Gippsland Coaches Association Welcome As season 2014 is now in full swing, I would like to wish all Gippsland leagues and clubs a successful run home to the finals. Already it has been a busy year; we have conducted two Level 1 coaches courses. They were held in Warragul and Bairnsdale and were both well attended. The GCA has also conducted very successful Coaching Seminars in Morwell and Inverloch. Gippsland Power coach, Leigh Brown presented at each of these seminars and his ability to speak about coaching youth aged players and implementing a game plan, with limited training time, certainly was well received by all coaches in attendance. In Inverloch, Melbourne Football club Development Coach, Brad Miller along with Melbourne players Chris Dawes, Luke Tapscott and Colin Garland, conducted a Coaching Masterclass which included the creation of your game plan, training and teaching it. This night, which was hosted by the Alberton Football League, was attended by 45 coaches. The Morwell seminar was attended by 48 coaches from the CGJFL. The coaches had the opportunity to attend Gippsland Power training and have a review of training with Leigh Brown who went through his game plan, the training session and how the individual drills fitted in with the team and individual needs of the Gippsland Power football team. Peter Francis also spoke to the coaches on Creating a Strong Culture and the feedback from the coaches was excellent. I would like to thank Lynn Whelan from the Alberton FL and Charles Weir from the CGJFL for their assistance in organizing these events. The seminar program has been hugely successful over the past 8 years with seminars in Bairnsdale, Foster, Stony Creek, Traralgon, Yallourn North, Morwell, Warragul and Yinnar. Presenters have included people of the caliber of Peter Hudson, Peter Keenan, Robert Shaw, Denis Pagan, Gary Ayres, Stan Alves and David Parkin. Gippsland Power coaches Lachlan Sim, Paul Hudson, Austin Jones, Adrian Hickmott, Damian Carroll and Adam Dowie have also presented and the quality of the presentation have seen attendances grow each year. The support of the football community is vital to the success of programs such as these and I would like to thank each league, club and coach who has supported our programs. Finally, we have many coaching resources for sale to assist coaches in planning their training sessions and drill and skill manuals. We also have coaches diaries and coaches magnetic boards which can be a huge benefit to coaches. If you, or your club, would like to add to their coaching resource library, please contact Adrian, Chelsea, Ryan or myself on the numbers listed below. Rob Reid Football Development Manager Latrobe Region Gippsland Coaches Association Committee: Rob Reid Football Development Manager Latrobe Region 0409 139 099 Adrian Bromage Football Development Manager East Gippsland 0408 861 768 Chelsea Caple Football Development Manager South Gippsland 0407 406 096 Ryan Evans Football Development Manager Central Gippsland 0447 933 427 Leigh Brown TAC Cup Coach Gippsland Power 0432 065 166
Evaluating your Ruckman s game Leigh Brown Coach Gippsland Power Continually we hear that ruckmen are good for their tap work and not much else. It begs the question, are we teaching and developing our ruckmen for the role as we see it being played? Often watching a game of football you will see the ruckman at boundary throws in setting up on the offensive side of their opponent. At stoppages around the ground we see ruckman reproducing a centre bounce scenario where they stand 10 metres away from each other and both try and jump at the ball. Are we actually questioning a ruckman s value in the game because it is often down to who can jump the highest rather than the player actually using his ruck craft at stoppages and around the ground? It staggers me as to why two big guys would try and jump at each other 80+ times in a game rather than use their big framed bodies and jostle for a position of dominance against their opponent by using his brain, his body and his strength. So regularly I see a big bodied ruckman with less of a vertical jump than his opposite number try and out jump his much more athletic opponent. Why? He will very rarely win the jumping contest. But if he steps to within in a metre or two of his opponent and takes away his opponents strength, which is his jump, and forces him to use his body all of a sudden the odds are much more in the bigger bodied players favour. We play a game that history suggests that successful teams start with defence and the offence builds from there. So why do we continually see ruckman setting up on the offensive side of their opponents at boundary throw ins? Yes you might get one or two through the front of a stoppage but so will the opposition. Then it comes down to how efficient your ball use going forward is versus your opposition. Having a ruckman setting up defence side adds another body for the opposition to get through. It allows you to set up your midfielders in a position where they know it won t be so Russian roulette. We want our ruckmen to be big, physical and have a presence at stoppages and around the ground. How do we have that if we don t teach them to use their bodies? If we just ask them to jump all day and sometimes against a more athletic opponent we aren t actually improving the players ruck work and ultimately we aren t developing them to become a better player. Let s teach our ruckmen the art of using their bodies, the correct positioning at stoppages and around the ground. Show them where and when he can exert his presence in a game of football and not evaluate them on just the height of their leap. So next time you watch your ruckmen play, think about his positioning, think about the things you ve taught him so far and ask yourself are you judging the player on something you know and something he possibly doesn t know yet?
Girls Football in Gippsland Building on the success of the 2013 football season, the Gippsland Youth Girls competition has continued to thrive in season 2014 with teams competing from Warragul, Morwell, Maffra and Bairnsdale. The girls, who are participating in a 14 week competition, play on Sunday afternoons and have been attracting increasing numbers to watch their games. With similar competitions running in Ballarat, Bendigo, Shepparton, Swan Hill, Geelong, Warrnambool and Albury-Wodonga, there is a groundswell of support for girls football across Victoria. Female football is the fastest growing segment of our game with over 170,000 participants registered nationwide. Over the past 12 months, 43 new teams have been introduced and over 1000 girls playing their first games. 2014 has also seen the first Youth Girls representative team, for Gippsland, compete in the Subway Youth Girls shield. After notching up easy wins against Ballarat and Western District, they eventually fell short by 1 point to a competitive Geelong outfit, to finish second. With the increasing interest in Youth Girls football, AFL Victoria is currently working towards establishing an under 18 TAC Cup equivalent by 2016 and a National competition by 2020. For more information regarding female football in Gippsland, contact Chyloe Kurdas at AFL Victoria 0418 572 902, your Football Development Manager or local Junior Football League.
Fair Game Respect Matters Program What does it mean for your football club? Making a difference: Why respect matters: AFL Victoria's clear position on social responsibility is that discrimination, sexual harassment, bullying and abuse are all intolerable. Everyone has the right to work, play and socialise in a safe and respectful environment. For example, the safe and equal participation for women and girls in the roles they choose - on or off the field - is a priority. The 'Fair Game Respect Matters' program helps clubs create welcoming, socially inclusive environments. Research suggests that gender-equitable policies, programs and environments, which are based on respect, reduce the rates of violence against women. Australian Rules Football and other sporting clubs can provide a strong social and behavioural example within their communities and have a significant capacity to embrace cultural change. The 'Fair Game Respect Matters' program was introduced into the Northern Football League and the Essendon District Football League between 2008-2011 as a pilot program from AFL Victoria in partnership with VicHealth. Its aim is to complement the AFL's 'Respect and Responsibility' program, which focuses on improving players' attitudes and off-field behaviour towards girls and women. Through the program, both men and women are embracing the opportunity to change footy culture to make it fairer, safer and inclusive by creating more vibrant, family friendly clubs. Why involve your club? The clubs involved in the pilot program have reported direct benefits from their participation: An increase in sponsorship and membership. Stronger relationships between Senior and Junior Clubs developed. Fair Game resources (posters, flyers) have created a more inclusive environment for women - helping to promote a quality family club environment. An Increase in the number of women at club functions. Networking/idea sharing opportunities with other clubs. Assisted in the retention of volunteers and the recruitment of new volunteers. Development of Youth Girls' teams.
Affiliations with Football/Netball Clubs have led to improved revenue and greater bargaining power with local council and government. How will it change my club? The program will benefit your club by: Updating and changing club policies and codes of conduct. Providing a safe inclusive environment for everyone, male and female. Engaging men as partners in the prevention of violence against women and children. Creating a place where harassment, bullying or abusive behaviour is not tolerated. Expecting everyone in the club to act respectfully on and off the field, by refusing to engage in sexist, homophobic or racist behaviour. Understanding that drunken behaviour makes people feel uncomfortable and can be intimidating. How to make the change: This Club Implementation Checklist will assist your club achieve a more inclusive and family-friendly environment: Appoint two club drivers from the Club Committee. All committee members and/or club drivers of change programs to have read and understood the 'Fair Game Respect Matters' Toolkit. Undertake the Fair Game Club Review using the Toolkit. Quality Club Accreditation recommended to be undertaken. Appoint 'Champions of Change' from committee, club drivers, active members. Name two short, medium and long-term inclusive goals. 'Fair Game Respect Matters' to be a regular agenda item for each committee meeting and revisit progress against your goals. Codes of Conduct and Policies updated. Abusive behaviour is taken seriously and acted on in accordance with AFL/club policies. Actively give women invitations to participate on committees, as umpires, coaches and players. Respect and responsibility pledges to be included in players' and coaches' contracts. Initiate low cost events for women - i.e. a women's luncheon. Adopt a mentoring system for women and girls to develop skills as match day officials. Identify safety improvements to clubs via lighting, cleanliness and separate change areas for females. Place respect and responsibility issues in e-newsletters, websites and records. Convene an information night on the basics of football. Consider partnerships with netball teams and other sporting codes. Hold a White Ribbon round. Sustainability and Succession Plans developed for new committee members and Presidents.
AUSKICK, JUNIOR, YOUTH, SENIOR NOMINATION FORM "GIPPSLAND COACH OF THE YEAR" AWARDS 2014 Nominations are now being accepted for the 2014 Gippsland Coaches Association Coach of the Year Awards. These are in the categories of Auskick, Female Junior (Under 9 to Under 13), Youth (Under 13 to Under 19) Senior(Open Age) Any coaches nominated will need to demonstrate outstanding achievements in the following areas. Demonstrated Knowledge and Aptitude for Role on training and match days Types of Learning and Communication Skills Approach to Skill Development Demonstrated Team Style Development Demonstrated Team Style Development Respect of Players/Officials/Parents Tactical Knowledge/Management Style (Senior/Youth Only) Coaching Achievements (2014 and/or prior) These prestigious awards are made in recognition of the efforts and achievements of the many outstanding coaches in the Gippsland Region. Each year our local winners are nominated for the Victorian Coach of the Year awards which are held at an awards dinner each November in the MCC dining room at the MCG. We have had many winners and finalists at this awards night including Steve Wright from the Southside JFC who was Runner Up in 2013. Information and nomination forms are available by contacting Rob Reid on 0409 139 099 or corbettreid@bigpond.com.