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Overview
Prep-To-Play
Section 1 Overview Section 2 Prep to Play - Skills Section 3 Prep to Play - Warm Ups Section 4 Prep to Play - Strength Section 5 Research
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Prep-To-Play

The Prep-to-Play program, developed by researchers at La Trobe University, helps reduce the risk of concussion, ACL, and other lower and upper limb injuries in community level Australian Football. It includes a warm-up program, contact skills, and strength routine, proven effective in woman and girl players, with principles that apply equally to men and boys. Integrating Prep-to-Play into training supports safer, stronger performance for all athletes.
Section 1

Overview

Ensure your players are best prepared for training and match-day with the 'Prep-To-Play' resources. The Prep-to-Play resources have been formulated by experts in coaching and sports medicine, with the AFL and community coaches and players, to support coaches of females at all levels. Use the videos and handouts to help plan your sessions and as an education tool for players.

Who should use Prep-to-Play?

ALL players, regardless of age, sex/gender, sport or competition-level should use exercise-based injury prevention programs like Prep-to-Play, to prevent all types of injuries. Similar programs are effective in boys’/men’s Australian Football (Footy First), soccer (Perform+), and rugby (Activate).

Need more support? 

Coaches and clubs can access Prep-to-Play practical workshops and support at their local club - enquire here or email prep2play@latrobe.edu.au. Workshops are proven to improve confidence and uptake, and better uptake results in fewer injuries.  

Prep to Play - Coaches Manual Prep to Play - Players Manual
Section 2

Prep to Play - Skills

It is vital that coaches educate players on their safe technique and execution of the following contested skills and that these are frequently practised at training:

Educate players about their duty of care to themselves and their opponents.

Coaches can access the AFL Tackle Curriculum for more drill ideas. 

Section 3

Prep to Play - Warm Ups

PLAY
PAUSE

The Prep-to-Play warm-up program provides options for various levels of training experience. View the video, and download the poster by clicking the button below. Complete the warm-up prior to every training session and game.

Warm Up Program (Poster)
Section 4

Prep to Play - Strength

PLAY
PAUSE

The Prep-to-Play strength program provides options for various levels of training experience. 

View the video, and download the poster by clicking the button below. 

Complete the strength exercises before, during or after your team's training. 

Prep to Play - Strength Program (Poster)
Section 5

Research

Read more about the research: 

  1. Patterson B et al. Injury prevention for women and girls playing Australian Football: programme cocreation, dissemination and coach feedback. BMJ Open Sport & Ex Med (2024)
  2. Bruder A et al. Creating Prep to Play PRO for women playing elite Australian football: A how-to guide for developing injury-prevention programs. J Sport Health Sci (2023).
  3. Patterson et al. Supported implementation enhances injury prevention program (Prep-to-Play) use in women and girls playing Australian Football: a pragmatic type III hybrid implementation-effectiveness stepped wedge cluster randomised trial. Br J Sports Med (2026[BP1.1][BP1.2]).
  4. Crossley et al. Making football safer for women: a systematic review and meta-analysis of injury prevention programmes in 11 773 female football (soccer) players. Br J Sports Med (2020).
  5. Crossley K et al. Female, woman and/or girl Athlete Injury pRevention (FAIR) practical recommendations: International Olympic Committee (IOC) consensus. Br J Sports Med (2025).
  6. Patterson B et al. Dissemination and implementation of injury prevention interventions: a scoping review for the FAIR consensus. Br J Sports Med (2025).