A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the senior and junior clubs will also help maintain a working relationship and aid player transition.

Template MOU – Player transition

What can the junior club do to assist Auskick?

• Distribute player pathway documents to Auskick participants
• Invite the top end youth players to be part of your club’s program

What can the junior club do to assist 8 to 12-year-old?

• Discuss with junior players that they may go on to play with their aligned senior club – distribute a basic pathway document
• Invite the senior club to be part of your program including coaching
• Educate parents on how to encourage and support their children to participate long term in football and why this is important

What can the junior club do to assist 13 to 15-year-old?

• Have a player’s night/dinner at a senior club to experience a senior team training night
• Encourage parents to help young people balance the demands on their time to allow time for sport
• Invite the senior club to be part of your program including coaching

What can the junior club do to assist 16 to 18-year-old?

• Train at local senior club ground several times during the year
• Celebrate local transition successes (i.e. Junior players going on to win individual awards and honours)
• Send a letter to all previous Under 16’s in January/February providing the senior club contact details and encouraging them to register

What can the junior club do to assist senior clubs?

• Support and encourage the efforts of the local senior club
• Provide contact details of Under 18’s players to senior clubs (NB: releasing this information is not in breach of the Privacy Act or AFL Privacy Policy)
• Invite a senior club representative to sit on the junior club’s committee
• Offer a junior representative to sit on the senior club committee
• Hold a joint function/event with the senior club, e.g. quiz night or gala day
• Invite the senior club committee to key junior club events or functions

What can the senior club do to assist Auskick?

• Arrange for senior players to attend the local Auskick Centre and assist in coaching / umpiring (wearing senior club shirt)
• Arrange for NAB AFL Auskick kids from the local junior club to play at half time of your senior club’s league match, with a BBQ / event for players and parents

What can the senior club do to assist Under 9’s to 12’s?

• Assist the junior club at local junior registration days
• Provide players or people to support the efforts of the junior clubs in recruiting junior players
• Senior players to volunteer a few hours during the season e.g. operate the BBQ at key events

What can the senior club do to assist Under 13’s to 16’s?

• Hold BBQ’s for the junior players after training
• Provide players to conduct training sessions for junior team
• Invite junior players to senior club matches

What can the senior club do to assist Under 16’s to 18’s?

• Actively look to provide a player/ex-player to coach the Under 16’s junior team (someone who is a positive role model)
• Establish regular communication with Under 16’s and 18’s players, such as letters at the start of the season (wishing them all the best for the season ahead), middle (touching base and inviting them to a senior club event – with no alcohol) and end of their season (congratulating them on the end of the season and giving them further details about your club and the following season)
• Invite the Under 16’s to 18’s to train with the senior squad on occasion
• Have the senior club league coach provide support to the Under 16’s and 18’s coaches and take sessions with the junior players
• Hold a parent information session with the parents of the Under 16’s and 18’s parents to give them info about the senior club and so they can ask any questions
• Include all Under 16’s / 18’s players from local junior clubs on a mail out / email database for all club newsletters (seek permission from players and include an unsubscribe option)
• Invite all Under 16’s / 18’s and their parents to a senior club game and incorporate a club lunch for the attendees
• Establish a pre-season timeline to distribute to all Under 16’s/18’s players at the end of their season - don’t wait until pre-season commences!

What can the senior club do to assist junior clubs in general?

• Appoint a Junior Club Liaison Officer and offer a senior club representative to sit on the junior club committee
• Invite a junior representative to sit on the senior club committee
• Explore an induction process or youth player camp
• Implement a player welfare program to ensure the players feel welcome at the club once they arrive
• Implement a mentor program (player buddy system) – whereby current senior players ‘buddy up’ with a youth player. The senior player may train with his buddy a couple of times throughout the year and watch each other play throughout the year
• Senior clubs need to present a professional image that junior players and their families want to be a part of include:
• Appropriate coaching
• Professional look and standards at training
• Ensuring that the club rooms and its surroundings are kept presentable and not impacted from anti-social behaviour
• Create a positive image and environment at the club that will welcome younger players. This is particularly relevant if you share a ground with a junior club