Auskick - Thoughts and Experiences?

[Wedgie]

I was just wonder what some other parents experiences were with Auskick?

My son starts his first Auskick session on Sunday and is jumping out of his boots in anticipation.
He's not too impressed about being in the South area but when I explained to him he was only a torpedo punt away from being in the Bays area he was very happy with South!

At least he'll have the right coloured guernsey as he'll be wearing his Geelong guernsey.
His plan is to take out as many Power kids as possible and then worry about the footy after that.

[duncs7]

I coordinated and coached Auskick last year at the South Downs PS. Xcellent program, kids love it. Couldnt recommend it more highly. Couldnt do it this year due to Uni committments.

[Wedgie]

Yeah both kids had a ball this morning and are looking forward to next weeks already.

[Pearcey]

While Auskick is a great introduction to the basics of footy, in my experience a lot of kids go for the 'freebies', which really arn't free anyway, and then go back to soccer or some other sport. In the North Eastern Metro Junior Football Associaiton kids aged 5 and 6 can play 'real' 15-a-side footy, representing their club and playing against other clubs. In my opinion the best way to learn to play footy is to PLAY the game! We, the Gepps Cross Rams, are one of the few clubs to field Under 6's since their inception in 2004 and the benefits can be seen in our Under 8's. Most of our Red team have had 2 or 3 years of footy now and are playing with the confidence and skill of 'veterans', even though most of the boys are turning 7 this year. Our Blue team are mainly new boys, turning 8 this year, without having played Under 6's. While they are competitive they arn't as dominant as the Red team. The red team has scored 48 goals to 8, and won 4 of 5, while the Blue team has scored 11 goals to 32 and won 2 of 5. One of our Under 6's kicked 58 goals last year.

[smac]

Pearcey, aren't you missing the whole point of football at that level by keeping scores, goalkickers etc? Also, why not have to evenly competitive teams instead of putting the better players in one team? How many years do you think the second team will keep coming back if the kids from the other team at the same club smash them if/when they play against each other?

Surely it is about teaching the skills and having some fun - not winning and losing.

[Pearcey]

Point taken. We keep scores because we need to keep a record of goal kickers each season. The kids really don't care whether they win or lose. There's no rivalry between the 2 teams because they are aware that many of them will be together in an Under 9's team next year. The reason why we have 2 teams is that one group has been together for 2-3 years while the other has mainly new players. To be honest the new group has done particularly well, considering they are new to the game. Any new players, and they keep turning up, are divided evenly between the teams, regardless of experience of ability. We have 2 squads of 20. We have 20 Under 6's too while some teams turn up with only 7 or 8 players. We're happy to let our boys play for the other team to make up the numbers and, unlike some other clubs, our boys are told to do their best even when they wear another teams guernsey. One of our Under 6's kicked 4 goals for an opposition team recently.

[smac]

That sounds a lot better Pearcey. Being involved in junior football, I hear many stories that disappoint me.

[Magpiespower]

Very concerned about the corrupting influence of Auskick.

My five year-old nephew went to his first Auskick as a Port supporter.

He came home barracking for the Eagles because the Eagles players who ran the session gave him a free footy!

So now he barracks for the Eagles in the SANFL and Port in the AFL.

Auskick could very well be to blame for any problems this obviously confused child has later in life.

[Ian]

Pearcey, aren't you missing the whole point of football at that level by keeping scores, goalkickers etc? Also, why not have to evenly competitive teams instead of putting the better players in one team? How many years do you think the second team will keep coming back if the kids from the other team at the same club smash them if/when they play against each other?

Surely it is about teaching the skills and having some fun - not winning and losing.

Spot on smac, my son's year 6-7 school team has been travelling along quite nicely this year(lost 1 to a win at all costs team), and in a few games this year have turned up with a full side, and opposition sides have been short of players, our coach has lent the opposition enough players (rotating them 1 1/4 each) so that both teams have even numbers, this has been good for our kids as well, as they get to play a whole game instead of spendong time on the bench, and he hasn't just sent over the fringe players, 1st 1/4 last week, one of our better players kicked 4 goals for the opposition, before kicking 3 for us in the next 3 quarters.

This week (for the second time this season) he allowed the opposition to play all players (including the bench) on the ground in the last 1/4, we had 18, they had (i think) 3 extras, at 1/4 time we were 9-13 to 0-3, the opposition kicked 5-3 to 0-4 in the last 1/4, a lot of parents weren't happy, but it gave a side that has been getting flogged each week a chance to gain some dignity on the score board, while making our kids play under pressure, which can only benifit them for the future.

At no stage were our kids in danger of losing, and percentage doesn't count in primary school footy, just wins and loses.

To the kids credit this year, each time they have been asked to play for the opposition, they have gone about it as they would normally play for their own team.

Our year 4-5 team (coached by a SANFL umpire & managed by "giffo") have done simillar things regulary during the season 2with the same positive results.

Playing short, or for the opposition is not just giving other teams "a fair go" and giving our teams a better hit out, but it has been character building for our kids as well.

[Ian]

We're happy to let our boys play for the other team to make up the numbers and, unlike some other clubs, our boys are told to do their best even when they wear another teams guernsey. One of our Under 6's kicked 4 goals for an opposition team recently.

It makes their own team mates sit up and take notice when they are getting flogged by one of their own.

[Pearcey]

Have been to 2 Auskick sessions at the Gepps Cross Rams recently and was amazed at the number of soccer playing boys and girls there, many wearing 'A' League or Premier League shirts. 2 boys are nephews of an Adelaide United player. I was also impressed by the way that, after just one or two sessions, the kids pick up the skills. Perhaps one could put an argument that it's a lot easier to teach kids the basics if they havn't been taught previously by someone who doesn't know what they are doing. It may be easier to start with a 'blank canvas' rather than try to repair the damage caused by well meaning dads, teachers etc. At last our Under 6's got to play against a full strength team, T T Gully, on Sunday. Fantasic game. One point the margin at the end. Everyone won!

[Pearcey]

[dont think do]

As long as kids are playing sport it has to be good, Soccer does not have the career path/future for people like the AFL does. We souldnt get to worried about skills untill they are at least 12, and even then just the let's just keep it simple. Kicking, kicking and kicking.

[Ian]

This week (for the second time this season) he allowed the opposition to play all players (including the bench) on the ground in the last 1/4, we had 18, they had (i think) 3 extras, at 3/4 time we were 9-13 to 0-3, the opposition kicked 5-3 to 0-4 in the last 1/4, a lot of parents weren't happy, but it gave a side that has been getting flogged each week a chance to gain some dignity on the score board, while making our kids play under pressure, which can only benifit them for the future.

The principle from the opposition school delivered "good sports awards" to all the boys that played a quarter for them, it can be tough to put another sides guernsey on and play a quarter against your mates, but these kids have been great this year, and it was good to see them get recognition from the side they helped out.