THIS WEEKS gamES

YOUNG GUNS | Great Leap Forward
The Tasmanian State League (TSL) U18
competition in 2010 has been a great step
forward in standard from the regional U19
competition of 2009. The majority of boys
playing in this competition are committed
to improving their performance and have
ambitions of playing senior football with their
club or at a higher level.
The U18 competition is a great introduction
for talented young players coming out of youth
community football to get the feel for what being
involved at a senior club is all about. Playing
at a higher standard week in, week out against
sometimes older boys is a whole new challenge
to young players and as has been seen this
year a terrific way for players to show significant
improvement. This was one of the major reasons
the State U16 team enjoyed recent success at the
national championships as all U16 State Academy
players played at TSL U18 level or above this year.
Young players from every TSL club this year have
progressed from playing U18 to senior football
throughout the year. Some are given one or
two games for experience; others flourish once
they get their chance and hold their position in
the team for a longer period. What the better
standard of the U18 competition has done this
year is make it a bit easier for these boys to feel
comfortable at senior level more quickly. The
jump into senior football is a big challenge for
most players and it is vitally important with the
young lists most TSL clubs have that we have a
high standard youth competition underpinning the
senior competition.
Being a coach at TSL U18 level is a huge
responsibility and has equal amounts of
challenges and rewards. A winning culture is a
great culture to have and should be encouraged
but these coaches also have the responsibility to
develop players for the future and not just being
concerned with the day’s or year’s result. A key
component of a TSL U18 coach’s KPI’s should
be how many future senior footballers he can
develop for his club and establishing a team and
individual learning environment for his players to
thrive in.
Going forward into 2011 a “Colts” team made
up of a majority of U18 players will underpin a
club’s senior team. This will make it even more
important for TSL club’s to develop talented
young players through this team so they are
ready to step into senior football when they are
called upon.
Adam Sanders
TSL Education & Development Coach
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