Keeping kids in the game as they move into adulthood

[2 Left feet]

How do we keep kids playing this great game as they move through adolescence and into adulthood?

I'm in Brisbane and currently coaching an U17's team that I have been involved with since U8's with my lad playing, we seem to lose a kid or three every year to a point we are now struggling to field a side where 3 years back we had two teams in this age group.

These boys are getting older now, when they were younger we'd lose them to other sports, or other clubs, now they are just drifting away from the game altogether making it hard to keep players up to the colts and senior teams in years to come.

Some have cited not enjoying the game or training as much anymore, others concentrating on senior year at school. I know that training as the kids mature moves from a skills based session to more of a fitness based regime which certainly takes it's toll but we don't do the old style running laps carrying bricks etc. All our running is done in drills with a footy in hand. I also understand that school is important but I reckon having an outlet like footy is just as critical.

Does anybody have a tactic for keeping these boys playing footy to a senior level?

 

[frotherr_]

I'm a junior player and I think the thing that clubs need to do is increase incentive to stick around. Give kids the opportunity to filter through and play senior level footy early. Also, integrate the club by training with seniors and having club events which teams need to go to.
Also, it's critical to have a god bond between the team. If the kids don't have a bond, then you're going to have a s**t footy team and people will leave. Early in the season/pre season do things to make the kids bond. Make them get changed at the rooms before and after training, make them do recovery on a sunday morning ect. like a professional environment.

 

[IschenkoUBeauty]

Would certainly never question or begrudge a kid from stepping away from footy to concentrate on his VCE/senior schooling. Football has an expiry date but a good education and qualifications can take you through life. And that's not just at grassroots level either. There are plenty of stories floating around of ex VFL/AFL players who didn't set themselves up career-wise for post-footy. You're a long time retired.

 

[Drugs Are Bad Mackay?]

Universal problem for every sport. Driver's license, girls, parties, part time work, school... something has to give and often it's time consuming organised sport.

Difficult thing is that if you make it easier to commit to playing (fewer trainings, shorter preseason, more fun, less running) then you alienate the ones who are genuinely passionate and dedicated and who want to be successful. End up serving no one.

I've always thought that there's a point where coach or parent driven organisation/motivation needs to be handed over to player driven. The "kids" are now young adults and need to be encouraged to take more ownership.

Can they plan preseason? Set up a Facebook group for the team? Organise their own social functions (eg Fifa night), run drills at training, recruit friends/school mates to the team etc. They're at an age where independence is important to them. Perhaps clubs can utilise that.

I know one area that was struggling for junior cricketers in that age group. Fell away to nothing. A few kids organised a T20 competition completely off their own bat and it went gangbusters.