Round 8
Played Midweek: Canberra FC 0 v Belconnen United 0
Tuggeranong United 2 (Julie Ibarra (pen), Kate Allen) Belwest Foxes 7 (Snez Veljanovska (2), Hope Wilkins (2), Cian Maciejewski, Elizabeth Pearson, Lee Dickson)
Canberra FC 3 (Aurelia Bullot (2), Ashlea Bryant) Brindabella Blues 1 (Kate Brown-Beresford)
Weston Creek 3 (Rachel Crittenden (3)) Belconnen United 0
Woden Valley v ANU WFC – Match Postponed
Mens Premier League Results 2010 - Round 7
Round 7
Woden Valley 1 (Bensah Afiabo 84’) Monaro Panthers 2 (Goran Veljanovski 15’, Justin Selkirk 35’)
Tuggeranong United 2 (Alex Weber 55’, Mark Shields 69’) Cooma Tigers 2 (Goran Josifovski 39’, Marcial Munoz 90’ (pen)
Belconnen United 5 (Danny Macor (2), Tai Smith, Dustin Wells, own goal) ANU FC 2 (Nathan Evans, Daniel Sparrow)
Goulburn Strikers v Canberra City – Match Postponed
Woden Valley 1 (Bensah Afiabo 84’) Monaro Panthers 2 (Goran Veljanovski 15’, Justin Selkirk 35’)
Tuggeranong United 2 (Alex Weber 55’, Mark Shields 69’) Cooma Tigers 2 (Goran Josifovski 39’, Marcial Munoz 90’ (pen)
Belconnen United 5 (Danny Macor (2), Tai Smith, Dustin Wells, own goal) ANU FC 2 (Nathan Evans, Daniel Sparrow)
Goulburn Strikers v Canberra City – Match Postponed
How To Defend - The Next Simple Step
Again, once you have the individual (1v1) movement sorted out, move to a slightly more dynamic situation - the first and second defender routine. The kids get it quick. It makes sense to them and they'll bring it to the game.
I watched a junior coach the other week bring a small laptop to training and show the kids what was wanted for a single activity. Not overdone. Clever coach. A quick couple of minutes to display the skill and on to the pitch. Back off to let the kids look at the skill again, comment on what they got right and wrong and back on to the pitch. Worked a treat.The kids are good visual learners and its a medium they are all very familiar with. Not necessary, but very helpful.
I watched a junior coach the other week bring a small laptop to training and show the kids what was wanted for a single activity. Not overdone. Clever coach. A quick couple of minutes to display the skill and on to the pitch. Back off to let the kids look at the skill again, comment on what they got right and wrong and back on to the pitch. Worked a treat.The kids are good visual learners and its a medium they are all very familiar with. Not necessary, but very helpful.
How To Defend - Lesson For Junior Players
This is a must do at training. Good basic defencive technicque seems the last to be tought and sadly, not at all in training. This video gives you all you need to know to get the kids started - then have them bring itinto their game.
Five Golden Rules To Keep Your Players Happy
Sourced from http://www.footy4kids.co.uk/
Five Golden Rules To Keep Your Players Happy
1. Play games, don't use lots of drills.
There is a place for drills in youth soccer coaching when introducing new skills or techniques. But they should be used sparingly.
The coaching sequence should be: warm up, demonstration (five minutes), then unopposed or 1v1 practice for another five minutes. If appropriate, continue with small group activities (groups of three or four players for 10 or 15 minutes). Then set up a conditioned small-sided game (SSG).
What's a conditioned SSG?
It's simply a 3v3, 4v4 or 5v5 match where you change the rules to allow your players to practise a skill or technique in a game-like situation. For example, if you've been working on improving your team's goal kicks, play a SSG where every time the ball goes out of play, the game is re-started with a goal kick.
Note: Don't forget to finish every session with a free for all match with no coaching from you. Playing soccer is what your players came to do!
2. Use age-appropriate activities.
Young soccer players should always be challenged to improve, but you have to be realistic.
Don't expect six-year-olds, for example, to master the wall pass! Equally, 12-year-olds who play to a good standard should not be spending too much time practising the side foot pass. They need to be working on more advanced skills. Combination plays (for example, overlapping runs) and more advanced skills, such as step overs, should be on the agenda for these guys.
3. Be aware of relationships.
Young players are not just learning soccer skills at your sessions. They are learning social skills - how to interact with one another, self control and how to resolve conflicts. This inevitably leads to situations where children will be seen to fall out with one another.
Emerging egos and raised hormone levels can also lead to bullying. And that's not easy to spot if you're totally focused on what your players are doing with their feet. The child who no one passes to, or is always the one no one wants in their team, is being bullied and you have a duty to do something about it.
So be sensitive to what is going on around you. If you feel that cliques are being formed and some players are being left out in the cold, it's time to take action.
Talk to your players about teamwork, why they should be nice to one another ("treat others as you would like them to treat you"). Split groups of friends up when you play SSGs and end-of-session matches.
4. Treat your players with respect.
Children are people, with feelings and emotions. Just like you! You wouldn't be happy if you were being ordered around and expected to do things without being told why. So don't treat your players like that!
Explain to your players why you want them to play a certain game and invite their feedback. Ask them if they are enjoying your coaching sessions, what they like best and what they don't like. Then act on what they say.
5. Smile a lot!
If you try to follow these guidelines you will have a happy bunch of players, I assure you. And, ultimately, that's what youth soccer coaching is all about... happiness.
Five Golden Rules To Keep Your Players Happy
1. Play games, don't use lots of drills.
There is a place for drills in youth soccer coaching when introducing new skills or techniques. But they should be used sparingly.
The coaching sequence should be: warm up, demonstration (five minutes), then unopposed or 1v1 practice for another five minutes. If appropriate, continue with small group activities (groups of three or four players for 10 or 15 minutes). Then set up a conditioned small-sided game (SSG).
What's a conditioned SSG?
It's simply a 3v3, 4v4 or 5v5 match where you change the rules to allow your players to practise a skill or technique in a game-like situation. For example, if you've been working on improving your team's goal kicks, play a SSG where every time the ball goes out of play, the game is re-started with a goal kick.
Note: Don't forget to finish every session with a free for all match with no coaching from you. Playing soccer is what your players came to do!
2. Use age-appropriate activities.
Young soccer players should always be challenged to improve, but you have to be realistic.
Don't expect six-year-olds, for example, to master the wall pass! Equally, 12-year-olds who play to a good standard should not be spending too much time practising the side foot pass. They need to be working on more advanced skills. Combination plays (for example, overlapping runs) and more advanced skills, such as step overs, should be on the agenda for these guys.
3. Be aware of relationships.
Young players are not just learning soccer skills at your sessions. They are learning social skills - how to interact with one another, self control and how to resolve conflicts. This inevitably leads to situations where children will be seen to fall out with one another.
Emerging egos and raised hormone levels can also lead to bullying. And that's not easy to spot if you're totally focused on what your players are doing with their feet. The child who no one passes to, or is always the one no one wants in their team, is being bullied and you have a duty to do something about it.
So be sensitive to what is going on around you. If you feel that cliques are being formed and some players are being left out in the cold, it's time to take action.
Talk to your players about teamwork, why they should be nice to one another ("treat others as you would like them to treat you"). Split groups of friends up when you play SSGs and end-of-session matches.
4. Treat your players with respect.
Children are people, with feelings and emotions. Just like you! You wouldn't be happy if you were being ordered around and expected to do things without being told why. So don't treat your players like that!
Explain to your players why you want them to play a certain game and invite their feedback. Ask them if they are enjoying your coaching sessions, what they like best and what they don't like. Then act on what they say.
5. Smile a lot!
If you try to follow these guidelines you will have a happy bunch of players, I assure you. And, ultimately, that's what youth soccer coaching is all about... happiness.
ACT Under 13 Player Selected To Represent Australia - An Absolute First!
The ACT has a new Australian Football representative.
Siena Senatore has been selected as a member of the inaugral Australian Under 13 Girls team.
Well its finally happened! It can be done by players in the ACT! You can make it to the top in football. This is fantastic news for Womens Football in the ACT. It stands as an inspiration for all players - you can make the grade from the ACT. But you had best be prepared to work for it!
Siena plays for Woden Valley SC, has been a HPP squad member, Coerver Academy graduate (several times), she toured New Zealand as a 10 year old in an Under 11 Boys team from NSW, was a member of the ACT Under 13 Girls team, has represented ACT Shools at age in Football, is an ACT Futsal representative player, plays Futsal for the Boomerangs FS in the Futsal NSW Super League and is presently at ACTAS. Yes that's a lot of football and futsal - but that's what it takes in anything if you want to be as good as you can be. There are no shortcuts.
The pictures are of Siena in action at the recent Under 13 Girls National Junior Championships (courtesy of Mum), where her consistently sound performances brought her to the notice of the selectors. Siena played the Nationals in the pivotal position(s) of central defender. Siena was initially selected as a member of the Austrlian train on squad which went into camp recently at the AIS. The Australian selectors then ran the microscope over the players and selected the final Australian Under 13 Girls squad to tour overseas to Vietnam later in 2010.
Its hard enough getting selected to play for the ACT, harder again to play well enough to get noticed among the dazzling array of talent on display at the National Junior Championships, then the pressure is really turned on as the Australian train on squad players go into camp and compete for final selection to make the Australian Team. You have to be talented and you have to be willing to persevere.
Job well done Sienna.
The media release from the FFA is as follows and includes the full squad list.
Westfield Australian Under 13 Girls AFC squad namedWednesday, 26 May 2010
Westfield Australian Under 13 Girls National Team Head Coach Nicola Williams has named her squad that will participate in the AFC – Festival of Football in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, from 20th June to 3rd July 2010.
The squad was selected from a squad of thirty (30) players that were initially identified at the 2010 FFA National Junior Championships for Girls to attend a training camp at the Australian Institute of Sport.
“What we looked for in the selection camp was how well the players were adapting to playing in and understanding what the FFA curriculum is implementing,” said Head Coach Nicola Williams.
“With players able to spend more time with the ball it gave us the chance to see how they play individually and as part of a team which made it easier to identify a squad that can progress well both within the framework of the curriculum and as footballers.
“There were some standouts in the midfield and attack to choose from and I believe we have selected a group of players that will develop well with the style of play we are looking to employ and be highly competitive at next month’s AFC Festival of Football.
“The girls have been following the Westfield Matildas progress at the (AFC) Asian Cup and I think you’ll see a few future Westfield Matildas come from this group of players.”
The AFC Under 13 – Festival of Football will be held in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam from the 20h June to 3rd July 2010.
Squad list:
Anja CHERRY
Hayley EVANS
Beatrice GOAD
Brooke GOODRICH
Emily HENDERSON
Nadine KNIGHT
Emily KOS
Lucy MACGREGOR
Stephanie MAIOLO
Ambrosia MALONE
Raecene MCGREGOR
Teagan MICAH
Courtney MILONE
Ayesha NORRIE
Tulia PALOZZI
Jessica PITTS
Rhianna POLLICINA
Matilda-Lee POTTER
Siena SENATORE
Lauren STEIN
Jessica WATERHOUSE
Claire URQUHART-WATSON
Siena Senatore has been selected as a member of the inaugral Australian Under 13 Girls team.
Siena plays for Woden Valley SC, has been a HPP squad member, Coerver Academy graduate (several times), she toured New Zealand as a 10 year old in an Under 11 Boys team from NSW, was a member of the ACT Under 13 Girls team, has represented ACT Shools at age in Football, is an ACT Futsal representative player, plays Futsal for the Boomerangs FS in the Futsal NSW Super League and is presently at ACTAS. Yes that's a lot of football and futsal - but that's what it takes in anything if you want to be as good as you can be. There are no shortcuts.
The pictures are of Siena in action at the recent Under 13 Girls National Junior Championships (courtesy of Mum), where her consistently sound performances brought her to the notice of the selectors. Siena played the Nationals in the pivotal position(s) of central defender. Siena was initially selected as a member of the Austrlian train on squad which went into camp recently at the AIS. The Australian selectors then ran the microscope over the players and selected the final Australian Under 13 Girls squad to tour overseas to Vietnam later in 2010.
Its hard enough getting selected to play for the ACT, harder again to play well enough to get noticed among the dazzling array of talent on display at the National Junior Championships, then the pressure is really turned on as the Australian train on squad players go into camp and compete for final selection to make the Australian Team. You have to be talented and you have to be willing to persevere.
Job well done Sienna.
The media release from the FFA is as follows and includes the full squad list.
Westfield Australian Under 13 Girls AFC squad namedWednesday, 26 May 2010
Westfield Australian Under 13 Girls National Team Head Coach Nicola Williams has named her squad that will participate in the AFC – Festival of Football in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, from 20th June to 3rd July 2010.
The squad was selected from a squad of thirty (30) players that were initially identified at the 2010 FFA National Junior Championships for Girls to attend a training camp at the Australian Institute of Sport.
“What we looked for in the selection camp was how well the players were adapting to playing in and understanding what the FFA curriculum is implementing,” said Head Coach Nicola Williams.
“With players able to spend more time with the ball it gave us the chance to see how they play individually and as part of a team which made it easier to identify a squad that can progress well both within the framework of the curriculum and as footballers.
“There were some standouts in the midfield and attack to choose from and I believe we have selected a group of players that will develop well with the style of play we are looking to employ and be highly competitive at next month’s AFC Festival of Football.
“The girls have been following the Westfield Matildas progress at the (AFC) Asian Cup and I think you’ll see a few future Westfield Matildas come from this group of players.”
The AFC Under 13 – Festival of Football will be held in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam from the 20h June to 3rd July 2010.
Squad list:
Anja CHERRY
Hayley EVANS
Beatrice GOAD
Brooke GOODRICH
Emily HENDERSON
Nadine KNIGHT
Emily KOS
Lucy MACGREGOR
Stephanie MAIOLO
Ambrosia MALONE
Raecene MCGREGOR
Teagan MICAH
Courtney MILONE
Ayesha NORRIE
Tulia PALOZZI
Jessica PITTS
Rhianna POLLICINA
Matilda-Lee POTTER
Siena SENATORE
Lauren STEIN
Jessica WATERHOUSE
Claire URQUHART-WATSON
Womens Premier League Fixtures 2010 - Round 8
Round 8
Sunday 30 May 10
2:00PM Woden Valley v ANU WFC Kaleen Enclosed 1 View
2:00PM Canberra FC v Brindabella Blues Deakin Stadium
2:00PM Tuggeranong Utd WFC v Belwest Foxes Kambah 2-1
2:00PM Weston Creek v Belconnen Utd ANU Willows 1
Tuesday 1 Jun 10
8:00PM Weston Creek v Woden Valley Hawker Football Centre
Sunday 30 May 10
2:00PM Woden Valley v ANU WFC Kaleen Enclosed 1 View
2:00PM Canberra FC v Brindabella Blues Deakin Stadium
2:00PM Tuggeranong Utd WFC v Belwest Foxes Kambah 2-1
2:00PM Weston Creek v Belconnen Utd ANU Willows 1
Tuesday 1 Jun 10
8:00PM Weston Creek v Woden Valley Hawker Football Centre
Mens Premier League Fixtures 2010 - Round 7
Round 7
Friday 28 May 10
8:00PM Woden Valley v Monaro Panthers Hawker Football Centre
Saturday 29 May 10
3:00PM Tuggeranong Utd v Cooma Tigers Kambah 2-1
Sunday 30 May 10
3:00PM Goulburn Strikers v Canberra City Cookbundoon 4:00PM Belconnen Utd v ANU FC McKellar Park
5:00PM Canberra Olympic v Canberra FC Hawker Football Centre
Friday 28 May 10
8:00PM Woden Valley v Monaro Panthers Hawker Football Centre
Saturday 29 May 10
3:00PM Tuggeranong Utd v Cooma Tigers Kambah 2-1
Sunday 30 May 10
3:00PM Goulburn Strikers v Canberra City Cookbundoon 4:00PM Belconnen Utd v ANU FC McKellar Park
5:00PM Canberra Olympic v Canberra FC Hawker Football Centre
Capital Football HPP Under 14 Coach Talks About Preparing A Team For The Nationals
This program was broadcast Tuesday, 25 May 2010 on 2xxfm (93.8mhz) through the Australian Community Radio Network.
The Coach of the Capital Football High Performance Program for the Under 14 Boys, and the Coach of the ACT Under 14 Boys team to participate in the FFA's National Junior Championships in late September 2010 in Coff Harbour.
Zoran has a some good infomation and observations - all from an experienced Coach's viewpoint. He has also just completed the FFA / AFC "C" class licence and has some interesting things to say about the 1-4-3-3 playing system.
Download the Podcast here:
The Coach of the Capital Football High Performance Program for the Under 14 Boys, and the Coach of the ACT Under 14 Boys team to participate in the FFA's National Junior Championships in late September 2010 in Coff Harbour.
Zoran has a some good infomation and observations - all from an experienced Coach's viewpoint. He has also just completed the FFA / AFC "C" class licence and has some interesting things to say about the 1-4-3-3 playing system.
Download the Podcast here:
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What Happens When Your Child Is Assaulted And Injured In A School Football Game In The ACT??
What Happens When Your Child Is Assaulted And Injured In A School Football Game In The ACT??
A parent and several young players who play for a Premier League Club in the ACT told a frightening Football story at training last week. It’s a very worrying story on Junior Football for every parent with a child playing Football in the ACT, particularly when they play in schools sports Football tournaments / fixtures. This one seems a long way from resolved.
Apparently there was a School's Football tournament last week in the ACT. The players represent their school and in ordinary way of Football you would think it would be a fun thing to do.
Until something goes very, very wrong!
A young player was "king hit" by another player and sent off. The alleged offender is said to be an ACTAS squad player. Both players were registered with the FFA and participate in Capital Football competitions / fixtures. The Referee's report has been provided to the father of the victim, confirms the send off for "violent conduct" and would appear to warrant substantial disciplinary action.
But by whom? Not a question you usually ask in football.
If this were a weekend Capital Football round game, the League Manager would have already taken action. It’s a “no brainer”!
But this game was conducted in the cloudy environment of ACT schools sports, where the key parties in football such as Capital Football and ACTAS have Memorandum of Understanding(s) to ensure they are not engaged if things go wrong on the field of play. And they do go wrong! But this is all Football and the public is unlikely to condone these artificial constructs around participation in the game – particularly when things go wrong.
The young player that is alleged to have conducted himself in this violent fashion during the game, is said to be an ACTAS scholarship holder and player. Now doesn't that raise the bar a bit?
The profile of this incident is potentially huge. At the moment it has the appearance of a gormless adminstrative and disciplinary shambles!
So what did the father of the victim do?
I might add he was present at the ground when it happened and by his own account was horrified and fearful for his son when he was struck and fell to the ground. All parents can just imagine how sickening that must have been.
As his son recovered and he got treatment for him, concern and worry turned to anger and dismay. Let's take it from there...
The first and most reasonable reaction by the family of the victim (and the victim) was to want to know what penalty would be imposed on the offending player. And that's where this story begins to amaze, frustrate and disappoint. All that talk about putting the game (football) in good order – is in this case, just so much nonsense! Capital Football and ACTAS have seem to have attempted to write themselves out of the game.
The father has been unable to get Capital Football or ACTAS interested in taking any sort of substantial disciplinary action against the offending player. When I say "substantial", I mean a disciplinary process through football’s peak body, ensuring the player registered with the FFA would be liable to the range of penalties handed out for this type of offence. Not an unreasonable expectation I would have thought. It never occurred to the family of the victim that a player would go unpunished by Capital Football. Nor has anyone else who has heard the story. As to ACTAS – hmmm – we’ll get to them?
It seems Capital Football’s position is that the game was not run under their auspices. No doubt that's true. But it’s a curious response.
The father reports that the ACTAS response is advice to the effect that they (ACTAS) have a "Memorandum of Understanding" with the school sports organisation and this MOU appears to preclude them (ACTAS) from having anything to do with the incident. They prefer to accept any action the school may think is appropraite to take, as constituting adequate disciplinary action. Their hands are clean as it were. Well, are they? Makes you wonder why ACTAS allow their players to participate if this is a risk worthy of an MOU? And what about the player’s contract with ACTAS, which contains substantial disciplinary provisions, for just the sort of incident contained in the referee’s report? When does that document and ACTAS’s responsibility to the game and the community come into play?
ACTAS are not yet off the hook in the minds of many, any more than Capital Football. I wonder if ACTAS would be quite so sanguine if it had been the ACTAS player who had been "king hit"? I would hope not! I'll wager that the first reaction of any parent with a child at ACTAS, would be to torment the ACTAS staff with demands to have the offending player subject to disciplinary action by the primary "football" organisation in the ACT and that means Capital Football! Not the school the offending player attends, though more power to the Principal or Headmaster who suspends the student / player. ACTAS (nor Capital Football) should be limited or influenced by any other parties disciplinary action. The fact that the school may do something does not absolve them from their own disciplinary action – in fact they are obliged to act. Any argument to suggest there would be some sort of “double jeopardy” if more than one party disciplined the offending player is just so much rubbish.
At this point, neither Capital Football nor ACTAS appear to have done anything that approximates adequate disciplinary action. On that basis, have they met their responsibilities to the community and the game? The parents of the victim would probably argue they have not and that’s the view of most I have heard speak around the grounds on this one.
One thing that further complicates participation in school football in the context of this violent conduct on the field / injury, would be if the offending player were to be someone who just decided to make up the numbers in the school team and not a registered player in football with the FFA. In these circumstances Capital Football cannot call the offending player to account in the ordinary disciplinary manner. They could make strong representations to the ACT Government, they could support the parents of the victim. But it is already obvious from the current matter, they will most likely do absolutely nothing! In this case to hand, both players are FFA registered players and playing within the Capital Football competition.
In all these circumstances, I wonder why any registered player with the FFA, any Premier League Club, any Junior football Club operating within the ambit of Capital Football's jurisdiction in football, would encourage any parent to allow their child to play school sports football. The message is clear - don't have anything to do with it. Why? Because in the worst case, you could foresee any two bob young lout without any other connection to football, decides to have a game for the school and create mayhem, a referee can send off the player and report the incident, and the only thing you can hope will follow, is that a Principal or Headmaster will take some sort of disciplinary action. Some hope! Principals of public schools have precious little authority, often as not requiring departmental approval, while private schools have much greater authority if they choose to exercise it. All the more reason for Capital Football and ACTAS to take a strong leadership position on discipline in schools sports football. Their present position falls well short.
Again, it begs the question - why would Capital Football engage with school sports football without ensuring the arrangements for the registered players in that competition, are the same as if it were a Capital Football fixture?
If a registered player is injured, the victim of violent conduct (to name the offence to hand in this matter), you would expect them to be on the front foot, supporting the family and player. If the offending player were also a registered player, you would think Capital Football would have no difficulty at all in citing the offending player. They can do it now, their is nothing to stop them. Alas, that is not their preferred course of action, preferring instead to seemingly hide behind an MOU that looks as though it is in place to avoid the situation that has now arisen and that goes to the very core of good conduct within the laws of the game. The matter that is the subject of this discussion appears to be an incident that reflects very poorly on the game. And among junior players!
The present arrangements appear to favour ACTAS, but do they reflect well on the game? If Capital Football need to take a stronger line with ACTAS on this matter, it would be a good thing to do.
Why ACTAS would allow their players to go anywhere near a school sports fixture under the present arrangements is beyond me. These elite players don't get to come back to clubs within Capital Football competitions. As this example illustrates, many things are put at risk. Then to appear to have declined to take appropriate disciplinary action against the offending player, imposing the sort of penalty that would have ordinarily accrued were the player to go before a Capital Football disciplinary tribunal, is difficult to understand. Indeed, why would ACTAS simply ask Capital Football to cire the player and lets the matter be resolved in the normal fashion with the Capital Football disputes and discipline process? ACTAS's own contractual arrangements with the player must surely have demanded substantial disciplinary action?
What an mess!
Apparently, the young fellow who is alleged to have assaulted the player during the game, was suspended from school for day. OK, that's a start, but my second thought when told of this punishment was that it constituted nothing more that a day's rest and recreation before going to training at ACTAS that afternoon! I am also advised that the offending player was stood down for game after the incident. OK, that’s a start – but one game!! Is that all ACTAS thinks this conduct is worth in the scheme of things? Amazing.
The father hadn't got around to speaking to the FFA or writing to the ACT Government when he spoke of the matter to the Nearpost Local.
Thus far, only the ACT Department of Education, through the school that the alleged offending player attends, seems to have reacted in an appropriate fashion over this very serious matter and probably to the limit of the Principal’s authority.
The lingering question is repeated again and again on the sidelines by players and parents - Just who runs Football in the ACT? Is there nothing else that could or should be done in this matter? I would suggest that we have not yet scratched the surface on this one.
So much is being done to reduce violent and abusive conduct in Football by the FFA and Capital Football. What prevents Capital Football from taking independent administrative action to discipline the offending player. Probably nothing accept the willingness to do so!
Both Capital Football and the ACT Government are key stakeholders in the ACTAS Football Program. They pay the bills! The FFA is the third party in this arrangement for this NTC. Under what circumstances can any of them let any incident of violent conduct by a player in an elite and prestigious program like the ACTAS Football program, go unremarked and unpunished in a fashion that is consistent with the ordinary scale of punishments for this type of offence in the game (and we are pretty low on the scale in the ACT, but not this low). No matter that it was not an ACTAS or Capital Football or FFA sanctioned game. It’s all Football. Thus far the reaction by those in football with the authority to take action has been disappointing and inadequate. The FFA, Capital Football and ATCAS have collective responsibilities to the well being of the game and the safety of the players that go well beyond the convenience of an MOU or any other administrative contrivance.
The very first thing that is at risk for the offending player is continuation in the elite program by cancellation of the player scholarship. There is no shortage of young players desirous of the chance to join the ACTAS program. Who needs badly behaved players at any level in the game. A quick word from the coach is not good enough - not by a long shot. A School Principal or Headmaster’s dissatisfaction, not matter how well intentioned or heart felt is nothing in this matter. ACTAS is staffed by Football professionals, they do very good work, and one must anticipate that they would not welcome any player who is alleged to have behaved so a badly in a game. But you would not ask them to adjudicate this matter, any more than Capital Football would ask a Club coach to do so on a Referees report of the same behaviour in a club game by one their players.
As to Capital Football, I would be surprised if it was not within their remit to take independent action on this matter, based on the referee's report and within the meaning of the FFA's Code of Conduct. They need to take a position and make it publicly known. Resting on an MOU in this matter has the appearance of acceptance and that can’t be right , because they do so much to stop this sort of behaviour. The offending player, as an ACTAS player competes in a Capital Football competition (PL Pathways) and that cannot be ignored.
What would the FFA's reaction be to this debacle? I have no idea. Why would they want a player to go unpunished, who is likely to participate in future NTC Challenges, or indeed, seek higher representation.
The message to this young player who is alleged to have behaved in this violent fashion on the field of play, might be that he has risked everything in Football. The bloody lot! But how can he know that when to the best of anyone's knowledge (especially the victim and his parents) the only consequence has been a days rest at home and perhaps stood down for a game.
Just ask yourself one thing (apologies to the victim and his parents) - What would we be talking about now if the young player who had been "king hit", had simply never regained consciousness, had played his last game of football that day, his life dramatically diminished by serious brain damage or, heaven forbid, his death? That's the stark reality. It cannot go unremarked or unpunished by those responsible for the offending player in Football, within the real football world, the one the young ACTAS player has a scholarship we fund, to enable him to be a part of in the ACT and perhaps go further in the game. The fact that he is in an elite program is no reason to avoid disciplinary action. The standards and expectation are higher the further he goes. The fact the school suspended him for a day is no excuse to justify inaction by any other administrative/ disciplinary means in Football.
In the end, if the only redress the father (any parent ) of the victim has is to seek some sort of civil legal means, we have completely failed in football, our policies in regard to conduct and discipline in the game compromised, and more than all this, we have completely failed the young player that is the victim and his family.
Time for Capital Football to take the lead on this one.
A parent and several young players who play for a Premier League Club in the ACT told a frightening Football story at training last week. It’s a very worrying story on Junior Football for every parent with a child playing Football in the ACT, particularly when they play in schools sports Football tournaments / fixtures. This one seems a long way from resolved.
Apparently there was a School's Football tournament last week in the ACT. The players represent their school and in ordinary way of Football you would think it would be a fun thing to do.
Until something goes very, very wrong!
A young player was "king hit" by another player and sent off. The alleged offender is said to be an ACTAS squad player. Both players were registered with the FFA and participate in Capital Football competitions / fixtures. The Referee's report has been provided to the father of the victim, confirms the send off for "violent conduct" and would appear to warrant substantial disciplinary action.
But by whom? Not a question you usually ask in football.
If this were a weekend Capital Football round game, the League Manager would have already taken action. It’s a “no brainer”!
But this game was conducted in the cloudy environment of ACT schools sports, where the key parties in football such as Capital Football and ACTAS have Memorandum of Understanding(s) to ensure they are not engaged if things go wrong on the field of play. And they do go wrong! But this is all Football and the public is unlikely to condone these artificial constructs around participation in the game – particularly when things go wrong.
The young player that is alleged to have conducted himself in this violent fashion during the game, is said to be an ACTAS scholarship holder and player. Now doesn't that raise the bar a bit?
The profile of this incident is potentially huge. At the moment it has the appearance of a gormless adminstrative and disciplinary shambles!
So what did the father of the victim do?
I might add he was present at the ground when it happened and by his own account was horrified and fearful for his son when he was struck and fell to the ground. All parents can just imagine how sickening that must have been.
As his son recovered and he got treatment for him, concern and worry turned to anger and dismay. Let's take it from there...
The first and most reasonable reaction by the family of the victim (and the victim) was to want to know what penalty would be imposed on the offending player. And that's where this story begins to amaze, frustrate and disappoint. All that talk about putting the game (football) in good order – is in this case, just so much nonsense! Capital Football and ACTAS have seem to have attempted to write themselves out of the game.
The father has been unable to get Capital Football or ACTAS interested in taking any sort of substantial disciplinary action against the offending player. When I say "substantial", I mean a disciplinary process through football’s peak body, ensuring the player registered with the FFA would be liable to the range of penalties handed out for this type of offence. Not an unreasonable expectation I would have thought. It never occurred to the family of the victim that a player would go unpunished by Capital Football. Nor has anyone else who has heard the story. As to ACTAS – hmmm – we’ll get to them?
It seems Capital Football’s position is that the game was not run under their auspices. No doubt that's true. But it’s a curious response.
The father reports that the ACTAS response is advice to the effect that they (ACTAS) have a "Memorandum of Understanding" with the school sports organisation and this MOU appears to preclude them (ACTAS) from having anything to do with the incident. They prefer to accept any action the school may think is appropraite to take, as constituting adequate disciplinary action. Their hands are clean as it were. Well, are they? Makes you wonder why ACTAS allow their players to participate if this is a risk worthy of an MOU? And what about the player’s contract with ACTAS, which contains substantial disciplinary provisions, for just the sort of incident contained in the referee’s report? When does that document and ACTAS’s responsibility to the game and the community come into play?
ACTAS are not yet off the hook in the minds of many, any more than Capital Football. I wonder if ACTAS would be quite so sanguine if it had been the ACTAS player who had been "king hit"? I would hope not! I'll wager that the first reaction of any parent with a child at ACTAS, would be to torment the ACTAS staff with demands to have the offending player subject to disciplinary action by the primary "football" organisation in the ACT and that means Capital Football! Not the school the offending player attends, though more power to the Principal or Headmaster who suspends the student / player. ACTAS (nor Capital Football) should be limited or influenced by any other parties disciplinary action. The fact that the school may do something does not absolve them from their own disciplinary action – in fact they are obliged to act. Any argument to suggest there would be some sort of “double jeopardy” if more than one party disciplined the offending player is just so much rubbish.
At this point, neither Capital Football nor ACTAS appear to have done anything that approximates adequate disciplinary action. On that basis, have they met their responsibilities to the community and the game? The parents of the victim would probably argue they have not and that’s the view of most I have heard speak around the grounds on this one.
One thing that further complicates participation in school football in the context of this violent conduct on the field / injury, would be if the offending player were to be someone who just decided to make up the numbers in the school team and not a registered player in football with the FFA. In these circumstances Capital Football cannot call the offending player to account in the ordinary disciplinary manner. They could make strong representations to the ACT Government, they could support the parents of the victim. But it is already obvious from the current matter, they will most likely do absolutely nothing! In this case to hand, both players are FFA registered players and playing within the Capital Football competition.
In all these circumstances, I wonder why any registered player with the FFA, any Premier League Club, any Junior football Club operating within the ambit of Capital Football's jurisdiction in football, would encourage any parent to allow their child to play school sports football. The message is clear - don't have anything to do with it. Why? Because in the worst case, you could foresee any two bob young lout without any other connection to football, decides to have a game for the school and create mayhem, a referee can send off the player and report the incident, and the only thing you can hope will follow, is that a Principal or Headmaster will take some sort of disciplinary action. Some hope! Principals of public schools have precious little authority, often as not requiring departmental approval, while private schools have much greater authority if they choose to exercise it. All the more reason for Capital Football and ACTAS to take a strong leadership position on discipline in schools sports football. Their present position falls well short.
Again, it begs the question - why would Capital Football engage with school sports football without ensuring the arrangements for the registered players in that competition, are the same as if it were a Capital Football fixture?
If a registered player is injured, the victim of violent conduct (to name the offence to hand in this matter), you would expect them to be on the front foot, supporting the family and player. If the offending player were also a registered player, you would think Capital Football would have no difficulty at all in citing the offending player. They can do it now, their is nothing to stop them. Alas, that is not their preferred course of action, preferring instead to seemingly hide behind an MOU that looks as though it is in place to avoid the situation that has now arisen and that goes to the very core of good conduct within the laws of the game. The matter that is the subject of this discussion appears to be an incident that reflects very poorly on the game. And among junior players!
The present arrangements appear to favour ACTAS, but do they reflect well on the game? If Capital Football need to take a stronger line with ACTAS on this matter, it would be a good thing to do.
Why ACTAS would allow their players to go anywhere near a school sports fixture under the present arrangements is beyond me. These elite players don't get to come back to clubs within Capital Football competitions. As this example illustrates, many things are put at risk. Then to appear to have declined to take appropriate disciplinary action against the offending player, imposing the sort of penalty that would have ordinarily accrued were the player to go before a Capital Football disciplinary tribunal, is difficult to understand. Indeed, why would ACTAS simply ask Capital Football to cire the player and lets the matter be resolved in the normal fashion with the Capital Football disputes and discipline process? ACTAS's own contractual arrangements with the player must surely have demanded substantial disciplinary action?
What an mess!
Apparently, the young fellow who is alleged to have assaulted the player during the game, was suspended from school for day. OK, that's a start, but my second thought when told of this punishment was that it constituted nothing more that a day's rest and recreation before going to training at ACTAS that afternoon! I am also advised that the offending player was stood down for game after the incident. OK, that’s a start – but one game!! Is that all ACTAS thinks this conduct is worth in the scheme of things? Amazing.
The father hadn't got around to speaking to the FFA or writing to the ACT Government when he spoke of the matter to the Nearpost Local.
Thus far, only the ACT Department of Education, through the school that the alleged offending player attends, seems to have reacted in an appropriate fashion over this very serious matter and probably to the limit of the Principal’s authority.
The lingering question is repeated again and again on the sidelines by players and parents - Just who runs Football in the ACT? Is there nothing else that could or should be done in this matter? I would suggest that we have not yet scratched the surface on this one.
So much is being done to reduce violent and abusive conduct in Football by the FFA and Capital Football. What prevents Capital Football from taking independent administrative action to discipline the offending player. Probably nothing accept the willingness to do so!
Both Capital Football and the ACT Government are key stakeholders in the ACTAS Football Program. They pay the bills! The FFA is the third party in this arrangement for this NTC. Under what circumstances can any of them let any incident of violent conduct by a player in an elite and prestigious program like the ACTAS Football program, go unremarked and unpunished in a fashion that is consistent with the ordinary scale of punishments for this type of offence in the game (and we are pretty low on the scale in the ACT, but not this low). No matter that it was not an ACTAS or Capital Football or FFA sanctioned game. It’s all Football. Thus far the reaction by those in football with the authority to take action has been disappointing and inadequate. The FFA, Capital Football and ATCAS have collective responsibilities to the well being of the game and the safety of the players that go well beyond the convenience of an MOU or any other administrative contrivance.
The very first thing that is at risk for the offending player is continuation in the elite program by cancellation of the player scholarship. There is no shortage of young players desirous of the chance to join the ACTAS program. Who needs badly behaved players at any level in the game. A quick word from the coach is not good enough - not by a long shot. A School Principal or Headmaster’s dissatisfaction, not matter how well intentioned or heart felt is nothing in this matter. ACTAS is staffed by Football professionals, they do very good work, and one must anticipate that they would not welcome any player who is alleged to have behaved so a badly in a game. But you would not ask them to adjudicate this matter, any more than Capital Football would ask a Club coach to do so on a Referees report of the same behaviour in a club game by one their players.
As to Capital Football, I would be surprised if it was not within their remit to take independent action on this matter, based on the referee's report and within the meaning of the FFA's Code of Conduct. They need to take a position and make it publicly known. Resting on an MOU in this matter has the appearance of acceptance and that can’t be right , because they do so much to stop this sort of behaviour. The offending player, as an ACTAS player competes in a Capital Football competition (PL Pathways) and that cannot be ignored.
What would the FFA's reaction be to this debacle? I have no idea. Why would they want a player to go unpunished, who is likely to participate in future NTC Challenges, or indeed, seek higher representation.
The message to this young player who is alleged to have behaved in this violent fashion on the field of play, might be that he has risked everything in Football. The bloody lot! But how can he know that when to the best of anyone's knowledge (especially the victim and his parents) the only consequence has been a days rest at home and perhaps stood down for a game.
Just ask yourself one thing (apologies to the victim and his parents) - What would we be talking about now if the young player who had been "king hit", had simply never regained consciousness, had played his last game of football that day, his life dramatically diminished by serious brain damage or, heaven forbid, his death? That's the stark reality. It cannot go unremarked or unpunished by those responsible for the offending player in Football, within the real football world, the one the young ACTAS player has a scholarship we fund, to enable him to be a part of in the ACT and perhaps go further in the game. The fact that he is in an elite program is no reason to avoid disciplinary action. The standards and expectation are higher the further he goes. The fact the school suspended him for a day is no excuse to justify inaction by any other administrative/ disciplinary means in Football.
In the end, if the only redress the father (any parent ) of the victim has is to seek some sort of civil legal means, we have completely failed in football, our policies in regard to conduct and discipline in the game compromised, and more than all this, we have completely failed the young player that is the victim and his family.
Time for Capital Football to take the lead on this one.
Mens Premier League Results 2010 - Round 6
Round 6
Canberra City 0 v Belconnen United 2 (Danny Macor 25’ (pen), Dustin Wells 65’)
Canberra FC 4 (Michael Spaleta 7’, 47’, Adam Spaleta 48’, Alex Castro 85’) Woden Valley 0
Tuggeranong United 2 (Aaron Cashman 50’, Matt Menser 51’ (pen) Goulburn Strikers 2 (Sam Taylor 56’, Andrew Aliffi 84’)
Cooma Tigers 1 (Jean-Pierre D’Ambrosio 28’) Monaro Panthers 0
ANU FC 1 (Anthony Bekavac) Canberra Olympic 3 (Robbie Shroder (3))
Canberra City 0 v Belconnen United 2 (Danny Macor 25’ (pen), Dustin Wells 65’)
Canberra FC 4 (Michael Spaleta 7’, 47’, Adam Spaleta 48’, Alex Castro 85’) Woden Valley 0
Tuggeranong United 2 (Aaron Cashman 50’, Matt Menser 51’ (pen) Goulburn Strikers 2 (Sam Taylor 56’, Andrew Aliffi 84’)
Cooma Tigers 1 (Jean-Pierre D’Ambrosio 28’) Monaro Panthers 0
ANU FC 1 (Anthony Bekavac) Canberra Olympic 3 (Robbie Shroder (3))
Womens Premier League Results 2010 - Round 7
Round 7
Belwest Foxes 4 (Cian Maciejewski (2), Hope Wilkins, Tahlia Stanley) Weston Creek 0
Tuggeranong United 10 (Julie Ibarra (5), Freyja Jacobsen (4), Kate Allen) Brindabella Blues 1 (Mel Reavell)
ANU WFC 0 v Belconnen United 4 (Maja Blasch (2), Caitlin Munoz, Tahlia Blackhorse)
Woden Valley 1 (Jaline Hoek) Canberra FC 1 (Sophie Kochinos)
Belwest Foxes 4 (Cian Maciejewski (2), Hope Wilkins, Tahlia Stanley) Weston Creek 0
Tuggeranong United 10 (Julie Ibarra (5), Freyja Jacobsen (4), Kate Allen) Brindabella Blues 1 (Mel Reavell)
ANU WFC 0 v Belconnen United 4 (Maja Blasch (2), Caitlin Munoz, Tahlia Blackhorse)
Woden Valley 1 (Jaline Hoek) Canberra FC 1 (Sophie Kochinos)
Womens Premier League Fixtures 2010 - Round 7
Sunday 23 May
2:00PM Weston Creek v Belwest Foxes ANU Willows 2
2:00PM ANU WFC v Belconnen Utd ANU Willows 1
2:00PM Tuggeranong Utd WFC v Brindabella Blues Kambah 3-10
2:00PM Woden Valley v Canberra FC Woden Park Enclosed
Tuesday 25 May
8:00PM Belconnen Utd v Canberra FC Hawker Football Centre
2:00PM Weston Creek v Belwest Foxes ANU Willows 2
2:00PM ANU WFC v Belconnen Utd ANU Willows 1
2:00PM Tuggeranong Utd WFC v Brindabella Blues Kambah 3-10
2:00PM Woden Valley v Canberra FC Woden Park Enclosed
Tuesday 25 May
8:00PM Belconnen Utd v Canberra FC Hawker Football Centre
Mens Premier League Fixtures 2010 - Round 6
Friday 21 May 10
8:00PM Canberra City v Belconnen Utd Hawker Football Centre
Sunday 23 May
3:00PM Tuggeranong Utd v Goulburn Strikers Kambah 2-1
3:00PM ANU FC v Canberra Olympic O'Connor Enclosed 1
3:00PM Canberra FC v Woden Valley Deakin Stadium
3:00PM Cooma Tigers v Monaro Panthers Nijong Oval
8:00PM Canberra City v Belconnen Utd Hawker Football Centre
Sunday 23 May
3:00PM Tuggeranong Utd v Goulburn Strikers Kambah 2-1
3:00PM ANU FC v Canberra Olympic O'Connor Enclosed 1
3:00PM Canberra FC v Woden Valley Deakin Stadium
3:00PM Cooma Tigers v Monaro Panthers Nijong Oval
10 Essential Rules For Effective Communication
This could apply to all age groups. Something in this for every Coach!
Coutesy of http://www.footy4kids.co.uk/
10 essential rules for effective communication
Getting your players to understand what you want requires a bit more than simply telling them what to do! Here are 10 essential rules for creating effective communication between you and your players:
1. Keep it simple. Young children cannot remember complicated instructions. If you tell a five-year-old to do X, then Y and then Z, they will do X and stop. Older children can remember instructions with two or three components but will struggle to remember four. So keep your instructions short and simple.
2. Talk to the players on their level. Get down on one knee and make eye contact as you communicate. Don't wear sunglasses or tower above them.
3. Always be polite. Using words like "please", "sorry" and "thank you" sets a good example. It also makes your players feel important. Never shout.
4. Tell them, and then tell them again. Once is never enough. Repeat your instructions using slightly different words and check your players' understanding before you move on. One of the best ways of doing that is to ask a child to repeat what has just been said.
5. Listen carefully. Don't interrupt players when they are trying to tell you something. Show them you are listening by maintaining eye contact and remember... their opinions are just as valuable as yours.
6. Avoid inconsistent or confusing body language. Don't, for example, shake your head while telling the player "nice try".
7. Be consistent, firm and fair. No means no. Don't waver or you will become a doormat. Treat everyone equally and don't bend or break the rules for anyone.
8. Never criticise a child in front of others. This will result in resentment and hostility, and not the improvement you're hoping to achieve.
9. Focus on the behavior not the child. Make sure your player knows that it's their actions that you're not happy with, not them.
10. Make sure you know and use your players' names. Nothing is more damaging for a child's self esteem as not knowing their name.
Note: All children need acceptance, encouragement, discipline, consistency and positive attention. As a soccer coach, you are in a unique position to supply all of these. Please don't waste the chance!
Coutesy of http://www.footy4kids.co.uk/
10 essential rules for effective communication
Getting your players to understand what you want requires a bit more than simply telling them what to do! Here are 10 essential rules for creating effective communication between you and your players:
1. Keep it simple. Young children cannot remember complicated instructions. If you tell a five-year-old to do X, then Y and then Z, they will do X and stop. Older children can remember instructions with two or three components but will struggle to remember four. So keep your instructions short and simple.
2. Talk to the players on their level. Get down on one knee and make eye contact as you communicate. Don't wear sunglasses or tower above them.
3. Always be polite. Using words like "please", "sorry" and "thank you" sets a good example. It also makes your players feel important. Never shout.
4. Tell them, and then tell them again. Once is never enough. Repeat your instructions using slightly different words and check your players' understanding before you move on. One of the best ways of doing that is to ask a child to repeat what has just been said.
5. Listen carefully. Don't interrupt players when they are trying to tell you something. Show them you are listening by maintaining eye contact and remember... their opinions are just as valuable as yours.
6. Avoid inconsistent or confusing body language. Don't, for example, shake your head while telling the player "nice try".
7. Be consistent, firm and fair. No means no. Don't waver or you will become a doormat. Treat everyone equally and don't bend or break the rules for anyone.
8. Never criticise a child in front of others. This will result in resentment and hostility, and not the improvement you're hoping to achieve.
9. Focus on the behavior not the child. Make sure your player knows that it's their actions that you're not happy with, not them.
10. Make sure you know and use your players' names. Nothing is more damaging for a child's self esteem as not knowing their name.
Note: All children need acceptance, encouragement, discipline, consistency and positive attention. As a soccer coach, you are in a unique position to supply all of these. Please don't waste the chance!
Coach of Tuggeranong United FC Premier League Talks About The Victory Over Belconnen United FC
Oh happy days at Tuggeranong United FC!
They defeated Belconnen United FC and that's something not too many do in a season - in several seasons.
Darren Viskovic is a very astute Football coach. If any club had a hard start to the season, TUFC is the one. Darren perserved, as did the players through a miserable Federation Cup, heeded the lessons learned and got started again in the PL Competition. They have been getting better every game. Some team was going to loose points to them, sooner rather than later and it happened last weekend. Darren reckons it was as good as winning a World Cup Final - spot on!
Go here to Download the Podcast:
They defeated Belconnen United FC and that's something not too many do in a season - in several seasons.
Darren Viskovic is a very astute Football coach. If any club had a hard start to the season, TUFC is the one. Darren perserved, as did the players through a miserable Federation Cup, heeded the lessons learned and got started again in the PL Competition. They have been getting better every game. Some team was going to loose points to them, sooner rather than later and it happened last weekend. Darren reckons it was as good as winning a World Cup Final - spot on!
Go here to Download the Podcast:
Head Coach Australian Under 13 Boys, Ante Juric, Talks About Selection and Assessment
Ante Juric, head Coach of the Australian Under 13 Boys team makes some very interesting observations about assessment and selection from the recent Under Boys National Junior Championships.
The Under 13 train on squad, comprising 30 players, held a camp at the AIS to finalise the team to participate in the AFC Festival of Football in Malaysia in about a week. They played our CF HPP Under 14 Boys at the AIS and let me tell you, it was a terrific 90 minutes of football. The HPP Under 14 boys were commented on most favourably by Ante Juric - well done to the Coach, Zoran Glavinic.
Listen for Ante's observation of the playing position most difficult to fill in this group. Interesting!
To download the Podcast go here:
The Under 13 train on squad, comprising 30 players, held a camp at the AIS to finalise the team to participate in the AFC Festival of Football in Malaysia in about a week. They played our CF HPP Under 14 Boys at the AIS and let me tell you, it was a terrific 90 minutes of football. The HPP Under 14 boys were commented on most favourably by Ante Juric - well done to the Coach, Zoran Glavinic.
Listen for Ante's observation of the playing position most difficult to fill in this group. Interesting!
To download the Podcast go here:
Football West Really Do Know How to Do It!
Football West seem to be a very progressive organisation, as evidenced by the standard of their teams during the 2009 and 2010 Under 13 Boys NJC and the WA NTC team in the 2010 NTC Challenge.
But this was too good not to share to it. Football West publish highlights of some of their games, accompanied by excellent commentary. Very professional effort. Its available on You Tube so you can get it anywhere there is an internet connection anywhere in the world. Very smart thinking!
Come on Capital Football, how about doing this for selected games in our Womens and Mens Premier League each week?
But this was too good not to share to it. Football West publish highlights of some of their games, accompanied by excellent commentary. Very professional effort. Its available on You Tube so you can get it anywhere there is an internet connection anywhere in the world. Very smart thinking!
Come on Capital Football, how about doing this for selected games in our Womens and Mens Premier League each week?
How Do Clubs Without A Lot of Money Stay Competitive In The Capital Football Premier League?
One of the most commonly uttered observations by suppporters, officials and players around the Men's Premier League goes something like this - "Its hard to stay competitive if you don't have the money to pay and attract a core of good, experienced players", and, "As soon as we produce good players they go because another club can offer them money to play and we can't". You must have heard them both or something like it.
The fact is that only two PL Clubs, Belconnen United and Canberra FC have their own beautifully prepared ground and licences club to underwrite football operations. They are two terrific "turn key" football operations in the ACT region. Only two! More power to them I say.
But is there another one like them on the horizon? I don't think so.
No surprise then that these well established and resourced clubs attract many of the best local players. There robustness in terms of resources and infrastructure is matched by superior performance on the field, year in and year out. Their playing rosters are usually very good and have depth. They are what we might call a "semi professional" football club in the context of football in the ACT region. What they do is good for football, but not necssarily good for less well resourced PL CLubs. That is the simple reality here in the ACT - well, everywhere football is played!
The question that arises as soon as discussion heads in this direction, is whether Capital Football should intervene by some means and make if easier for all clubs in the PL to complete. That's when things get very tricky!
So where does this apparent divide leave the rest of the PL Clubs in the ACT? Their collective profile goes something like this - No licenced club, no dedicated, owned and maintained ground and facilties; limited sponsorship, tenuous and small revenue streams, massive reliance on volunteers,very limited ability to provide remuneration to players and the ver present danger that the best of their players will be attracted to any other club in the CF competition that can offer a payment. Some of our players can come or go pretty cheaply, so cheaply in fact that its embarrassing, while club loyalty goes out the window. Many of our coaches get little for their efforts.
This financial / resource divide is a constant threat to the stability and competitiveness of the CF Premier League. In tighter financial times, locating signficant sponsors in the ACT region is more akin to searching for the needle in the hay stack. And when it comes its usually not a great amount of money, but clubs are gratefull for anything.
Canteen operations become crucial in covering off on the meagre bottom line, which is why home games are so important to Clubs. The margins are very thin indeed, a fact sometimes lost on football administrators. When a PL club is instructed to move its home game to say Hawker, moving the canteen is a huge task, usually undertaken by the precious few volunteers and just as often with their private transport. Clubs are not support by CF for loss of precious income or additional costs. money leaks quickly from Clubs that are operating on the smell of an oily rag - and that is probably more than not!
Big Clubs (by our standards anyway) can be easily mismanaged, as Club Presidents are quick to point out. And they right to do so. There is ample precedent for concern when it comes to Clubs spending beyond their means to secure players to win premierships. The A league has evidenced a procession of clubs that have become financial basket cases and required assitance to continue. Probably a good thing we never got an A League team in Canberra or it might have drained a very small pond, or wallowed in defeat - but that's another story.
Perhaps the future of Belconnen United FC and Canberra FC is beyond the ACT region PL Competition?
In the meantime, maybe its time to think about leveling the playing field in the CF Premier League just a little bit. Salary caps don't work. What does?
The following article is from the President of Football NSW, which provides a glimmer of hope. Its worth considering.
SALARY CAPS AND PROTECTING CLUBS FROM THEMSELVES
Football NSW has no salary cap on our semi-professional State League competitions. The reason is that we’ve tried it before and know it doesn’t work. Our State League is so competitive, especially at the Premier League level, that some Clubs in the past have used the same ‘inventiveness’ demonstrated by the Melbourne Storm (though on a much reduced scale!) to circumvent such measures.
Even so, we recognize that some Clubs are overspending on players, to the long term detriment of their continuing financial viability and that of the Premier League as a whole. This has a consequential effect on less well off clubs, who must spend perhaps beyond their means just to remain competitive. This goes to the issue of long term financial viability. In short, our senior Clubs must to some extent at least be protected from themselves.
Later last year, Football NSW turned instead to a points system adopted by the AFL in country Victoria to limit spending on players. It is a potentially more effective approach than the largely discredited salary cap. This was implemented for season 2010 for the NSW Premier League. It is intended to be rolled out to all divisions of the State League in the next year or so, and ultimately to all areas of Football NSW where player payments are part of the competition structure.
It works by placing a successively higher points loading on players with higher levels of experience and imposing a limit on the number of points that can be used. In other words, it limits the number of top flight players that can be imported or maintained, thus limiting the market somewhat and thereby driving down financial outlays.
For example, a limit of 120 points was imposed on the two grades (up to 40 players but commonly 35 or 36) that may be registered in the 1st and reserve grade teams of a PL club. At base level, any player with previous PL playing experience (inside out outside a particular PL club) attracts 6 points. This means that at any one time, a PL club that wanted to use all its players with 1st grade experience could only register 20 players. Instead, they are required by the points system to use a combination of top level players and those from lower divisions (2 points) or their own Youth League or from Associations in combination (0 or 1 point)
The benefit of this approach is three fold. First, it requires a balance of experienced and up-and-coming young players – a player development pathway. Second, it is self-perpetuating, so after two years, every player who was with the Club at 1st grade level then attracts 6 points, so renewal from underneath becomes necessary. Thirdly, it limits the number of top (high cost) players who may be signed up before running the risk of topping the 120 points limit. Thus a former A-league player counts for 10 points.
This system is not draconian. We applied it to all of our PL clubs in 2009 and very few, just two or three, overtopped the total allowed points. Maybe we set the bar too low, but we need to ensure that in the experimental year clubs are not deliberately disadvantaged.
The main thing is that the points system is wholly transparent, easy to understand and calculate, and easy to administer. Unlike salary caps. It does not prevent high salaries being paid. But with a limit on the number of top level players that may be used, it surely has the effect of dampening down the number of top level (highly priced) players any one club can register. So the talent is more widely spread, to the advantage of the competition without denying to some better off clubs the ability to register some really top level players.
We believe this to be a much fairer and transparent approach than the now surely largely discredited salary cap approach.
Jim Forrest
27th April, 2010
President
Football NSW
The fact is that only two PL Clubs, Belconnen United and Canberra FC have their own beautifully prepared ground and licences club to underwrite football operations. They are two terrific "turn key" football operations in the ACT region. Only two! More power to them I say.
But is there another one like them on the horizon? I don't think so.
No surprise then that these well established and resourced clubs attract many of the best local players. There robustness in terms of resources and infrastructure is matched by superior performance on the field, year in and year out. Their playing rosters are usually very good and have depth. They are what we might call a "semi professional" football club in the context of football in the ACT region. What they do is good for football, but not necssarily good for less well resourced PL CLubs. That is the simple reality here in the ACT - well, everywhere football is played!
The question that arises as soon as discussion heads in this direction, is whether Capital Football should intervene by some means and make if easier for all clubs in the PL to complete. That's when things get very tricky!
So where does this apparent divide leave the rest of the PL Clubs in the ACT? Their collective profile goes something like this - No licenced club, no dedicated, owned and maintained ground and facilties; limited sponsorship, tenuous and small revenue streams, massive reliance on volunteers,very limited ability to provide remuneration to players and the ver present danger that the best of their players will be attracted to any other club in the CF competition that can offer a payment. Some of our players can come or go pretty cheaply, so cheaply in fact that its embarrassing, while club loyalty goes out the window. Many of our coaches get little for their efforts.
This financial / resource divide is a constant threat to the stability and competitiveness of the CF Premier League. In tighter financial times, locating signficant sponsors in the ACT region is more akin to searching for the needle in the hay stack. And when it comes its usually not a great amount of money, but clubs are gratefull for anything.
Canteen operations become crucial in covering off on the meagre bottom line, which is why home games are so important to Clubs. The margins are very thin indeed, a fact sometimes lost on football administrators. When a PL club is instructed to move its home game to say Hawker, moving the canteen is a huge task, usually undertaken by the precious few volunteers and just as often with their private transport. Clubs are not support by CF for loss of precious income or additional costs. money leaks quickly from Clubs that are operating on the smell of an oily rag - and that is probably more than not!
Big Clubs (by our standards anyway) can be easily mismanaged, as Club Presidents are quick to point out. And they right to do so. There is ample precedent for concern when it comes to Clubs spending beyond their means to secure players to win premierships. The A league has evidenced a procession of clubs that have become financial basket cases and required assitance to continue. Probably a good thing we never got an A League team in Canberra or it might have drained a very small pond, or wallowed in defeat - but that's another story.
Perhaps the future of Belconnen United FC and Canberra FC is beyond the ACT region PL Competition?
In the meantime, maybe its time to think about leveling the playing field in the CF Premier League just a little bit. Salary caps don't work. What does?
The following article is from the President of Football NSW, which provides a glimmer of hope. Its worth considering.
SALARY CAPS AND PROTECTING CLUBS FROM THEMSELVES
Football NSW has no salary cap on our semi-professional State League competitions. The reason is that we’ve tried it before and know it doesn’t work. Our State League is so competitive, especially at the Premier League level, that some Clubs in the past have used the same ‘inventiveness’ demonstrated by the Melbourne Storm (though on a much reduced scale!) to circumvent such measures.
Even so, we recognize that some Clubs are overspending on players, to the long term detriment of their continuing financial viability and that of the Premier League as a whole. This has a consequential effect on less well off clubs, who must spend perhaps beyond their means just to remain competitive. This goes to the issue of long term financial viability. In short, our senior Clubs must to some extent at least be protected from themselves.
Later last year, Football NSW turned instead to a points system adopted by the AFL in country Victoria to limit spending on players. It is a potentially more effective approach than the largely discredited salary cap. This was implemented for season 2010 for the NSW Premier League. It is intended to be rolled out to all divisions of the State League in the next year or so, and ultimately to all areas of Football NSW where player payments are part of the competition structure.
It works by placing a successively higher points loading on players with higher levels of experience and imposing a limit on the number of points that can be used. In other words, it limits the number of top flight players that can be imported or maintained, thus limiting the market somewhat and thereby driving down financial outlays.
For example, a limit of 120 points was imposed on the two grades (up to 40 players but commonly 35 or 36) that may be registered in the 1st and reserve grade teams of a PL club. At base level, any player with previous PL playing experience (inside out outside a particular PL club) attracts 6 points. This means that at any one time, a PL club that wanted to use all its players with 1st grade experience could only register 20 players. Instead, they are required by the points system to use a combination of top level players and those from lower divisions (2 points) or their own Youth League or from Associations in combination (0 or 1 point)
The benefit of this approach is three fold. First, it requires a balance of experienced and up-and-coming young players – a player development pathway. Second, it is self-perpetuating, so after two years, every player who was with the Club at 1st grade level then attracts 6 points, so renewal from underneath becomes necessary. Thirdly, it limits the number of top (high cost) players who may be signed up before running the risk of topping the 120 points limit. Thus a former A-league player counts for 10 points.
This system is not draconian. We applied it to all of our PL clubs in 2009 and very few, just two or three, overtopped the total allowed points. Maybe we set the bar too low, but we need to ensure that in the experimental year clubs are not deliberately disadvantaged.
The main thing is that the points system is wholly transparent, easy to understand and calculate, and easy to administer. Unlike salary caps. It does not prevent high salaries being paid. But with a limit on the number of top level players that may be used, it surely has the effect of dampening down the number of top level (highly priced) players any one club can register. So the talent is more widely spread, to the advantage of the competition without denying to some better off clubs the ability to register some really top level players.
We believe this to be a much fairer and transparent approach than the now surely largely discredited salary cap approach.
Jim Forrest
27th April, 2010
President
Football NSW
Congratulations to BSU Student Employee of the Year
You may have seen him around the library keeping our lab computers running smoothly. Jon has worked as Lab Manager for the last two years while pursuing his Computer Science and Math degrees. He has demonstrated not only the advanced technical skills required by the position but he also brings to the job a terrific attitude -- he's courteous, patient, and positive, and best of all he's always attentive to the needs of library coworkers, faculty, and students.
He has far exceeded expectations in every area. Jon is Albertsons Library's first recipient of the award, and we're lucky to have him on our team.
Congratulations, Jon!
The Messianic Secret
In 1901, William Wrede publish a book that we call in English The Messianic Secret. He called attention to passages, particularly in Mark, in which Jesus tried to conceal his deeds and identity, or in other ways tried to escape the public eye. Wrede's book was very controversial in its own time, and the passages to which he called attention continue to be the subject of debate even today. These passages, or some combination of them, are generally thought to represent a more or less unified theme in Mark called the "messianic secret." I have a new book on the messianic secret coming out in October of this year. Actually, to say that the book is about the messianic secret is a bit misleading, because part of what I'm arguing is that the term "messianic secret" is not culturally appropriate for first-century Mediterranean people. The texts associated with this motif are really about honor and shame. It's been a fascinating topic to research and about which to write. If you want to check out the book, click on this link.
Head Coach Tuggeranong Celebrates A Big Win and Coach of Australian Under 13 Boys team Talks About Selection
This program was broadcast on 2xxfm, 98.3mhz, Tuesday 18 May 2010 at 7:00pm, through the Australian Community Radio Network.
Tonight we speak to Darren Viskovic, Head Coach of Tuggeranong United FC and review their first win of the season against the powerhouse club Belconnen United FC. What a win that was - "ggod as winning a world cup final" says Darren. Whi could argue with that!
Then its on to our first interview with Ante Juric, the Coach of the Australian Under 13 Boys team which leaves next week to campaign in the AFC Festival of Football in Malaysia. Ante is a Canberra FC product, a Socceroo, Olyroo and Young Socceroo, a professional player for 13 years and is now a teacher and Head of Football in the prestigious Sydney private school, Trinity Grammar. How's that for a start on the CV. But its about the recent Under 13 National Junior Championships that we speak to Ante, where he served as a member of the FFA's Techncial Assessment Group. We talk about coaches, the selection of players and the sort of things he is looking for at this age. Good stuff for all junior / youth coaches.
Go here to Download the Podcast
Tonight we speak to Darren Viskovic, Head Coach of Tuggeranong United FC and review their first win of the season against the powerhouse club Belconnen United FC. What a win that was - "ggod as winning a world cup final" says Darren. Whi could argue with that!
Then its on to our first interview with Ante Juric, the Coach of the Australian Under 13 Boys team which leaves next week to campaign in the AFC Festival of Football in Malaysia. Ante is a Canberra FC product, a Socceroo, Olyroo and Young Socceroo, a professional player for 13 years and is now a teacher and Head of Football in the prestigious Sydney private school, Trinity Grammar. How's that for a start on the CV. But its about the recent Under 13 National Junior Championships that we speak to Ante, where he served as a member of the FFA's Techncial Assessment Group. We talk about coaches, the selection of players and the sort of things he is looking for at this age. Good stuff for all junior / youth coaches.
Go here to Download the Podcast
Olson Rug Memorial Park, 1935-1970s
The McIntyres left the west side of Chicago for the lake front in 1967 but when they heard they were closing Olsen Park, they took a nostalgic trip back so they could have one more walk up near the waterfalls.
Womens Premier League 2010 Results - Round 6
Weston Creek 6 (Jessie Pritchard (2), Aleisha Tupper (2), Bridget Meli, Amanda Aurousseau) v Brindabella Blues 1 (Ellen Hearder)
Belwest Foxes 5 (Tahlia Stanley, Cian Maciejewski, Snez Veljanovska, Georgia Chapman, Hope Wilkins) v ANU FC 0
Woden Valley 3 (Grace Field (2), Ashleigh Palombi) v Belconnen United 1 (Caitlin Munoz)
Canberra FC 5 (Aurelia Bullot (2), Rebecca Kiting, Monique Solar, Hayley McQuire) v Tuggeranong United 2 (Julie Ibarra, Sophie Black)
Belwest Foxes 5 (Tahlia Stanley, Cian Maciejewski, Snez Veljanovska, Georgia Chapman, Hope Wilkins) v ANU FC 0
Woden Valley 3 (Grace Field (2), Ashleigh Palombi) v Belconnen United 1 (Caitlin Munoz)
Canberra FC 5 (Aurelia Bullot (2), Rebecca Kiting, Monique Solar, Hayley McQuire) v Tuggeranong United 2 (Julie Ibarra, Sophie Black)
Mens Premier League 2010 Results - Round 5
Round 5 has turned the competition on its head - again!
Belconnen United 1 (Cameron Reinhart 65’) v Tuggeranong United 2 (Alex Webber 5’, 82’)
Woden Valley 1 (Carlos Salazar 26’) v ANU FC 2 (Mohsen Ravanparsa 9’, Ryan Jones 90+4’ (pen))
Goulburn Strikers 0 v Cooma Tigers 0
Monaro Panthers 0 v Canberra FC 4 (Ian Graham 21’, Alex Castro 69’, 90’, Adam Spaleta 89’)
Canberra Olympic 0 v Canberra City 2 (Simon Gemmell 38', Rob Perry 90')
Belconnen United 1 (Cameron Reinhart 65’) v Tuggeranong United 2 (Alex Webber 5’, 82’)
Woden Valley 1 (Carlos Salazar 26’) v ANU FC 2 (Mohsen Ravanparsa 9’, Ryan Jones 90+4’ (pen))
Goulburn Strikers 0 v Cooma Tigers 0
Monaro Panthers 0 v Canberra FC 4 (Ian Graham 21’, Alex Castro 69’, 90’, Adam Spaleta 89’)
Canberra Olympic 0 v Canberra City 2 (Simon Gemmell 38', Rob Perry 90')
Qantas Australian Under 13 Boys National Team Announced
I got this one off the Football Federation Victoria website. Seems Capital Football didn't think this was worth announcing - why - just because we (ACT) weren't able to get a player into the initial train on squad? The game is bigger than that and people are interested!
While the Australian U13 train on squad was in camp a couple of weeks ago at the AIS, I had a chance to see them trial against our Under 14 Boys squad (which of course did not have the depth of playing strength as their opponents). Since then I have met numerous people who wuld have made the effrot to see them play. People are interested and where they acan they will attend because they know their is a real chance of seeing something a bit special. And so it was! And let me tell this - our lads did particularly well! They played 3 x 30 minutes of football on a beautiful evening for football at the AIS on grass, against the best in Australia at theU13 age level. Itw as the place to be if you wanted to see good football, good coaching and an exemplar for the 1-4-3-3 system of play. The step up in performance from 2009 among the U13 boys was obvious. It was an evening of some of the best football I have seen for a long while. Our U14 boys seem tobe well on track for a competitive performance at their National Junior Championships.
Qantas Australian Under 13 Boys Football Team
Qantas Australian Under 13 Boys National Team Head Coach, Ante Juric has selected a squad of 22 for the tournament, which will be held in Sabah, Malaysia from the 24th May to 6th June 2010.
Juric initially identified the players at the 2010 FFA National Junior Championships for Boys and made his final selection at a training camp which was recently held in Canberra.
Juric was very happy with selection process and the calibre of all the players involved.
“The recent selection camp was very successful and allowed us to gauge the performance of the players within the system that we will use at the tournament,” Juric said.
“I’m very happy with the final group of players that we have selected with all possessing a high level of technical ability.
“Having been to the tournament last year, it will be much tougher this time due to us taking a younger team, but this is something that will be prepared for and above all it will be a great learning experience for the boys,” concluded Juric.
FFA National Technical Director Han Berger was also pleased with the standard of the players selected.
“Again we have a good group of talented players that will represent Australia in Asia,” Berger said.
“But as with anything in relation to football development, there is always room for improvement.
“Later this year we will launch a new free skills acquisition program around the country using highly trained coaches that will help raise the technical ability of players leading into this National Team age group, which is an important step in the Talented Player Pathway.
“Another issue that we will be addressing in conjunction with the implementation of the skills acquisition program is that we feel there are a large number of talented players who we have not identified because they are currently outside the system.
“It is important that all players have the opportunity to have their talents identified for potential future selection in national teams such as this one,” concluded Berger.
The Qantas Australian Under 13 Boys National Team will depart Australia on the 29th May and will learn their opponents shortly before their opening match on the 2nd June.
Qantas Australian Under 13 Boys Football Team
Player Name - Club - State / Territory
Bai Antoniou - West Sydney Berries - NSW – Metropolitan 1
Adam Berry - Blacktown City FC - NSW – Metropolitan 2
Nathan Bertolissio - West Sydney Berries - NSW – Metropolitan 1
Antonee Burke – Gilroy - Newcastle Football - Northern NSW
Daniel DeSilva - Stirling Lions - Western Australia
Anthony Duzel - Melbourne Knights - Victoria – Metropolitan
Milan Egic - Gold Coast Football - Queensland
Scott Halliday - Football Brisbane - Queensland
Anthony Kalik - Manly United FC - NSW – Metropolitan 2
Anthony Krkovski - Sutherland FC - NSW – Metropolitan 1
Steve Kuzmanovski - Sydney Olympic - NSW – Metropolitan 2
Martin Lo - Project 22 - NSW – Metropolitan 1
Austin Ludwik - Gold Coast Football - Queensland
Ross Millard - ECU Joondalup - Western Australia
Connor O’Toole - Project 22 - NSW – Metropolitan 2
Jordan Pokler - Perth City - Western Australia
Liam Rose - Sydney United FC - NSW – Metropolitan 1
Lucas Spinella - Bulleen - Victoria – Metropolitan
Matthew Stewart - Marconi Stallions FC - NSW – Metropolitan 2
Jacob Tarasenko - Broadmeadow - Northern NSW
Lachlan Wales - Manly United FC - NSW – Metropolitan 2
Thomas Waller - Macquarie - Northern NSW
While the Australian U13 train on squad was in camp a couple of weeks ago at the AIS, I had a chance to see them trial against our Under 14 Boys squad (which of course did not have the depth of playing strength as their opponents). Since then I have met numerous people who wuld have made the effrot to see them play. People are interested and where they acan they will attend because they know their is a real chance of seeing something a bit special. And so it was! And let me tell this - our lads did particularly well! They played 3 x 30 minutes of football on a beautiful evening for football at the AIS on grass, against the best in Australia at theU13 age level. Itw as the place to be if you wanted to see good football, good coaching and an exemplar for the 1-4-3-3 system of play. The step up in performance from 2009 among the U13 boys was obvious. It was an evening of some of the best football I have seen for a long while. Our U14 boys seem tobe well on track for a competitive performance at their National Junior Championships.
Qantas Australian Under 13 Boys Football Team
Qantas Australian Under 13 Boys National Team Head Coach, Ante Juric has selected a squad of 22 for the tournament, which will be held in Sabah, Malaysia from the 24th May to 6th June 2010.
Juric initially identified the players at the 2010 FFA National Junior Championships for Boys and made his final selection at a training camp which was recently held in Canberra.
Juric was very happy with selection process and the calibre of all the players involved.
“The recent selection camp was very successful and allowed us to gauge the performance of the players within the system that we will use at the tournament,” Juric said.
“I’m very happy with the final group of players that we have selected with all possessing a high level of technical ability.
“Having been to the tournament last year, it will be much tougher this time due to us taking a younger team, but this is something that will be prepared for and above all it will be a great learning experience for the boys,” concluded Juric.
FFA National Technical Director Han Berger was also pleased with the standard of the players selected.
“Again we have a good group of talented players that will represent Australia in Asia,” Berger said.
“But as with anything in relation to football development, there is always room for improvement.
“Later this year we will launch a new free skills acquisition program around the country using highly trained coaches that will help raise the technical ability of players leading into this National Team age group, which is an important step in the Talented Player Pathway.
“Another issue that we will be addressing in conjunction with the implementation of the skills acquisition program is that we feel there are a large number of talented players who we have not identified because they are currently outside the system.
“It is important that all players have the opportunity to have their talents identified for potential future selection in national teams such as this one,” concluded Berger.
The Qantas Australian Under 13 Boys National Team will depart Australia on the 29th May and will learn their opponents shortly before their opening match on the 2nd June.
Qantas Australian Under 13 Boys Football Team
Player Name - Club - State / Territory
Bai Antoniou - West Sydney Berries - NSW – Metropolitan 1
Adam Berry - Blacktown City FC - NSW – Metropolitan 2
Nathan Bertolissio - West Sydney Berries - NSW – Metropolitan 1
Antonee Burke – Gilroy - Newcastle Football - Northern NSW
Daniel DeSilva - Stirling Lions - Western Australia
Anthony Duzel - Melbourne Knights - Victoria – Metropolitan
Milan Egic - Gold Coast Football - Queensland
Scott Halliday - Football Brisbane - Queensland
Anthony Kalik - Manly United FC - NSW – Metropolitan 2
Anthony Krkovski - Sutherland FC - NSW – Metropolitan 1
Steve Kuzmanovski - Sydney Olympic - NSW – Metropolitan 2
Martin Lo - Project 22 - NSW – Metropolitan 1
Austin Ludwik - Gold Coast Football - Queensland
Ross Millard - ECU Joondalup - Western Australia
Connor O’Toole - Project 22 - NSW – Metropolitan 2
Jordan Pokler - Perth City - Western Australia
Liam Rose - Sydney United FC - NSW – Metropolitan 1
Lucas Spinella - Bulleen - Victoria – Metropolitan
Matthew Stewart - Marconi Stallions FC - NSW – Metropolitan 2
Jacob Tarasenko - Broadmeadow - Northern NSW
Lachlan Wales - Manly United FC - NSW – Metropolitan 2
Thomas Waller - Macquarie - Northern NSW
Summer Hours at the Library
The Albertsons Library will be open until 5:00 pm today, Friday, May 14. We will be closed on Saturday, May 15 and Sunday, May 16.
Our Summer hours start on Monday, May 17 when we will be open from 7AM to 7PM. Please refer to our friendly calendar for the Summer semester schedule.
Congratulations to all our graduates, and have a great Summer!
Womens Premier League Fixtures 2010 - Round 6
Sunday 16th May 2010
Belconnen United v Woden Valley - (Kaleen Enclosed 2), kick off 14:00
Belwest Foxes v ANU WFC - (Kaleen Enclosed 1), kick off 14:00
Canberra FC v Tuggeranong United - (Deakin Stadium), kick off 14:00
Brindabella Blues v Weston Creek - (Calwell 2-3), kick off 14:00
In addition:
Rescheduled – Round 3
Tuesday 18th May 2010
ANU WFC v Tuggeranong United - (Hawker Football Centre), kick off 20:00
The Table (team placing and points) prior to Round 6 and the rescheduled Round 3 game is as follows:
1 Belwest Foxes 15
2 Woden Valley 9
3 Canberra FC 7
4 Belconnen United 5
5 Weston Creek 5
6 Tuggeranong United 4
7 ANU WFC 3
8 Brindabella Blues 0
Belconnen United v Woden Valley - (Kaleen Enclosed 2), kick off 14:00
Belwest Foxes v ANU WFC - (Kaleen Enclosed 1), kick off 14:00
Canberra FC v Tuggeranong United - (Deakin Stadium), kick off 14:00
Brindabella Blues v Weston Creek - (Calwell 2-3), kick off 14:00
In addition:
Rescheduled – Round 3
Tuesday 18th May 2010
ANU WFC v Tuggeranong United - (Hawker Football Centre), kick off 20:00
The Table (team placing and points) prior to Round 6 and the rescheduled Round 3 game is as follows:
1 Belwest Foxes 15
2 Woden Valley 9
3 Canberra FC 7
4 Belconnen United 5
5 Weston Creek 5
6 Tuggeranong United 4
7 ANU WFC 3
8 Brindabella Blues 0
Mens Premier League Fixtures 2010 - Round 5
Friday 14th May 2010
Woden Valley v ANU FC - (Hawker Football Centre), kick off 20:00
Saturday 15th May 2010
Belconnen United v Tuggeranong United - (McKellar Park), kick off 18:00
Sunday 16th May 2010
Monaro Panthers v Canberra FC - (Riverside Stadium), kick off 15:00
Goulburn Strikers v Cooma Tigers - (Cookbundoon), kick off 15:00
Canberra Olympic v Canberra City - (Hawker Football Centre), kick off 17:00
This is the table (team placing and points)prior to Round 5:
1 Canberra FC 10
2 Belconnen United 10
3 Monaro Panthers 7
4 Canberra Olympic 7
5 Canberra City 7
6 Goulburn Strikers 6
7 Cooma Tigers 4
8 Woden Valley 3
9 ANU FC 0
10 Tuggeranong United 0
Woden Valley v ANU FC - (Hawker Football Centre), kick off 20:00
Saturday 15th May 2010
Belconnen United v Tuggeranong United - (McKellar Park), kick off 18:00
Sunday 16th May 2010
Monaro Panthers v Canberra FC - (Riverside Stadium), kick off 15:00
Goulburn Strikers v Cooma Tigers - (Cookbundoon), kick off 15:00
Canberra Olympic v Canberra City - (Hawker Football Centre), kick off 17:00
This is the table (team placing and points)prior to Round 5:
1 Canberra FC 10
2 Belconnen United 10
3 Monaro Panthers 7
4 Canberra Olympic 7
5 Canberra City 7
6 Goulburn Strikers 6
7 Cooma Tigers 4
8 Woden Valley 3
9 ANU FC 0
10 Tuggeranong United 0
Overuse injuries - what they are, why they occur and how to stop them
This artile is sourced from http://www.footy4kids.co.uk/
Overuse injuries - what they are, why they occur and how to stop them
Dr. Michael Busch, Orthopedic Surgeon, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta
The [child's] body [is] a lot like a paperclip. If you just keep bending it over and over and over again, eventually that paperclip is going to break".
What are overuse injuries?
Overuse injuries in youth soccer usually result from repetitive forces that cause 'micro trauma'. Damaged tissues become inflamed, causing swelling and a loss of function. Continuing to exercise leads to a vicious cycle and the injury becomes chronic.
Occasionally, children can suffer even more serious injuries (such as fractures) as a direct result of too much coaching. Especially if it is combined with a punishing programme of match play.
Too much soccer coaching and match play (and, more importantly, the wrong type of coaching) can cause serious, long-lasting injuries to children. This is simply because a child's body is not fully developed and is unable to withstand repeated impact, even if that impact is simply from running for a long time on hard or uneven ground.
How common are overuse injuries?
Overuse injuries are responsible for almost 30% of the injuries in soccer and range from mild tendinitis (swelling of a tendon) to a stress fracture.
What damage can be caused by too much coaching and/or match play?
1. The inflammation, or even fracture, of a child's delicate 'growth plates' (tissue at the ends of growing bones). Fractured growth plates are not only painful, they can result in a bone that stops growing.
2. Knee pain caused by soreness and swelling from inflammation of the tendon or cartilage under the kneecap.
3. Spondylolysis - persistent lower back pain caused by trauma, or from repetitive flexing, twisting, or over extension of the back muscles.
4. Osgood-Schlatter's disease (apophysitis) - a painful bump where the kneecap tendon attaches to the shin bone.
Risk factors
A child is especially vulnerable to overuse injuries while going through growth spurts (bones growing quicker than the connecting tendons). This usually occurs between the ages of 10-14 for girls and 12-16 for boys.
Having pushy parents doesn't help! Andre Agassi used to have a tennis racket taped to his hand when he was just two years old, and a tennis ball suspended above his cot for something to 'fix his eyes on'.
That may be an extreme example. But parents of young soccer players can also become over concerned with their child's success, and encourage them to train too hard before their bodies (and minds) are strong enough to withstand the pressure.
In addition, poor quality coaching can lead to overuse injuries. Children shouldn't be treated as though they are mini adults (no laps please!). While failure to warm up and cool down young players properly can greatly increase the risk of an overuse injury.
Coaches have to put their players' health before trophies. Don't get your players in for lots of extra training sessions just because you have got a cup final coming up! If you do, that cup final could be their last.
The danger signs
You just need to be sensible, watchful and treat children as individuals.
How to minimise the risk
How to treat overuse injuries
Rest and, if appropriate, use ice to reduce inflammation or compression wraps to reduce swelling. Always get medical advice at the earliest opportunity.
References
Overuse injuries - what they are, why they occur and how to stop them
Dr. Michael Busch, Orthopedic Surgeon, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta
The [child's] body [is] a lot like a paperclip. If you just keep bending it over and over and over again, eventually that paperclip is going to break".
What are overuse injuries?
Overuse injuries in youth soccer usually result from repetitive forces that cause 'micro trauma'. Damaged tissues become inflamed, causing swelling and a loss of function. Continuing to exercise leads to a vicious cycle and the injury becomes chronic.
Occasionally, children can suffer even more serious injuries (such as fractures) as a direct result of too much coaching. Especially if it is combined with a punishing programme of match play.
Too much soccer coaching and match play (and, more importantly, the wrong type of coaching) can cause serious, long-lasting injuries to children. This is simply because a child's body is not fully developed and is unable to withstand repeated impact, even if that impact is simply from running for a long time on hard or uneven ground.
How common are overuse injuries?
Overuse injuries are responsible for almost 30% of the injuries in soccer and range from mild tendinitis (swelling of a tendon) to a stress fracture.
What damage can be caused by too much coaching and/or match play?
1. The inflammation, or even fracture, of a child's delicate 'growth plates' (tissue at the ends of growing bones). Fractured growth plates are not only painful, they can result in a bone that stops growing.
2. Knee pain caused by soreness and swelling from inflammation of the tendon or cartilage under the kneecap.
3. Spondylolysis - persistent lower back pain caused by trauma, or from repetitive flexing, twisting, or over extension of the back muscles.
4. Osgood-Schlatter's disease (apophysitis) - a painful bump where the kneecap tendon attaches to the shin bone.
Risk factors
A child is especially vulnerable to overuse injuries while going through growth spurts (bones growing quicker than the connecting tendons). This usually occurs between the ages of 10-14 for girls and 12-16 for boys.
Having pushy parents doesn't help! Andre Agassi used to have a tennis racket taped to his hand when he was just two years old, and a tennis ball suspended above his cot for something to 'fix his eyes on'.
That may be an extreme example. But parents of young soccer players can also become over concerned with their child's success, and encourage them to train too hard before their bodies (and minds) are strong enough to withstand the pressure.
In addition, poor quality coaching can lead to overuse injuries. Children shouldn't be treated as though they are mini adults (no laps please!). While failure to warm up and cool down young players properly can greatly increase the risk of an overuse injury.
Coaches have to put their players' health before trophies. Don't get your players in for lots of extra training sessions just because you have got a cup final coming up! If you do, that cup final could be their last.
The danger signs
- Reluctance to attend practice sessions
- Sudden deterioration in performance
- Getting tired easily
- Becoming impatient or arguing with team mates
- Repeated minor injuries and pain that doesn't go away
How much is too much
Not a great deal of hard data is available on this subject. That is because large groups of children would have to be put through an increasingly punishing schedule of coaching to see how long it takes them to collapse. I don't think many parents would be willing to allow their kids to perform such tests! You just need to be sensible, watchful and treat children as individuals.
How to minimise the risk
- Modify or stop training during growth spurts.
- Don't force children to take part in sports they are patently unsuited to for reasons of physique or temperament.
- Make sure all young players are adequately warmed up before exercise and cooled down afterwards.
- Children should never be told to 'run it off' - even minor injuries need to be properly treated.
How to treat overuse injuries
Rest and, if appropriate, use ice to reduce inflammation or compression wraps to reduce swelling. Always get medical advice at the earliest opportunity.
References
- Federation of Holistic Therapists
- Briggs, James: Children in Sport / Child Abuse in Sport. Sports Therapy: Theoretical and Practical Thoughts and Considerations, 2001
Theology and Down Syndrome
Stick to it!
All the great teachers encourage learning of new skills but they also encourage dedication ot what you do best.
The Golden Dawn members said find a type of divination that is easiest and best done by your hand and use it. This means that if your skills in Tarot are considered a mastery by many and you find a sort of friendship and comfort in your tarot deck, then stick to it rather than struggle and fight to learn how to read tea leaves and crystal balls.
I have learned thsi lesson fairly well after studying tarot, beating my head against the wall called Numerology, and tortured myself and a poor pendulum for hours I have returned to my original ways: scrying via dark mirror or sphere.
Recently, fate and spirits have given me a little bit of an abrupt love-tap as I stepped into Three of Cups, a local Botanica. Looking at the herbs and curios, I found myself standing before a jewel case holding crystal balls and wands. My eyes and full attention were drwn to a dark orb about the sixe of my fist that looked to be ring upon ring of black, green, gray, and smoky midnight blue.
If you have ever felt the tug of something that resonates with your very core, you will understand how I felt as my heart core vibrated madly and my every thought cried out, "Thats Mine!"
Sadly, the sphere was a little expensive, being made of Ranbow Obsidian with few marks. I let it be, thinking of my pocketbook.
A week or so later, I returned to Three of Cups and was again in front of the jewel case, looking down at the rainbow obsidian which continued to call to me.
A dear friend of mine gave me a jarring boost to buy the stone. He said that if I didnt buy it, then there would be a chance that someone else would buy it and might use it without the dear respect it deserves...someone who I did not feel much liking towards.
So I bought the stone and overcame some hesitations I had towards scrying. Now I realize that I have a natural affinity towards this form of divination and have been a fool to turn from it as I have for more worldly accepted forms, for forms that people happily pay to have done.
Please take heed and do what your soul calls for and do not shun it.
The Golden Dawn members said find a type of divination that is easiest and best done by your hand and use it. This means that if your skills in Tarot are considered a mastery by many and you find a sort of friendship and comfort in your tarot deck, then stick to it rather than struggle and fight to learn how to read tea leaves and crystal balls.
I have learned thsi lesson fairly well after studying tarot, beating my head against the wall called Numerology, and tortured myself and a poor pendulum for hours I have returned to my original ways: scrying via dark mirror or sphere.
Recently, fate and spirits have given me a little bit of an abrupt love-tap as I stepped into Three of Cups, a local Botanica. Looking at the herbs and curios, I found myself standing before a jewel case holding crystal balls and wands. My eyes and full attention were drwn to a dark orb about the sixe of my fist that looked to be ring upon ring of black, green, gray, and smoky midnight blue.
If you have ever felt the tug of something that resonates with your very core, you will understand how I felt as my heart core vibrated madly and my every thought cried out, "Thats Mine!"
Sadly, the sphere was a little expensive, being made of Ranbow Obsidian with few marks. I let it be, thinking of my pocketbook.
A week or so later, I returned to Three of Cups and was again in front of the jewel case, looking down at the rainbow obsidian which continued to call to me.
A dear friend of mine gave me a jarring boost to buy the stone. He said that if I didnt buy it, then there would be a chance that someone else would buy it and might use it without the dear respect it deserves...someone who I did not feel much liking towards.
So I bought the stone and overcame some hesitations I had towards scrying. Now I realize that I have a natural affinity towards this form of divination and have been a fool to turn from it as I have for more worldly accepted forms, for forms that people happily pay to have done.
Please take heed and do what your soul calls for and do not shun it.
Australia’s 2010 FIFA World Cup Squad has been announced!
I looked in vain for my name, not there, no phone call or email, but I can dream! Hell, I'd carry the oranges. My son reminds me as I write, in between bursts of loud laughter, that most prefer orange sports drink. Is nothing sacred!
My colleague, Eamonn Flanagan and his side kicks, Paddy and Lucy have had a lot to say about the composition of the squad. They've come pretty close to the mark. Go to www.nearpost.blogspot.com for the Nearpost National program Podcast and tune in next Tuesday at 6:30PM on 2xxfm (98.3mhz)- they'll have lots to say about this subject.
So here it is - away the lads!!!
Preliminary squad in full
Michael BEAUCHAMP (Al-Jazira Club, UAE)
Mark BRESCIANO (U.S. Citta di Palermo, Italy)
Tim CAHILL (Everton FC, England)
Nick CARLE (Crystal Palace, England)
David CARNEY (FC Twente, Netherlands)
Scott CHIPPERFIELD (FC Basel, Switzerland)
Jason CULINA (Gold Coast United, Australia)
Brett EMERTON (Blackburn Rovers, England)
Adam FEDERICI (Reading FC, England)
Eugene GALEKOVIC* (Adelaide United, Australia)
Richard GARCIA (Hull City, England)
Vincenzo GRELLA (Blackburn Rovers, England)
James HOLLAND (AZ Alkmaar, Netherlands)
Brett HOLMAN (AZ Alkmaar, Netherlands)
Mile JEDINAK (Antalyaspor Kulubu, Turkey)
Brad JONES (Middlesbrough FC, England)
Josh KENNEDY (Nagoya Grampus, Japan)
Harry KEWELL (Galatasaray SK, Turkey)
Shane LOWRY (Aston Villa FC, England)
Scott MCDONALD (Middlesbrough FC, England)
Mark MILLIGAN (JEF United, Japan)
Craig MOORE (Uncontracted)
Lucas NEILL (Galatasaray SK, Turkey)
Jade NORTH (Tromsø, Norway)
Tom OAR (FC Utrecht, Netherlands)
Nikita RUKAVYTSYA (FC Twente, Netherlands)
Mark SCHWARZER (Fulham FC, England)
Carl VALERI (U.S. Sassuolo Calcio, Italy)
Dario VIDOSIC (FC Nurnberg, Germany)
Luke WILKSHIRE (FK Dinamo Moscow, Russia)
Rhys WILLIAMS (Middlesbrough FC, England)
On the 24th of May, the Qantas Socceroos will play the New Zealand All-Whites who have also qualified for the 2010 FIFA World Cup(TM). This vital game is key to both teams preparation in building tactics and improving their match fitness before setting off to South Africa.
My colleague, Eamonn Flanagan and his side kicks, Paddy and Lucy have had a lot to say about the composition of the squad. They've come pretty close to the mark. Go to www.nearpost.blogspot.com for the Nearpost National program Podcast and tune in next Tuesday at 6:30PM on 2xxfm (98.3mhz)- they'll have lots to say about this subject.
So here it is - away the lads!!!
Preliminary squad in full
Michael BEAUCHAMP (Al-Jazira Club, UAE)
Mark BRESCIANO (U.S. Citta di Palermo, Italy)
Tim CAHILL (Everton FC, England)
Nick CARLE (Crystal Palace, England)
David CARNEY (FC Twente, Netherlands)
Scott CHIPPERFIELD (FC Basel, Switzerland)
Jason CULINA (Gold Coast United, Australia)
Brett EMERTON (Blackburn Rovers, England)
Adam FEDERICI (Reading FC, England)
Eugene GALEKOVIC* (Adelaide United, Australia)
Richard GARCIA (Hull City, England)
Vincenzo GRELLA (Blackburn Rovers, England)
James HOLLAND (AZ Alkmaar, Netherlands)
Brett HOLMAN (AZ Alkmaar, Netherlands)
Mile JEDINAK (Antalyaspor Kulubu, Turkey)
Brad JONES (Middlesbrough FC, England)
Josh KENNEDY (Nagoya Grampus, Japan)
Harry KEWELL (Galatasaray SK, Turkey)
Shane LOWRY (Aston Villa FC, England)
Scott MCDONALD (Middlesbrough FC, England)
Mark MILLIGAN (JEF United, Japan)
Craig MOORE (Uncontracted)
Lucas NEILL (Galatasaray SK, Turkey)
Jade NORTH (Tromsø, Norway)
Tom OAR (FC Utrecht, Netherlands)
Nikita RUKAVYTSYA (FC Twente, Netherlands)
Mark SCHWARZER (Fulham FC, England)
Carl VALERI (U.S. Sassuolo Calcio, Italy)
Dario VIDOSIC (FC Nurnberg, Germany)
Luke WILKSHIRE (FK Dinamo Moscow, Russia)
Rhys WILLIAMS (Middlesbrough FC, England)
On the 24th of May, the Qantas Socceroos will play the New Zealand All-Whites who have also qualified for the 2010 FIFA World Cup(TM). This vital game is key to both teams preparation in building tactics and improving their match fitness before setting off to South Africa.
Is This the Worst Miss Ever?
I think the handball is the least of this player's problems - but then to complain to the Ref!!!
Just embarrassed I guess. Probably French!
Just embarrassed I guess. Probably French!
President Goulburn Strikers and Head Coach Belconnen United Talk about the Thriller at Cookbundoon
Its terrific when important people in Football in our region are prepared to share their thoughts about the game.
Shane Wilson and Scott Colon are always willing to make themselves to us all through the NPL. Both are straight shooters!
This game was probably deserving of a centre piece article in the Canaberra Times. You venture to Cookbundoon and McKellar at your peril and you had better bring your "A" grade game to the ground! We'll all here more of these two teams in 2010 - both hghly competitive and splendly different in character.
This game was one in the 93rd minute of play. Doesn't get much closer than that.
Go here for the Podcast:
Shane Wilson and Scott Colon are always willing to make themselves to us all through the NPL. Both are straight shooters!
This game was probably deserving of a centre piece article in the Canaberra Times. You venture to Cookbundoon and McKellar at your peril and you had better bring your "A" grade game to the ground! We'll all here more of these two teams in 2010 - both hghly competitive and splendly different in character.
This game was one in the 93rd minute of play. Doesn't get much closer than that.
Go here for the Podcast:
A Thriller AT Cookbundoon, No Thriller At O'Connor Enclosed, Woden Valley SC Under 15 Boys Tour Germany
This program was broadcast Tuesday, 11 May 2010 at 7:00PM on 2xxfm, 98.3mhz ont he Australian Community Radio Network.
In this program we capture some of the drama of Round 4 of the Mens Premier League. Must have been something in the air last weekend!
The Head Coach of Belconnen, Scott Conlon and President of Goulburn Strikers, Shane Wilson give their thoughts on the thriller at Cookbundoon.
The President of the Monaro Panthers expresses his disappointment at the failure to play the scheduled Premier League game against ANU and rejection of the suggestion in the Canberra Times that his club did forfiet the game.
The Woden Valley SC Under 15 Div 1 boys team is off on a football tour in Germany. Its been years in the planning and fundraising. Every Club should do this every year.
Go here for the Podcast:
We are at Round 4 in the Mens Pl and Round 5 in the Womens PL. we have reached that point in this competition where the teams begin to shake out on the ladder. Games lost at this time in the season usually become a cause for regret late in the second half of the season as finals positions become the firm objective. Its never a good idea to get to the latter part of the season and hope that others have wins or loses in order for your team to get safe passage. That’s not football, its something else.
Clubs feel the loss or draw and the pressure begins to mount on match officials to minimise the errors of judgement on the field. But like players, refs make mistakes.
The Men’s PL is a case in point – this last weekend the results were diabolically close and with that, a fair share of drama:
• Belco v GS was a very late 3:2 win to Belco
• Tuggeranong v Olympic was a remarkably close 1:0 win to Olympic
• Cooma v CFC was a draw
• Canberra City v Owden Valley was a very , very late win to CC 2:1
And then there was ANU v Monaro. This was a game that warranted attention, as ANU have not earned a point and Monaro have been riding a wave of success. Surprise, surpise the game was cancelled – well to put it more accurately – the ANU home ground was not to PL standard for the Refs to allow play, the PL18 did not play, ANU made managed to gain access to Hawker Enclosed later that day and game start times were bumped back and not much ability to inform supporters, the footballing public or sponsors of the change. Monaro agreed the Pathways could play as they were already to hand at O’Connor Enclosed and could move to the new location. The Pathways game was played at Hawker at a later time than scheduled. However, Monaro declined to play the PL fixture, believing this to be an unsuitable arrangement overall for a PL fixture and preferring to play at another day/time. ANU had in its view done all that it could on the day to relocate the game and believe that was what was required of it by Capital Football. Accordingly, ANU PL team marched out ready to play at Hawker and match officials were obliged to call a close to the game – ANU claimed a forfeit. Two good Clubs who play different but entertaining football now at loggerheads. Both Clubs are represented by smart people in football so no doubt common sense will prevail. What a mess!
Then right on que, the Canberra Times, which gives only the sparing coverage to PL Football got the headline it was looking for – it read “Non – playing Panthers face punishment”. Neither correct nor helpful to either Club. It’s a pity they got the story. Whoever did that din;t help the situation one bit. Instead of reporting any number of good games in the ACT football region that weekend, they reported a game that didn’t get played. That’s not news!
The task for Capital Football is to get to a decision quickly. Lets hope the CF Board can keep its sticky fingers out of proceedings and let the CEO and staff settle the matter.
In this program we capture some of the drama of Round 4 of the Mens Premier League. Must have been something in the air last weekend!
The Head Coach of Belconnen, Scott Conlon and President of Goulburn Strikers, Shane Wilson give their thoughts on the thriller at Cookbundoon.
The President of the Monaro Panthers expresses his disappointment at the failure to play the scheduled Premier League game against ANU and rejection of the suggestion in the Canberra Times that his club did forfiet the game.
The Woden Valley SC Under 15 Div 1 boys team is off on a football tour in Germany. Its been years in the planning and fundraising. Every Club should do this every year.
Go here for the Podcast:
We are at Round 4 in the Mens Pl and Round 5 in the Womens PL. we have reached that point in this competition where the teams begin to shake out on the ladder. Games lost at this time in the season usually become a cause for regret late in the second half of the season as finals positions become the firm objective. Its never a good idea to get to the latter part of the season and hope that others have wins or loses in order for your team to get safe passage. That’s not football, its something else.
Clubs feel the loss or draw and the pressure begins to mount on match officials to minimise the errors of judgement on the field. But like players, refs make mistakes.
The Men’s PL is a case in point – this last weekend the results were diabolically close and with that, a fair share of drama:
• Belco v GS was a very late 3:2 win to Belco
• Tuggeranong v Olympic was a remarkably close 1:0 win to Olympic
• Cooma v CFC was a draw
• Canberra City v Owden Valley was a very , very late win to CC 2:1
And then there was ANU v Monaro. This was a game that warranted attention, as ANU have not earned a point and Monaro have been riding a wave of success. Surprise, surpise the game was cancelled – well to put it more accurately – the ANU home ground was not to PL standard for the Refs to allow play, the PL18 did not play, ANU made managed to gain access to Hawker Enclosed later that day and game start times were bumped back and not much ability to inform supporters, the footballing public or sponsors of the change. Monaro agreed the Pathways could play as they were already to hand at O’Connor Enclosed and could move to the new location. The Pathways game was played at Hawker at a later time than scheduled. However, Monaro declined to play the PL fixture, believing this to be an unsuitable arrangement overall for a PL fixture and preferring to play at another day/time. ANU had in its view done all that it could on the day to relocate the game and believe that was what was required of it by Capital Football. Accordingly, ANU PL team marched out ready to play at Hawker and match officials were obliged to call a close to the game – ANU claimed a forfeit. Two good Clubs who play different but entertaining football now at loggerheads. Both Clubs are represented by smart people in football so no doubt common sense will prevail. What a mess!
Then right on que, the Canberra Times, which gives only the sparing coverage to PL Football got the headline it was looking for – it read “Non – playing Panthers face punishment”. Neither correct nor helpful to either Club. It’s a pity they got the story. Whoever did that din;t help the situation one bit. Instead of reporting any number of good games in the ACT football region that weekend, they reported a game that didn’t get played. That’s not news!
The task for Capital Football is to get to a decision quickly. Lets hope the CF Board can keep its sticky fingers out of proceedings and let the CEO and staff settle the matter.
Science Gives Clues To World Cup Success
Science gives clues to World Cup success
Updated Mon May 10, 2010 3:57pm AEST
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/05/10/2895277.htm
Penalty kicks, such as Francesco Totti's in the 2006 World Cup, can make or break a team (Kai Pfaffenbach/Reuters)
Few moments in soccer are as extraordinary as the penalty, the moment when a dream can crumble or glory is made - and a player is either cursed as a choker or enters the pantheon of legends.
In the nearly 119 years since the very first penalty kick, in a match between Wolverhampton Wanderers and Accrington Stanley, the 11-metre spot determines more and more tournaments, including the 2006 World Cup final.
As the importance of the penalty has grown, so has research. Scientists see it as a duel between shooter and goalkeeper where biomechanics and psychology can give either side a critical edge.
A mathematical study of penalties at Liverpool's John Moores University puts the death nail into the "blast it and hope" approach.
The perfect penalty, it found, is a ball that is struck high, targeted precisely to the right or left of the goalie and fast, travelling at 90 to 104 kilometres per hour.
Anything faster than this boosts the chance of a miss because of inaccuracy, while anything slower helps the goalie to intercept it.
Moving swiftly to take the penalty (less than three seconds after the whistle is blown) gives the striker the element of surprise, while delaying the strike by more than 13 seconds makes the keeper unsettled, according to the researchers, who looked at decades of international matches involving England.
Waiting for the goalkeeper to move also boosted chances. However, waiting longer than 0.41 milliseconds caused a scoring chance to be halved. A run-up of four to six steps was the most successful approach, while a long run-up of 10 metres was the least.
Seen only through the prism of statistics, the balance in penalties is tilted massively in favour of the taker: between two-thirds and three-quarters of strikes result in a goal, according to various analyses in top-flight European club soccer.
But in a counter-intuitive way, these figures also give the psychological advantage to the keeper. If the penalty succeeds, people will pat him on the shoulder and say hard luck, because few expected him to save it. If he does save it, he will be praised to the rafters. In other words, all the onus lies with the penalty-taker.
Staying focused
This problem was explored last year by a team at the University of Exeter in south-west England, which asked members of the university football squad to wear special glasses, recording eye movements, while they took two series of penalties.
In the first series, the players were simply asked to do their best to score. In the second, they were told the results would be recorded and shared with the other players, with a bounty of 50 pounds for the best penalty-taker.
The more anxious the penalty-taker was, the likelier he was to look at and focus on the centrally-positioned goalkeeper. And because gaze control and motor control are tightly coordinated, the player's shot also centralised, making it far easier for the shot to be saved.
"The optimum strategy for penalty takers to use is to pick a spot and shoot to it, ignoring the goalkeeper in the process," says lead researcher Greg Wood.
Practice is essential, he says. The Hungarian great Ferenc Puskas would train again and again, shooting at a 25-centimetre disc hung 80 centimetres from the bar.
"The idea that you cannot recreate the anxiety a penalty-taker feels during a shootout is no excuse for not practising," Mr Wood says.
"Do you think other elite performers don't practice basic aiming shots in darts, snooker or golf for the same reasons? The skills need to be ingrained so they are robust under pressure."
Hips and colour
As for helping the goalie, experiments suggest looking at a players' hips during the end of the run-up gives a tip as to where the ball will be struck.
Researchers at the University of Hong Kong also suggest that if a keeper moves just six to 10 centimetres off centre, that is enough to tempt the taker into directing the kick to the side of the goal where there is more space.
There are also mind games, such as shuffling or taking time to prepare for the shot to distract the penalty-taker.
Even clothing colour is thought to be a help: Petr Cech of Chelsea prefers a bright orange strip in the belief that it attracts opponents and make them likelier to shoot straight at him.
That belief is bolstered by sports psychologists at the University of Chichester in southern England, who asked 40 footballers to take dozens of penalties over a week against a single keeper who changed strip. When the keeper wore red, only 54 per cent of the penalties scored; for yellow, it was 69 per cent, for blue 72 per cent and green 75 per cent.
Why? Red is associated with danger, dominance or anger, and at times of stress we pay more attention to it in our environment, goes the theory.
Updated Mon May 10, 2010 3:57pm AEST
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/05/10/2895277.htm
Penalty kicks, such as Francesco Totti's in the 2006 World Cup, can make or break a team (Kai Pfaffenbach/Reuters)
Few moments in soccer are as extraordinary as the penalty, the moment when a dream can crumble or glory is made - and a player is either cursed as a choker or enters the pantheon of legends.
In the nearly 119 years since the very first penalty kick, in a match between Wolverhampton Wanderers and Accrington Stanley, the 11-metre spot determines more and more tournaments, including the 2006 World Cup final.
As the importance of the penalty has grown, so has research. Scientists see it as a duel between shooter and goalkeeper where biomechanics and psychology can give either side a critical edge.
A mathematical study of penalties at Liverpool's John Moores University puts the death nail into the "blast it and hope" approach.
The perfect penalty, it found, is a ball that is struck high, targeted precisely to the right or left of the goalie and fast, travelling at 90 to 104 kilometres per hour.
Anything faster than this boosts the chance of a miss because of inaccuracy, while anything slower helps the goalie to intercept it.
Moving swiftly to take the penalty (less than three seconds after the whistle is blown) gives the striker the element of surprise, while delaying the strike by more than 13 seconds makes the keeper unsettled, according to the researchers, who looked at decades of international matches involving England.
Waiting for the goalkeeper to move also boosted chances. However, waiting longer than 0.41 milliseconds caused a scoring chance to be halved. A run-up of four to six steps was the most successful approach, while a long run-up of 10 metres was the least.
Seen only through the prism of statistics, the balance in penalties is tilted massively in favour of the taker: between two-thirds and three-quarters of strikes result in a goal, according to various analyses in top-flight European club soccer.
But in a counter-intuitive way, these figures also give the psychological advantage to the keeper. If the penalty succeeds, people will pat him on the shoulder and say hard luck, because few expected him to save it. If he does save it, he will be praised to the rafters. In other words, all the onus lies with the penalty-taker.
Staying focused
This problem was explored last year by a team at the University of Exeter in south-west England, which asked members of the university football squad to wear special glasses, recording eye movements, while they took two series of penalties.
In the first series, the players were simply asked to do their best to score. In the second, they were told the results would be recorded and shared with the other players, with a bounty of 50 pounds for the best penalty-taker.
The more anxious the penalty-taker was, the likelier he was to look at and focus on the centrally-positioned goalkeeper. And because gaze control and motor control are tightly coordinated, the player's shot also centralised, making it far easier for the shot to be saved.
"The optimum strategy for penalty takers to use is to pick a spot and shoot to it, ignoring the goalkeeper in the process," says lead researcher Greg Wood.
Practice is essential, he says. The Hungarian great Ferenc Puskas would train again and again, shooting at a 25-centimetre disc hung 80 centimetres from the bar.
"The idea that you cannot recreate the anxiety a penalty-taker feels during a shootout is no excuse for not practising," Mr Wood says.
"Do you think other elite performers don't practice basic aiming shots in darts, snooker or golf for the same reasons? The skills need to be ingrained so they are robust under pressure."
Hips and colour
As for helping the goalie, experiments suggest looking at a players' hips during the end of the run-up gives a tip as to where the ball will be struck.
Researchers at the University of Hong Kong also suggest that if a keeper moves just six to 10 centimetres off centre, that is enough to tempt the taker into directing the kick to the side of the goal where there is more space.
There are also mind games, such as shuffling or taking time to prepare for the shot to distract the penalty-taker.
Even clothing colour is thought to be a help: Petr Cech of Chelsea prefers a bright orange strip in the belief that it attracts opponents and make them likelier to shoot straight at him.
That belief is bolstered by sports psychologists at the University of Chichester in southern England, who asked 40 footballers to take dozens of penalties over a week against a single keeper who changed strip. When the keeper wore red, only 54 per cent of the penalties scored; for yellow, it was 69 per cent, for blue 72 per cent and green 75 per cent.
Why? Red is associated with danger, dominance or anger, and at times of stress we pay more attention to it in our environment, goes the theory.
Tribute to Velma Morrison
During the Spring 2010 commencement ceremony on May 15, Velma Morrison will receive an honorary doctorate from Boise State University. Morrison is only the eighth person to receive this honor from Boise State.
Morrison has maintained a partnership with the university for over thirty years, known for developing the Velma V. Morrison Center for the Performing Arts, as well as providing millions of dollars to numerous buildings and projects at Boise State University.
To commemorate her long association with the university, Albertsons Library Special Collections created a special tribute on Velma Morrison featuring photographs from its collection. To access the online tribute, please visit http://library.boisestate.edu/vmorrison.
Is This The Best Headline The Canberra Times Can Give Football In The ACT?
If you haven't caught up with it yet, a Men's Premier League Round 4 game between Monaro Panthers and ANU was not played on Sunday.
Why? Good question!
Quick as a flash, the Canberra Times, not exactly know for its extensive coverage and support of Football in the ACT Region, got in a good one today with this headline:
"Non-playing Panthers face punishment"
Oh that's just terrific!
Wrong in so far as it doesn't cover the situation from both Clubs' viewpoint. There are definately two sides to this story and some important differences in fact. Its by no means clear which Club will wear the blame for this debacle or who will get the points.
There is only one Football outcome that makes any sense at all - arrange for the games to be played at another time! CApital Football can sort out the Club issues.
Capital Football advise that the Monaro Panthers have made respresentation to them and that the matter is now under investigation. The arguement has begun.
But why did the Canberra Times run such a misleading, injurious and unhelpful headline for Football in the ACT region? Because it looked good? Hmmm!
There was a lot of good football played in the ACT, particularly in the Premier League Men's and Women's grades. That's what should have been reported.
If Clubs find themselves in an adminstrative and orgnaisational mess on game day, unable to meet some of their obligations within the Premier League licencing conditions, they will need to explain themselves and its a matter for careful examination. This is Premier League we are talking about - semi professional for many - sponsors to be considered - spectators / supporters to be considered. Its not park Football!
Sometimes things just go wrong, everyone would have to concede that. But once these two Clubs were unable to reach some clear understanding in order to play this round at another time and place, though not necessarily on the same day (and that's all that should have mattered), we have what happened on Sunday. Then the matter becomes joined by the interests of the media and it's all bet off lads and in this case the article by the CT ensured things just went nuclear! And for what?
Its the sort of issue the Capital Football Board would want to assist the CEo and staff resolve without delay. Everyone is accutely aware that players, supporters and sponsors were disadvantaged and that is serious, much more so than which Club accrues the points for the game that was never played.
Then there is the impact on Football's image in the minds of the public and sponsors, not helped by the tedious Canberra Times headline. This is now down to the CEO of Capital Football and principle staff to set aright, with the support (I emphasise support) of the Capital Football Board.
The rumours that were flying Sunday night and Monday morning were just ridiculous - here is two peices of rubbish I heard: ANU moved to Hawker so they could get the points on forfiet, and, Monaro PL team wouldn't play because the players were all going to a wedding. Yes it really gets that mad if you give people the opportunity to speculate - Football abhors a vacuum.
This one looks easy to resolve - here's the NPL solution:
Strange things happened on the field of play (and off it) last weekend. Must be a lunar eclispse or something.
Why? Good question!
Quick as a flash, the Canberra Times, not exactly know for its extensive coverage and support of Football in the ACT Region, got in a good one today with this headline:
"Non-playing Panthers face punishment"
Oh that's just terrific!
Wrong in so far as it doesn't cover the situation from both Clubs' viewpoint. There are definately two sides to this story and some important differences in fact. Its by no means clear which Club will wear the blame for this debacle or who will get the points.
There is only one Football outcome that makes any sense at all - arrange for the games to be played at another time! CApital Football can sort out the Club issues.
Capital Football advise that the Monaro Panthers have made respresentation to them and that the matter is now under investigation. The arguement has begun.
But why did the Canberra Times run such a misleading, injurious and unhelpful headline for Football in the ACT region? Because it looked good? Hmmm!
There was a lot of good football played in the ACT, particularly in the Premier League Men's and Women's grades. That's what should have been reported.
If Clubs find themselves in an adminstrative and orgnaisational mess on game day, unable to meet some of their obligations within the Premier League licencing conditions, they will need to explain themselves and its a matter for careful examination. This is Premier League we are talking about - semi professional for many - sponsors to be considered - spectators / supporters to be considered. Its not park Football!
Sometimes things just go wrong, everyone would have to concede that. But once these two Clubs were unable to reach some clear understanding in order to play this round at another time and place, though not necessarily on the same day (and that's all that should have mattered), we have what happened on Sunday. Then the matter becomes joined by the interests of the media and it's all bet off lads and in this case the article by the CT ensured things just went nuclear! And for what?
Its the sort of issue the Capital Football Board would want to assist the CEo and staff resolve without delay. Everyone is accutely aware that players, supporters and sponsors were disadvantaged and that is serious, much more so than which Club accrues the points for the game that was never played.
Then there is the impact on Football's image in the minds of the public and sponsors, not helped by the tedious Canberra Times headline. This is now down to the CEO of Capital Football and principle staff to set aright, with the support (I emphasise support) of the Capital Football Board.
The rumours that were flying Sunday night and Monday morning were just ridiculous - here is two peices of rubbish I heard: ANU moved to Hawker so they could get the points on forfiet, and, Monaro PL team wouldn't play because the players were all going to a wedding. Yes it really gets that mad if you give people the opportunity to speculate - Football abhors a vacuum.
This one looks easy to resolve - here's the NPL solution:
- The games are rescheduled to play at ANU's home ground ASAP - if the Clubs can't agree then Capital Football nominates the date/time/location.
- The Pathways result stands
- No forfiet allowed in either PL18 or PL
- ANU gets the home ground problem sorted to Capital Football's satisfaction
- Everyone stops talking, no appeal allowed
- No other penalty applied
Strange things happened on the field of play (and off it) last weekend. Must be a lunar eclispse or something.
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