Pag wrote:Unfortunately, there are less and less teenagers playing footy in the northern suburbs (we don't have issues like college footy etc), they just aren't playing. The school I work at in the north has four games of soccer going at lunchtimes and maybe 2-3 kids kicking a footy to each other. We had an 18s last year but with 8-10 coming up the seniors, and the next grade of juniors as U14s, there just wasn't the numbers.
12 years ago I remember having Salisbury, Salisbury West, Eastern Park, Smithfield and Central United in an U17N comp. Played U15s against Salisbury North and Elizabeth as well in the old CDJFL. The times, they are a changin'.
Agree
I run a sports and ref centre and year by year our social soccer teams and junior soccer teams are growing and growin and that is with very little marketing.
One part of this i think especially in the northern suburbs is with the influx of immigrants they just aren't interested in Aussie rules despite the attempts to give them the opportunity.
Throw in factors like affordability, parents working 7 day rosters, society not liking to be in an uncomfortable state (cold wet winter) it's getting harder and harder for all sporting clubs to attract players to start with
Imho Aussie Rules can't go decade after decade losing the junior participation war and expect to remain the peak sport in this country forever