Youth Academy

At all levels of football, it is critical to develop a strong foundation for the Fundamentals of football.

The techniques for the fundamental skills of the game, and also the basic understanding of ‘game sense’ have been identified as key foundation pieces for your journey as a footballer. This section of the curriculum will be built-on throughout each player's Rookie Me Academy journey.

Breaking down the layers of each skill technique, allows players to see first-hand how their skill can be improved. Key elements include high repetition, and the balance of speed and accuracy to support development of each skill.

SKILL TESTING

Athletes will participate in an official verified Skills Testing event during the 2025 Rookie Me Academy. This allows all participants the opportunity to showcase their skill execution in a structured and consistent environment — contributing to their overall football profile. It provides the opportunity to monitor progress and improvement for the individual based on the key skills of the game. It also connects them to potential talent pathways throughout their Rookie Me Academy experience.

SKILL

Each year, players will be equipped to excel at the key fundamental skills of the game, which include:

• Kicking.
• Hand-Balling.
• Ball Handling.
• Combat safety.

STRATEGY

Each year, players will be exposed to the initial concepts of reading the play.
Understanding the THREE phases of the game, and piecing together the basic questions of game sense:

• Where am I?
• Where is the football?
• What is happening?

Australian rules football is diverse and forever evolving. The development of a player's Game Sense is to identify a moment in a game and react accordingly to have an impact.

Working from the Rookie Me Curriculum, and using the ‘THREE Phases of the Game’, attacking, defending and contesting, the Youth Academy athletes will be exposed to level 2 education on topics such as:

• Defending an opponent and space.
• Positional craft.
• Pressure defence.
• Using an outnumber.
• Ball Movement.
• Supporting the ball carrier.
• Scoring.

The focus of the Game Sense Football modules in 2025, will provide players a greater understanding of how to optimise their attack when their team has extra players, also looking at how to apply pressure on the ball carrier — to delay, deny and dispossess the opposition.

The program will elaborate on the importance of up-skilling players on the key craft of playing as a midfielder.

These module topics include:

• Using an outnumber.
• Pressure defence; and
• Midfield craft.

Australian rules football is a physical contest and we encourage you to embrace combat, and welcome the battle. Combat skills are important everywhere and can be used in every position and in every situation in a game.

In 2024, the focus of the Combat modules will explore the need for combat when in-play, as both a defender and an attacker. This teaches the footballer to physically create space between themself and their opponent, protection of the drop zone in a marking contest, or controlling your opponent in a 1v1 combat, to gain an advantage.

*Across the Youth Academy, athletes will be exposed to level 2 education on topics such as:

• Tackling from all angles.
• Protect the drop zone.
• Falling safely.
• 1 v 1 combat.
• Creating space.
• Corralling to control space.
• Bumping and shepherding.
• Ball winning under pressure.
• Gaining an advantage in a contest.

*The combat education will mirror the football ‘Game Sense’ education at each school holiday event. So whatever the football module being taught, the combat program will be used to enhance the education.

At the Youth level, it is critical to develop a strong foundation for the FUNDAMENTALS of High Performance and how you are able to best set up your physical journey both on-and-off the field.

Performance preparation and assessing your physical characteristics, are key foundation pieces for your journey as an athlete.

This area of the curriculum will be built upon throughout the Rookie Me Academy player journey.

COMBINE TESTING

Players will have the chance to participate in an official verified combine Testing event at the 2025 Rookie Me Academy. This event is intended to familiarise players with the techniques of the specific testing battery aligned with Australian rules football, while also contributing to their physical profile.

Set the standard for yourself — through testing, athletes are then able to evaluate their progress, performance and improvement. Their results could potentially support them to connect to talent pathways throughout their Rookie Me Academy experience.

WARMING UP

The importance of warming up your body and being prepared to attempt physical activity is a key foundation of getting the most out of your body and your training. Learning the keys to warming up properly, sets you up to hit the ground running when you start training, and prevents you from getting any unnecessary injuries.

Strength and conditioning is a massive piece of the footballer’s puzzle. Developing yourself as an athlete is as valuable as developing your kicking and handballing skills; and by learning adequate techniques and concepts allows players to consistently progress on their physical development journey. Across the Youth Academy, athletes will be exposed to Level 2 Education on topics such as:

• Strength training.
• Understanding Speed and Agility for AFL.
• Understanding Endurance for AFL.
• Injuries / Rehab training / Overtraining.

The focus of the Strength & Conditioning module in 2025 will emphasise the importance of young athletes listening to their bodies; and managing injuries to ensure a complete recovery.

This is done through young players receiving exposure to the types of rehabilitation ‘rehab’ training required to assist them to return to sport fitter and stronger, while also understanding the dangers of overtraining.

The module topic is:

• Injuries / Rehab training / Overtraining.

Preparation is an important element for every footballer. Both physical and mental preparation impacts a player’s ability to develop, stay focused, be consistent and ultimately perform on the field. Across the Youth Academy, athletes will be exposed to Level 2 Education on topics such as:

• Pre-and-post game nutrition.
• Game day routines.
• Psychology for better mental health.
• Prehab training.
• Dealing with concussion.

The focus of the Preparation modules in 2025, explore how caring for your head and brain can support young athletes to have long and healthy careers.

The power of routine on game day is enhanced when factors such as nutrition, hydration, stimulation and mindset are practiced consistently; helping position you to perform at your best.

These module topics include:

• Dealing with concussion; and
• Game-day routines.

At Youth level, we actively promote the need to develop a strong foundation for the FUNDAMENTALS of leadership, and what is involved in creating an impact as an individual and a teammate to your season.

Setting up structures to ensure a higher rate of success and the required commitment to action this, are identified as key foundation pieces for your journey as a leader. This section of the curriculum will be built on throughout each Rookie Me Academy player journey.

GOAL SETTING

The use of S.M.A.R.T criteria for goal setting has been set up to identify the intentions of our players, and to put the correct steps in place for them to chase these goals.

TRADEMARKING

This area is dedicated to exposing players to the idea of identifying personal trademarks, and looking at ways to actively take ownership/responsibility of our actions to improve leadership. The progression of this process includes team trademarking, where the collective group works together to help group success.

As each player is different, and our impact as a leader can vary, the development of your own individual leadership is definitely a powerful addition to any team. Across the Youth Academy, athletes will be exposed to Level 2 education on topics such as:

• Identifying support networks.
• Dealing with adversity.
• Choices and consequences.
• Showing gratitude.
• Building motivation.
• Developing Individuality.

The focus of the Personal Leadership modules in 2025, help players build coping-mechanisms when dealing with setbacks or ‘bad form’ — and how to overcome these areas of growth as an athlete.

It is great to be aware of your strengths as a footballer; and acknowledge what ability you possess, but it is crucial to understand how to optimise these attributes in game situations.

These modules include:

• Dealing with Adversity.
• Developing Individuality.

Australian rules football is a team sport and requires faith and trust in others to achieve success. Across the Youth Academy, athletes will be exposed to Level 2 Education on topics such as:

• Effective communication.
• Giving and receiving feedback.
• Teamwork makes the dream work.

The focus of the Team Leadership module in 2025, will be exploring the different dynamics which exist in a team sport; and how to work as a team to secure success. In a team sport like football, fostering a strong culture towards teamwork is critical. Footballers heavily rely on their teammates to perform and play well, therefore having the tools to attack any situation as a collective unit is more impactful for the team.

This module topic is:

• Teamwork makes the dream work.

Connected Learning

We believe strongly that a player's learning is enhanced significantly through their individual experiences — and there is no better experience than an overnight camp which offers quality and purposeful learning.

In this all-encompassing, high-energy environment players are challenged to step out of their comfort zone and immerse themselves in the experience to connect deeper to their teammates, coaches and learning. This unique camp is designed to empower each player to take ‘the next step’ towards reaching their football goals.

Each camp is held at a high quality facility, with the program hosted at a variety of venues, where the facilities rival the standards of some AFL/VFL club environments. Each year we aim to have our camps spread across Melbourne to help accommodate the fact that everyone has to travel.

Past venues include:

• Camberwell Grammar, Camberwell
• Penleigh and Essendon Grammar (PEGS), Keilor East
• Wesley College, Glen Waverley
• Geelong College, Geelong
• Assumption College, Kilmore
• Knox School, Wantirna South
• La Trobe University, Bundoora
• Casey Fields, Cranbourne
• Point Cook FC, Point Cook
• Highgate Recreation Reserve, Craigieburn

VFL venues:

• Williamstown FC
• Essendon FC
• Frankston FC
• Box Hill FC
• Sandringham FC
• Collingwood FC

AFL venues:

• Collingwood FC
• Essendon FC
• St Kilda FC
• Hawthorn FC
• Carlton FC
• Western Bulldogs FC.
• Richmond FC
• North Melbourne FC

Module experts

• Module experts, their experience and knowledge reflects the curriculum (eg Olympians, Police and Fire Officers, recruiters).
• Past and current AFL/W players.

Past and current AFL/W players

In alignment with what our focus education is for Football, Leadership and High Performance, the Youth Academy players hear from special guests, including module experts; and past and current AFL/W players. These guests share their stories and insights, and importantly what they were doing at the same age in order to reach their goals.

The carnival is the finale to the 2025 football program. 

The Rookie Me *Youth Academy players are divided into specific teams, allowing players/teammates to compete against one another at an elite venue. This is an opportunity for players to apply their knowledge and showcase the skills they have learned throughout the 2025 program, in a match experience.

For this age level, there is a unique opportunity for players to be selected to compete against other pathway programs. Player selection will be based on their individual output and effort across the 2025 Academy program.

Please note: *Rookie Me intends on hosting this event at a high-quality venue, such as a VFL ground/oval. Our coaches will invite an external squad to attend and compete against our players, this will be subject to the venue and athlete availability; all details will be confirmed closer to the proposed event date.

Each player will have access to our coaches for advice and mentoring, throughout the year. We are committed to impact every player, both on-and-off the field with constant communication and to engage in ‘footy chat’ via Rookie Me Connect.

Rookie Me Connect is the online Rookie Me system.

Each player will create a player profile, which holds his or her comparable data.

The system allows Rookie Me Academy players to ascertain real-life benchmarks in elite performance. It is the foundation of creating goals to work towards. As players develop, they have the ability to compare their stats against fellow players of the same age, position and gender.

Compare yourself against AFL stars like Pendles (Scott Pendlebury), Stephen Hill, Matty Kreuzer; and recent No.1 Draft Pick Andrew McGrath, whose stats are already on the system!