TEAM SELECTION/COMPOSITION

Under 11 – Under 17 age groups

BACKGROUND
To facilitate AFL Victoria and EFNL recommendations, along with club member feedback, the Glen Waverley Rovers Junior Football Club introduced a Team Selection policy in 2013 for the Under 11-Under 17 age groups with multiple teams.
The intent behind the policy is to continue the enjoyment and development of all players within the club and foster an environment where all players can excel whilst having fun.
Competitive balance underpins the policy. It is felt than minor adjustment each Season based on “competitive balance” has positive learning/development outcomes for the boys and the coaches. Whilst, where possible, we maintain school groups through to U/10 we do believe that teaching socialisation and interaction is beneficial.
The Glen Waverley Rovers Junior Football Club (GWRJFC) committee conducted an extensive due diligence process that considered many options for age groups with more than one team. After narrowing down the options to three alternatives the committee agreed on a policy that allows each parent/player to participate in the selection process for places in the higher division team.

POLICY
At the conclusion of the previous year all players are grouped together to form a single squad. At this time it is considered that all players will be playing in the lower division team of the age group.
Prior to a nominated date in December each parent and player is requested to submit a grade application letter then has the opportunity of CHOICE. In consultation with the player, the parent can elect to nominate their child for the higher division team or they can choose to nominate a preference for his/her child to play in the lower division team.
Those players/parents that have elected to nominate for the higher division team agree and acknowledge that their child will participate in the selection process for places in the higher division team based upon criteria outlined below (see Section 3 Criteria).
Those players/parents that have elected to nominate for the lower division team have indicated a preference to play in the lower division team and preferably NOT participate in the selection process for places in the higher division team, but acknowledge that if nominations fall short of the criteria their child could be asked to player in the higher team.
Nominating for the lower division team, does not ensure that the player will be allocated to the lower division team as final team makeup will be dependent upon the number of players nominating for each team.

CRITERIA
In determining the selection of the higher division team, members of the Football Department will meet with the prior years’ and current coaches to select the “draft” squads for the coming year. These squads are not published. Feedback will be taken from each past coach as they have a vast amount of knowledge and information about the players. At the conclusion of two (2) pre-season training sessions each coach will submit a recommendation to the Football Department. The recommendations are constructed together and take into account competitive balance and review players by three (3) categories:

1/ Rucks and Mids
2/ Backs
3/ Forwards

Each squad must aim to have a balance of selections so as not to fill the higher division team with all mids, or all of the tallest boys as an example. By design the higher division team will have a greater % of the more accomplished players, still considering parents/player requests. The Football Department will review the coaches’ recommendations. The final selection of the higher division team will be at the sole discretion of the Football Department having strongly consulted with the new Season’s coaches.
Multiple factors will be taken into consideration in forming the higher division team and below are an indication of some of these factors:

*Player welfare
*Players ability and previous year’s best and fairest voting
*Players physical development, strength and speed.
*Football intelligence, Game Day Sense and Ball winning ability.
*Fitness & Skills on both sides of the body
*Attitude, Behaviour and Discipline
*Adherence to player code of conduct and team rules
*Determination and Competitiveness
*Training attendance
Timeline (Submission and Announcement date) Team selection nominations close on nominated date each season. The announcement of each team will occur at a minimum 4 weeks prior to the start of the season or earlier if possible.

SCENARIOS
Immediately after all nominations have been submitted, the Football Department will collate the nominations and advise the coaches of the number of players who have nominated for each team. There will be three potential scenarios to consider.

Scenario 1: Fifty percent of players nominate for the higher team. No selection process needs to occur as parents/players have effectively chosen each team themselves.

Scenario 2: More than fifty percent of players nominate for the higher division team. The Football Department then selects the most suitable players based on the criteria noted above (see Section 3 Criteria) for the higher division team. Players not selected for the higher division team will be allocated to the lower division team. Each player is advised in writing by the Head of Football and the letter is cosigned by the two coaches

Scenario 3: Less than 50% of players apply for higher division team. The Football Department advise parents/players of the initial nominations and based on these numbers, request further nominations for the higher division team within 7 days. Should this fail to achieve 50% of players nominating for the higher division team the Football Department would then make a decision on the final make-up of each team. Each player is advised in writing by the Head of Football and the letter is co-signed by the two coaches

Scenarios two and three would be worked through between Registration phase and the final practice game.

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COMMUNICATION
Players who nominate for the higher division team, and then are not selected to play in this team, will be personally and “face to face” advised by the Head of the Football Department of this decision.
 

TEAM NUMBERS
It is the committee’s full intent to have equal numbers of players in both teams and only in special circumstances would any deviation from this occur.

NEW PLAYERS
We think it is important to seek new players each Season to develop the club and its teams. In the event places are available for new players after Registration Day new players must also submit a team selection nomination form upon registration. Where possible consideration is given to placing the new player in a team with another player who may have bought them to the club but this isn’t guaranteed.

INTRA -CLUB MATCHES
Intra-club or practice matches may be used to assess players for the higher division team if deemed necessary by the new Season coaches.

PLAYING TIME GUIDELINES
For Under 11- U/17 age groups, all players in both teams shall receive a minimum of half a game during the home and away season.
For finals, it is the club’s expectation that all players would receive a minimum of half a game in all age groups and teams also.

PLAYER MOVEMENT
In extreme circumstances the Football Department may consider players moving between teams in accordance with the EFL guidelines.

FOLLOWING SEASON
During the Registration phase each year, players may nominate to change teams for the coming season by writing a letter to the President and/or Head of Football. A player, who played in the lower division team in the previous season, may choose to nominate for the higher division team, and go through the selection process for places in the higher division team. A player who played in the higher division team in the previous season may choose to nominate a preference to play in the lower division team and not participate in the selection process for places in the higher division team unless that player finished in the Top 7 players in the higher division Team’s Best and Fairest count as they would then be deemed to be in the Team’s top 30% and in the appropriate grade
Note all players who played in the higher division team in the previous season will be considered in the following season to have nominated for the higher division team and go through the selection process for places in the higher division team. If a player who has played in the higher division team does not want to participate in the selection process, they will need to nominate a preference to play in the lower division team prior to the nominated date. Nominating for the lower division team, does not ensure that the player will be allocated to the lower division team as final team makeup will be dependent upon the number of players nominating for each
team.

DISCRETION
At all times the Football Department and Executive committee can at their discretion make a decision that is in the best interests of all players at the club.

ANNUAL REVIEW
The team selection policy will be reviewed at the end of each season by the Club Executive Committee and agreed upon at an AGM if the Executive feels based on feedback that modifications are required. Change cannot be based on a “one off scenario”
At the end of each season, every participating family will be sent a survey which will be a review of the season past. This survey is looking for information to assist the club and football department to make improvements and hopefully increase the level of enjoyment and interaction between players and the club.

Authorised by: Brett Andrews
Position: President

 

Date:
This policy is to be reviewed no later than 31 October 2020