- Oct 20, 2017
- 253
- 735
- AFL Club
- Port Adelaide
- Banned
- #1
Will Nelson, Victoria ever produce an AFL footballer?
Situated in the lower South West of Victoria, close to the South Australian border, is the small fishing village of Nelson. In the 2006 census, the population was 226. Time seems to stand still in the quiet surrounds of the Glenelg River system, and we can only assume that the number remains 226 in 2018. Boasting a wide variety of accommodation, a BP servo (open till 7), a Telstra payphone, the famous Nelson Hotel and the serene Oxbow Lake, and the ocean just a short stroll away, you would think Nelson had everything going for it. There's even a Kiosk and a playground by the lake, with ice-cream and treats for sale to all.
But there's just one thing I can't quite put my finger on. Why, with all these resources at its disposal, has Nelson failed to produce an AFL footballer? There's ample space here for skills to be honed at Annie Kerr Reserve, just by the lake. Is it the demographic of the population? Do they not have enough access to footballs? With Mount Gambier just 35 clicks to the west and Portland 70 to the east, Nelson is smack bang in the middle of footballing heartland.
Is fishing overtaking football as the number one sport in Victoria? I've seen a number of fishermen during my short stay in the town, yet not a single football anywhere.
What can be done to improve the prospects of producing AFL capable talent in the future at Nelson, and who is responsible for the current predicament?
My first suggestion would be to construct a world class training facility at Annie Kerr Reserve. A state of the art biomechanics and physical training team could be employed at the institute, with resident coaches rotating through season by season to provide exposure to a variety of play-styles and specific training focus points towards the next generation of footballing talent. Kevin Sheedy would be a good choice to run the facility over the first year.
Funding would need to be provided by the government or the AFL, and this investment in to grass roots development of the game will surely pay for itself in time.
Pictured: Annie Kerr Reserve, proposed site of the Nelson Institute of Australian Football (NIAF)
Situated in the lower South West of Victoria, close to the South Australian border, is the small fishing village of Nelson. In the 2006 census, the population was 226. Time seems to stand still in the quiet surrounds of the Glenelg River system, and we can only assume that the number remains 226 in 2018. Boasting a wide variety of accommodation, a BP servo (open till 7), a Telstra payphone, the famous Nelson Hotel and the serene Oxbow Lake, and the ocean just a short stroll away, you would think Nelson had everything going for it. There's even a Kiosk and a playground by the lake, with ice-cream and treats for sale to all.
But there's just one thing I can't quite put my finger on. Why, with all these resources at its disposal, has Nelson failed to produce an AFL footballer? There's ample space here for skills to be honed at Annie Kerr Reserve, just by the lake. Is it the demographic of the population? Do they not have enough access to footballs? With Mount Gambier just 35 clicks to the west and Portland 70 to the east, Nelson is smack bang in the middle of footballing heartland.
Is fishing overtaking football as the number one sport in Victoria? I've seen a number of fishermen during my short stay in the town, yet not a single football anywhere.
What can be done to improve the prospects of producing AFL capable talent in the future at Nelson, and who is responsible for the current predicament?
My first suggestion would be to construct a world class training facility at Annie Kerr Reserve. A state of the art biomechanics and physical training team could be employed at the institute, with resident coaches rotating through season by season to provide exposure to a variety of play-styles and specific training focus points towards the next generation of footballing talent. Kevin Sheedy would be a good choice to run the facility over the first year.
Funding would need to be provided by the government or the AFL, and this investment in to grass roots development of the game will surely pay for itself in time.
Pictured: Annie Kerr Reserve, proposed site of the Nelson Institute of Australian Football (NIAF)
