I have been advised if I don’t make a huge deal out of the U10 Girls this week I can pack up and leave. The first lady (girl’s footy co-ordinator, Emma Nicholl) has spoken, mine is not to question why, mine is just to do or else. LOL.
Here are the buds of roses, may you bloom in 2019 and beyond. Sean Brady is the new super coach. Here he is with his chargers, pointing out the finer things in life, like a 16 player hard press or doing a hand stand after a goal.
Shhh, don’t tell anyone, they sang a song.
I hope you enjoyed your weekend everyone, I did, until Carlton put a dampener on it, AGAIN. I needed to get over Carlton fast as I had to coach and get into the heads of 23 x 13 year olds, which can take some doing.
The following is an extract from an email I sent out to both U11 teams Monday after round 2. I have added this so everyone understands the new process the league is working with to grade our teams into competitive divisions.
Start of email:
I was asked some questions from a few different age groups yesterday and thought I best send out an email to explain what the process is and what may happen in the next few weeks.
Firstly, I will take you back 3 weeks to early April. I sent out an email to all age group coaches and TMs with an attachment that showed Yellow and Red sectors as being feeders for potential Div 1. The 6 days prior to round 1 we as clubs were told that 5-page document was an example only.
The League asks clubs in mid-March where your team might sit and as we don’t do a heavy grade in U11, I said both teams would look at the intermediate sector.
At present U11 yellow has lost a game and won yesterday in an easy win over Vampires (I watched a quarter and it was very uneven). Red seems to be going well and very competitive again yesterday.
The league has mentioned that in each age group, the colour indicators changes and that only the League knows the difference. I welcome this approach as it was easy to work out in the past and plan accordingly for some clubs that trophy hunt and place less importance on overall development.
Going forward
In the past when certain teams after two rounds have had heavy wins the league has moved them into higher divisions, we will be seeking this today from the league for our U15 D2 team.
It is unlikely for team Yellow having lost round 1. I expect all 4 grading games will happen prior to any movement, likewise for Red who have been in both games and from all reports the children are enjoying their footy.
I expect round 3 to be released tomorrow to clubs with 24 hours for us to filter through venues, times, potential overlap etc and make recommendations to the League.
Final thought
When the final grading is done in the next few weeks please encourage all children to be very mindful of where they all sit. No-one is playing AFL; we as a club are all inclusive, there is no superior/inferior attitude to be experienced at Rovers. The child that might have a size advantage in U11 may find himself behind the pack in U15, nature seems to find a way to even out some life experiences.
No child needs to be reminded that they play in the lower division at any stage, no school yard reminders, we as parents need to enforce this straight away.
End Email
Yes, the reference was towards the U11 age group, but the final underlined message is across the club, we are about development and opportunity for every child.
We swung the rotations thick and fast in the U14 D2 game at South Rd oval late yesterday, boys playing multi roles, ruck, half forward, half back, wing, bench. The only one to complain about visiting the bench was my own son, he was named and shamed after the game, much to his ‘delight’. Some words of development, enlightenment and understanding in the car on the way home were experienced. I feel he got the message.
Okay, let’s talk footy. The coaches and TMs are another week invested and less things went astray yesterday, well done to all. I watched the first quarter of the Under 8 Damo team, some little goers in that age group, swung over to Boss James as the cones had gone astray, no problem, all fixed.
Michael Curtis’s U10s played BBJFC. They had a slow start but settled and ran away from the Roos, plenty to like in this squad. Steve Nelson tells me his team was up against a few tall players from Mordi Brae that made a difference, his guys loved the turf at Boss James.
I ventured down and helped coach the U17 team at Heatherton Reserve, good venue, great oval, our lads did it hard against Mordi Brae. I am told the U18 Girls held on in a nail biter.
The U15 D2 and D3 won large and the D2 team are looking to be promoted, great work by Goldy and the U15 squad, I will be real keen to see how competitive they are when back in D1.
U16 boys had a win, great work by Andy the coach, he has had plenty of lads leave and they found their feet yesterday.
U12 girls, mixed bag, Violet won, Yellow experienced the wonders of chasing opposition, never mind girls, at least 1 of you kicked a goal.
U14 Girls Violet won by 1 pt over BBJFC and Orange just fell short in a tight affair.
U14 D2 beat BBJFC by 80pts, hoping to go to Div 1 and D4 just got pipped by the Waverley Hawks.
Leedsy tells me the U12 crew both saluted, Damo’s by a few goals and BBJFC saw the Rovers mess up their Sunday arvo.
The Under 9 squad are sailing along nicely.
Following the Under 17 game yesterday our coach, Elliot was talking with the players about what a privilege it is to play this sport. He said that many others are not capable of doing this and we should never take it for granted. I issued a challenge to the 17 lads to get to training and improve something about their game. Everyone should have a goal from U12 up that they need to identify and improve.
Let’s work hard this week and enjoy the fruits of it next Sunday.
GO ROVERS
Caggs
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