World Footy News

The British Columbia (in western Canada) junior development program continues to expand to rival any other international footy program outside of the so-called big three of New Zealand, Papua New Guinea and South Africa. This season has seen more growth in numbers (both with the league and thousands of Auskick kids), regular television coverage, the possibility of a purpose built oval (very rare outside of Australia) and a plan to integrate the juniors with senior clubs, creating North America's first full club structure. Maybe oneday the'll be able to join a series between juniors from the UK and Denmark, or closer to home take on kids from the US. The following is a season wrap and report on future plans by the President of AFL Canada who is also in charge of the successful North Delta Junior AFL.

The fourth year of the NDJAFL wrapped up at the end of July. Once again the league has continued its phenomenal growth. The league added 4 more teams and 1 age group. Our registration grew from 78 to 125 kids. It has now come to the point that registration will be limited to 48 kids per age group. This will guarantee the kids get the proper attention and achieve the development they need. The league now has its own web-site www.ndjafl.blogspot.com and has become a permanent fixture on local cable TV (Delta Cable).

Our growth has been noticed by the local council, to the degree that we have entered into negotiations with them to build a new field for Australian Football in North Delta. We are to present a proposal to council at the end of summer. The field will be part of a sports complex that will also give us access to change room facilities, offices and social rooms. This will also give us the ability to form a third senior club in Vancouver and create the first full club system in North America.

Our first set of juniors has now started training with the senior clubs in Vancouver (Cougars/Eagles) and we expect some of them to make their senior debuts this summer and some to become part of the National Team for the next International Cup. Our division winners this year were the Kangaroos in U16, the Goannas in U13 and the Magpies in U11. Our Best & Fairest winners were T.J.Randhawa in U16, Lucas Bayley in U13 and Jason Silen in U11.

Our Auskick style clinics have once again been a huge success. We are running clinics in 3 suburbs of Vancouver (Richmond, Ladner and North Delta). 5 schools now have us as a permanent part of their athletic program. This year between league and school sessions close to 5,000 kids in B.C. have been introduced to Australian Football in 2006.

With the AFL looking at international development pathways and ways to implement them, we feel that Canada would be a prime country to start this process. First we have a successful junior league in place, second Canadian kids already have the thought process of leaving home to achieve their sports goals. It has been a way of life for years with Canadian kids leaving home at the age of 16 to play ice hockey away from their home base. This has been the accepted practice for those wanting to have the best chance to achieve their goal of being drafted by the NHL. Now it would be the way for them to get drafted to the AFL. This is not something that is foreign to our kids' and parents' way of thinking.

Canadian kids will leave home at the age of 16,17,18 for the chance to achieve their goal. All they need is for the AFL to open their eyes to Canada, not just the big three of international football. The NHL and NFL have learned to never close a door. They know through experience that you can find a hockey player from Denmark or Austria or a football player from Sweden or Samoa.The sporting culture of Canadians and Australians are similar in the way in which they view sports and if given the opportunity a Canadian kid will grab hold of this chance with both hands. The AFL only has to give them the chance.

Mike McFarlane
President AFL Canada/NDJAFL

Under 16's Mike McFarlane medal winner T.J. Randhawa (with Mike)

Under 16's Coach's award winner Clayton Lund