27 Feb 2007

The Western Australian Football Commission (WAFC) has released details of its new WAFL junior council system, which features all of the positive aspects of the former regional development structure but adds the constructive elements of the previous system. According to the WAFC, the commission now has a system that truly involves and empowers all key stakeholders from all levels of football within each district. It states that the system has reduced duplication and streamlined the governance, clearly aligned juniors to their WAFL club, provided increased support for volunteers, ensured greater cooperation between stakeholders, provided greater support for schools and enhanced the WAFL and Community colts competitions. The Commission adds that the WAFC Development Committee is keeping development high on the agenda at all WAFC meetings and ensuring the needs of the development system are addressed and met. Also in junior AFL in WA, Fremantle Football Club vice president Len Hitchen recently launched the Club's Community Development Programme (CDP), a blueprint to expand and integrate the Club into the WA community. The Club's Strategic Plan for the 2003 to 2005 period elevated Fremantle's community involvement as a key priority. Dubbed the first integrated programme of its kind in the AFL, the Club has committed over $200,000 in 2004 to the delivery of the over 50 key initiatives embracing all areas of the wider community from primary and secondary students, junior football clubs, charities, and special community groups. In 2004, over 105,000 children aged between 6 and 17 years of age will be embraced by the program of which nearly 80 per cent of participants will be aged between 6 and 12 years. Fremantle's players have thrown their support behind the initiative and will be increasing their involvement throughout the year. The first part of the program to be launched, the education component, will see children from metropolitan primary schools given the opportunity each week at the popular People's Night team training sessions to participate in a specialised clinic with football development staff and watch team training. In addition, the education component will include a motor skills programme that will reach over 500 pre-primary and primary schools across the State, both public and private.