PINDAN PREMIER GRADE PREVIEW: ROUND 10

[wholetruth]

There are only so many players to go around for the 19's age group. How can it be made mandatory to field teams in this grade if the players just aren't there.
I take my hat off to the coach of the Bunbury 19's who is obviously trying his best to get a team happening. They should be given some sort of dispensation like making their team u/21 or something along those lines.
Anyone that has had anything to do with that age group knows how bloody difficult it is field a team each week let alone try and do it from a country base.

Ha. Remember the days when you had to NOMINATE a Colts side to be a Premier club. But then guess what. Certain teams in the Golden Triangle would find they couldn't field one on the Thursday before the first game...until they went hunting and poaching.

[Bally]

There are only so many players to go around for the 19's age group. How can it be made mandatory to field teams in this grade if the players just aren't there.
I take my hat off to the coach of the Bunbury 19's who is obviously trying his best to get a team happening. They should be given some sort of dispensation like making their team u/21 or something along those lines.
Anyone that has had anything to do with that age group knows how bloody difficult it is field a team each week let alone try and do it from a country base.

agreed there was an article on channel 9 news last night on how participation in u-17 had dropped in footy from 70 teams to 26 so its not just our code thats struggling to retain kids and if it needs some creative thinking for clubs to field teams than so be it.the colts comp i weakening by the year and if some of the weaker teams need a leg up then thats what should be done.

[zed]

agreed there was an article on channel 9 news last night on how participation in u-17 had dropped in footy from 70 teams to 26

That's huge. I wonder what the reason is? Xbox??

[Bally]

That's huge. I wonder what the reason is? Xbox??

They did say they had reduced development offices so not as many getting to clubs or schools but its the golden question why are so many giving up at a young age.they are talking about playing friday nights.

[Herbasimplex]

That's huge. I wonder what the reason is? Xbox??

This is very typical across all sports. When boys are boys they have sport and that's about it. When they begin young adulthood their lives become much more complex with many competing other interests music, xbox, schooling and probably and most importantly...ahem.. chasing after the furry stuff. Just can't keep kids (boys and girls as well) interested in their sport past 16 unless they are at the elite level.

[zed]

This is very typical across all sports. When boys are boys they have sport and that's about it. When they begin young adulthood their lives become much more complex with many competing other interests music, xbox, schooling and probably and most importantly...ahem.. chasing after the furry stuff. Just can't keep kids (boys and girls as well) interested in their sport past 16 unless they are at the elite level.

Yeah but what has happened in the last 10, 15 years to see such a dramatic drop if U17s participating in footy (and other sports). When I was at school, most kids played some sort of sport whether it was rugby, hockey, surfing and we all still drank, went to festivals and chased beaver (not necessarily in that order).

[Herbasimplex]

Yeah but what has happened in the last 10, 15 years to see such a dramatic drop if U17s participating in footy (and other sports). When I was at school, most kids played some sort of sport whether it was rugby, hockey, surfing and we all still drank, went to festivals and chased beaver (not necessarily in that order).

well you're old school then.

Having this conversation with my PE teacher mate of mine just recently. Society has changed, sport (participation in) just doesn't occupy the same level of importance as it did even 20-30 years ago. kids get to 15 or 16 and the numbers drop dramatically. whether soccer, hockey, gymnastics whatever. Parents are telling them to focus on study or worried about getting some menial job to pay for an iPhone.

A sport such as Rugby has its own 'social traditions' attached to it we might say and may keep kids who play closer to each other socially, however, it also suffers from the stigma that it is violent and you will liable to pick up a very nasty injury which may effect you in later life and being extremely competitive where kids who have been running around in a Jersey for years then have to play others who get shipped in by the club from Samoa, Tonga, Fiji and the like who are on diet plans, bigger physically, aggressive and competitive. It quickly discourages most kids - mums and dads more.

[MI5_Dog]

20 to 30 years ago no one worked on weekends
or at least rarely worked on weekends
now, if you have a part time or even full time job you'll be working most weekends if you are in a job sector that employs a high number of 17 to 18 year olds (e.g. retail)