Junior and Youth football in South East Queensland will have a different look in 2020, with AFL Queensland announcing a revamped competition structure for next season and beyond.
The changes have been endorsed following a comprehensive review which commenced in 2016. The review included reassessing the competition structures, data and environments relating to all elements of Junior and Youth Football. The aim being to create quality competitions and environments that provide easy access and encourage participation in AFL.
Throughout the review, multiple engagement phases were conducted with players, parents, club officials, coaches and umpires, with over 14,000 stakeholders participating in focus groups, surveys and interviews.
The new South East Queensland Competitions also sees the amalgamation of Sunshine Coast, Brisbane, Gold Coast and Northern Rivers.
Notably, changes will include:
- Realigning Age Groups closer to standard school age policies
- Introduction of Local Zones to minimise travel time
- New competitions – Footy4Fun, Community Cup and Conference Championships
- Introduction of E-points to reward positive game day behaviour in youth football
AFL Queensland State Manager- Junior Football Operations, Cherie Brockwell, said the new changes represent a new frontier for Junior AFL in the South East Queensland.
“Attracting new participants to Junior AFL across all age groups is crucial to achieving AFL Queensland’s goal of increasing participation” Brockwell said.
“As an organisation, we are extremely excited about the new opportunities these new competition structures will offer our participants, clubs and parents.
“AFL Queensland appreciates the support and input our clubs and their members have had in shaping a new era of Junior AFL in South East Queensland. Having the clubs actively participating in the review process allowed us to ensure we have developed a structure that meets the needs of our community”
Footy4Fun and Youth Football competitions will commence across Queensland in late March. To register for 2020, visit the SEQ Junior Hub
If you have any questions or would like further information please reach out to your local club.
