that keeps the side together despite big money offers. We are able to stay very competitive with the big spending sides of our competition but that is a rarity. I am sure alot of people walk away from the sport because of this problem.

Not real sure how they can fix the problem with the juniors. Pretty sad if they fall in a hole. Shorten reserve is only a 2 minute walk from whitten oval.

LostDoggy
11-05-2008, 05:55 PM
Sure is a sad story, but its happening to more than one club in the WRFL.

I think that junior players now days are enticed by the bigger clubs such as Hoppers, Werribee, Altona, Willy etc because they have a genuine chance in winning a flag.

The Coon Dog
11-05-2008, 05:58 PM
Sure is a sad story, but its happening to more than one club in the WRFL.

I think that junior players now days are enticed by the bigger clubs such as Hoppers, Werribee, Altona, Willy etc because they have a genuine chance in winning a flag.

There's a Werribee in ithe WRFL???

GetDimmaBack
11-05-2008, 06:44 PM
Yeah, sure is a tough time for the club.
Feeling a bit sorry for Bones & Maso, I know their hearts are for the club.
I was always a West man, even though I played my junior footy at Sunshine (200 metres from home). An old family thing...didn't they originally play at the ground in View St, before going to the one near the YMCA?
Will the down cycle turn for them, or are they in long term trouble?

LostDoggy
11-05-2008, 07:23 PM
There's a Werribee in ithe WRFL???

Sure is.

Not sure if they are affilitaed with the VFL team though.

The Coon Dog
11-05-2008, 07:57 PM
Sure is.

Not sure if they are affilitaed with the VFL team though.


I think you'll find borgy Werribee Amatuer & Junior Football Club has juniors that play in the WRFL but the seniors play in the Amauters.

LostDoggy
11-05-2008, 08:29 PM
This a lot of the AFL itselfs doing. What is it? TV games played at all times on weekends. Attendances at AFL level might be great what is it doing the devlopemnt of the gamel?

Appartently junior soccer club fees are at around $500. Not sure what it is for juniors at clubs like West Footscray but guess it would be less possibly cos the AFL subsidse them as they get get huge $s compared to FFA. Know Ozkick is cheap.

Why are kids abandoning the game?

LostDoggy
11-05-2008, 08:49 PM
This a lot of the AFL itselfs doing. What is it? TV games played at all times on weekends. Attendances at AFL level might be great what is it doing the devlopemnt of the gamel?

Appartently junior soccer club fees are at around $500. Not sure what it is for juniors at clubs like West Footscray but guess it would be less possibly cos the AFL subsidse them as they get get huge $s compared to FFA. Know Ozkick is cheap.

Why are kids abandoning the game?

At our club its $20 for U/16's and under.

My mate played for Richmond SC and his fees were about the $500 mark. Just crazy.

LostDoggy
11-05-2008, 09:05 PM
At our club its $20 for U/16's and under.

My mate played for Richmond SC and his fees were about the $500 mark. Just crazy.

Yet I believe that Soccer is very popular and our juniors are right up there in terms of world standards.

Sockeye Salmon
11-05-2008, 09:36 PM
This a lot of the AFL itselfs doing. What is it? TV games played at all times on weekends. Attendances at AFL level might be great what is it doing the devlopemnt of the gamel?

Appartently junior soccer club fees are at around $500. Not sure what it is for juniors at clubs like West Footscray but guess it would be less possibly cos the AFL subsidse them as they get get huge $s compared to FFA. Know Ozkick is cheap.

Why are kids abandoning the game?

Drop off rates at 17-18 have always been huge. When you discover girls, cars and beer football doesn't seem to be the most important thing in the world any more.

Until you get to 40 and your car is just something you drive to get around (that hopefully doesn't break down), booze makes you sick for 3 days and your wife just gives you a headache. Footy seems important again!

ledge
11-05-2008, 10:04 PM
Drop off rates at 17-18 have always been huge. When you discover girls, cars and beer football doesn't seem to be the most important thing in the world any more.

Until you get to 40 and your car is just something you drive to get around (that hopefully doesn't break down), booze makes you sick for 3 days and your wife just gives you a headache. Footy seems important again!

I made that mistake i got married once, great type of contraception.
Shoulda stuck to the footy and cars, but hey im back at 44 and footy is important!

LostDoggy
12-05-2008, 09:56 AM
Yeah, sure is a tough time for the club.
Feeling a bit sorry for Bones & Maso, I know their hearts are for the club.
I was always a West man, even though I played my junior footy at Sunshine (200 metres from home). An old family thing...didn't they originally play at the ground in View St, before going to the one near the YMCA?
Will the down cycle turn for them, or are they in long term trouble?

Yes, they played at the View Street ground for a number of years.

I first played with West the first year they moved to the old tip site. Still remember getting changed among the footings of the soon to be built new clubrooms.

Negotiating your way down the quarry face was one of the hazards of the game. Some opposition players got really wound up by the coach's address and then tried to run down the quarry face to fall flat on their face.

We locals knew better.

Aso played there one season when for the whole year the cricket pitch roller was stuck in the mud and water on the wing. It was simply good luck rather than good fortune that none of us drowned in the lake on the Essex Street side.

They were the days.

GetDimmaBack
12-05-2008, 10:05 AM
Yes, they played at the View Street ground for a number of years.

I first played with West the first year they moved to the old tip site. Still remember getting changed among the footings of the soon to be built new clubrooms.

Negotiating your way down the quarry face was one of the hazards of the game. Some opposition players got really wound up by the coach's address and then tried to run down the quarry face to fall flat on their face.
We locals knew better.

Aso played there one season when for the whole year the cricket pitch roller was stuck in the mud and water on the wing. It was simply good luck rather than good fortune that none of us drowned in the lake on the Essex Street side.

They were the days.

Yeah, I remember going down there with a few school mates who lived in that area to have a kick. Getting down there was the biggest problem we had...the lake was something to behold, wasn't it? Should've just gone round to View St, but the tip was more of a challenge.
Must admit I'd forgotten much of this, but your post brings those memories flooding back (forgive the very lousy pun...).

Boy it would be a shame if there were no juniors any more at West. Is there anything the Dogs might be able to do to help? Are they assisting already?

GetDimmaBack
12-05-2008, 10:10 AM
Drop off rates at 17-18 have always been huge. When you discover girls, cars and beer football doesn't seem to be the most important thing in the world any more.

Until you get to 40 and your car is just something you drive to get around (that hopefully doesn't break down), booze makes you sick for 3 days and your wife just gives you a headache. Footy seems important again!

Hahahahahahaha...

Ain't that the truth! You've described my whole life in 4 sentences!

You seem to have a great philosophical bent, Sockeye.
Ever thought of writing a book?

Every Arts faculty in the country would be reading/studying you!

Sockeye Salmon
12-05-2008, 10:42 AM
Drop off rates at 17-18 have always been huge. When you discover girls, cars and beer football doesn't seem to be the most important thing in the world any more.

Until you get to 40 and your car is just something you drive to get around (that hopefully doesn't break down), booze makes you sick for 3 days and your wife just gives you a headache. Footy seems important again!

Hahahahahahaha...

Ain't that the truth! You've described my whole life in 4 sentences!

You seem to have a great philosophical bent, Sockeye.
Ever thought of writing a book?

Every Arts faculty in the country would be reading/studying you!


What did Warnie say "I've written one more book than I've read!"

ledge
12-05-2008, 11:11 AM
I remember playing on the wing at West and the last thing you did was go near the scoreboard, had a big concrete slab in front of it and it wasnt far from boundary line!

hujsh
15-05-2008, 04:20 PM
Werribee normally can have 3 teams. Werribee Centrals can struggle to have one team. Big difference

LostDoggy
19-05-2008, 09:02 AM
Werribee normally can have 3 teams. Werribee Centrals can struggle to have one team. Big difference

Talking to an old team mate from West on Saturday night, he tells me they have a full list of underage teams with the exception of U16.

Cyberdoggie
19-05-2008, 12:13 PM
Drop off rates at 17-18 have always been huge. When you discover girls, cars and beer football doesn't seem to be the most important thing in the world any more.

Until you get to 40 and your car is just something you drive to get around (that hopefully doesn't break down), booze makes you sick for 3 days and your wife just gives you a headache. Footy seems important again!

hehehehe, that's very funny.

hujsh
19-05-2008, 02:48 PM
Talking to an old team mate from West on Saturday night, he tells me they have a full list of underage teams with the exception of U16.

Centrals? Yes I'm in the U-16s and we rarely have 18 on the field.

But the club usually has to wait for other teams to cut players to fill up their list

BulldogBelle
02-02-2009, 12:31 AM
This might help.....

http://www.starnewsgroup.com.au/story/66481







WEST Footscray pulled off one of the biggest coups of the Western Region Football League’s (WRFL) off-season, naming Brownlow medallist and former Footscray great Tony Liberatore as its new coach for 2009.

Liberatore, infamous for his brilliant tagging roles at the Bulldogs throughout the ‘90s, will bring a good deal of experience to the Division One club.

After retiring from AFL football in 2002, Liberatore coached at the Box Hill Hawks in 2003 and then spent three years as an assistant coach under Denis Pagan at Carlton.

He left the Blues at the end of 2006 to take up a senior coaching role at Sunbury in the Ballarat Football League, before making the move to West Footscray.

West Footscray president Robert McGhie said it was fantastic for the club to recruit such a high-profile coach.

“I think it’s good for the whole competition,” he said.

“I think with those sorts of people who’ve done everything in footy, then been out and coached, been assistants in AFL footy, I think it’s a big plus to lift the profile of our club and the whole league.”

McGhie said he expected Liberatore would keep the players in line.

“We’ve got our (player) meeting in another week, but I’d say they’d have read the papers and they’d be fairly happy with it.

“He won’t take any crap off them, they’ll be fit and have to work and earn their positions - it’s pretty exciting actually.”

Liberatore said he was looking forward to the challenge of picking up the club after a difficult season in 2008, where West Footscray finished second-last and won just one game.

“It’s going to be a tough gig no doubt, this was their first year in A Grade... I know they struggled a bit, with personnel and so on,” he said.

“Like anything else I love a good challenge and it’s going to be exciting hopefully for West Footscray.”

The new coach said it was important not to set his sights too high in the first season at the club.

“The biggest thing I want to do is be competitive, I’m not looking to make finals or anything like that, I just want to make sure we’re competitive.”