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read moreAFL Chief Executive Gillon McLachlan has expressed his concern that youth between the ages of 10 and 14 years have dropped off in significant numbers from playing the game at a community level due to the Coronavirus pandemic.
McLachlan told The Age that getting this age group back to playing locally - in Victoria and across the nation - represented the AFL’s biggest challenge at community level.
Apart from that young age group - which parents found difficult to persuade to go to training - participation in the grassroots game was back to the previous levels for other demographics, McLachlan stated “our biggest challenge in that is sort of the 10 to 14-year cohort … data (suggests) a lot of areas are back at 100 or 110%, greater than pre-COVID levels (but) the vulnerability in Victoria, in fact, nationally... participating (in) community football is the 10 to 14-year cohort, and we’re going to make some announcements.”
Asked to explain the participation decline, McLachlan suggested “we’re all speculating there, but I’ve believe, you know, I’ve got a 14-year-old, and I think it’s that age group that are teenagers, socialisation is important, and they’ve leant into their phones, and digitally and sort of started living in their screens.
“That’s what I believe and there’s, at that age, they’re starting to live independently and broader. It’s harder for parents to say, ‘Cmon, we’re getting out of the house and we’re going to training’.
“At community level, it’s getting our clubs, our programs, our volunteer networks supporting and get you know, our participation base back and firing.”
Apart from the decline in youth participation, McLachlan said the greatest challenge heading into 2022 was people returning to AFL games, adding “getting everyone back to the football at the elite level, getting that confidence and that rhythm of our game back.”
In comments posted yesterday on the AFL.com.au website, McLachlan stated that the addition of a Tasmanian team to the competition would be decided in August, with the AFL Commission to formally put forward a proposal relating to the bid to club presidents.
Image credit Shutterstock.
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1st March 2022 - Tasmanian Government unveils plan for Hobart waterfront stadium
13th January 2022 - Leading recreation planner calls for Sport Australia to engage with local government to understand participation trends
11th January 2022 - Sport Australia report reveals ‘worrying trends’ in participation
1st March 2022 - AFL Chief Executive Gillon McLachlan ‘excited’ by redevelopment of Melbourne’s Marvel Stadium
23rd February 2022 - AFL plans return to normality for 2022 season
21st February 2022 - Survey reveals AFL fans concerned over gambling advertising
18th February 2022 - Victorian stadiums to be allowed 100% capacity for upcoming AFL Season
16th February 2022 - AFL reveals that COVID safe measures cost $76 million
24th January 2022 - YouGov survey reveals AFL as Australia’s most popular sport
7th January 2022 - Sixth season of AFLW set for kick off
15th December 2021 - AFL unveils new networking program connecting sponsors, members and broadcasters
14th December 2021 - AFL commits further $8 million to back revival at community level
13th December 2021 - AFL Premiers Melbourne welcome $2.4 million sponsorship increase
9th December 2021 - AFL reveals 10-year vision to develop women’s game
29th November 2021 - Australians rate AFL Grand Final as their favourite sporting event
18th November 2021 - Parents withdraw children from Victorian community sport over vaccination rules
22nd October 2021 - AFL introduces ‘no jab no play’ COVID-19 vaccination mandate
8th October 2021 - revolutioniseSPORT launches visual newsletter builder for community sporting organisations
24th September 2021 - Perth’s AFL Grand Final delivers local supplier boost
21st September 2021 - ASF report says community sports clubs facing uncertain future and financial strife
25th August 2021 - Decision on Tasmanian AFL expansion team to be made in 2022
19th August 2021 - AFL Victoria planning to continue Herald Sun Shield tradition in 2021
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