Football NSW Statement on Skills Acquisition

Football New South Wales (FNSW) wishes to issue a clarifying statement regarding its reform of skills acquisition in development of talented young players.

1. Football NSW’s intention in its SAP reforms is to better facilitate this important stage of development by giving Associations primary delivery and oversight of skills acquisition for the relevant age groups and stage of development.
2. Football NSW believes that skills acquisition should be accessible and should not be considered an elite program or contribute to competitive pressure on young players before they have even reached NPL level involvement.
3. Football NSW also believes that there is a need to strengthen the role Associations play in providing credible, Football NSW approved, skills acquisition programs, not least to enable parents of talented players to avoid unnecessary and costly private academies.
4. Football NSW believes that Associations should and will maintain and strengthen the skills acquisition frameworks in line with the FFA’s national curriculum and activities they have put in place, and explore, through their Standing Committee, how they might establish coach development internally and collaborative tournaments between Associations.

We have announced, and reiterate, our intention to work with the Association Standing Committee in these reforms and in future Association-based, governed and delivered SAP frameworks.