Re: Elite Academies : Mon Jun 07, 2021 6:23 am  

dboy wrote:

I have no doubt that in 5 years time, some clubs will be still finding someone else to blame.

Best name one or two them we can get the wind up out of the way.

Highly publicised head injuries, schools which won't play RL but insist on union, more non team sports activities for kids to choose instead, less SKY money etc will all contribute to decreasing numbers of youngsters wanting to play RL and RU.

But club x are just feckless, lazy and can't be bothered?

Re: Elite Academies : Mon Jun 07, 2021 2:21 pm  

Donnyman wrote:

https://leighrl.co.uk/wp/v2/leigh-community-trust/

Your club appear to run a "community trust" that promotes the game in positive ways.......

AFAIK the issue with academies taking kids away from community clubs is it depletes these clubs youth teams and they disband. But it is the case as kids get to 16 they tend to find other things to do that they may see as more grown up. It may be that handing out academy places when kids are 15 keeps them playing because there's a chance of making the grade.

My own evidence is our local junior soccer league which several leagues at each age range but by the time kids hit 16 there was only one league as so many kids decide to stop playing around that age. The professional clubs were moving in when kids were 13 and 14.......

Your comment about there being very few kids teams at 16, is because they are then playing "adult" football.
Not necessarily have they given up the game, the same also applies to cricket, where, due to physicality not being such an advantage, if you're good enough, your old enough and loads of 13/14 year olds can and do play in 2nd /3rd team senior cricket.
Mind you, they still have recruitment issues and some sided and clubs have folded in recent years.

Re: Elite Academies : Mon Jun 07, 2021 2:41 pm  

wrencat1873 wrote:

Your comment about there being very few kids teams at 16, is because they are then playing "adult" football.
Not necessarily have they given up the game, the same also applies to cricket, where, due to physicality not being such an advantage, if you're good enough, your old enough and loads of 13/14 year olds can and do play in 2nd /3rd team senior cricket.
Mind you, they still have recruitment issues and some sided and clubs have folded in recent years.

I played a bit of 3rd 4th team Union at 16-17 1989-1991 open age. would not dare have played open age Rl at that time. even under 18's was very very tough std as there where not really enough under 18s team round my way at the time, so just getting a game was not easy. Hardly any junior football in my far flung outpost of west yorkshire. now there are loads of junior Football teams and hardly any Rl teams not like they used to be.
Participation is very very low.

Re: Elite Academies : Mon Jun 07, 2021 3:39 pm  

rollin thunder wrote:

I played a bit of 3rd 4th team Union at 16-17 1989-1991 open age. would not dare have played open age Rl at that time. even under 18's was very very tough std as there where not really enough under 18s team round my way at the time, so just getting a game was not easy. Hardly any junior football in my far flung outpost of west yorkshire. now there are loads of junior Football teams and hardly any Rl teams not like they used to be.
Participation is very very low.

The physicality in Union and League makes it a tough ask for 17,18,19 year old's to "step up", something that isnt the same in Football and certainly not the same in cricket.
RL is more than ever a power based game and although some can cope, plenty need more time to develop.

We still come back to numbers and it's more important than ever to find ways to attract more juniors into the game.

Re: Elite Academies : Tue Jun 08, 2021 6:39 am  

wrencat1873 wrote:

The physicality in Union and League makes it a tough ask for 17,18,19 year old's to "step up", something that isnt the same in Football and certainly not the same in cricket.
RL is more than ever a power based game and although some can cope, plenty need more time to develop.

We still come back to numbers and it's more important than ever to find ways to attract more juniors into the game.

When I was 14 I was a star FB and I have the trophies to prove it.

At 16 I was struggling with the physicality of the game and I was not a small lad. I still enjoyed it but I was no longer the star.

By 18 I had a go at open age. I played the full 80, scored twice and I’ve never played since.

I was black and blue by the end, I’d been threatened and punched by huge men who were more my dads age.

I’ll admit it, l was scared and played on instinct. That was 1983, perhaps it’s different now, I hope so.

I tried Union, I got bored and I didn’t really get it, so golf and a bit of tennis it was. Think I made the right choice

Re: Elite Academies : Tue Jun 08, 2021 7:38 am  

wrencat1873 wrote:

Your comment about there being very few kids teams at 16, is because they are then playing "adult" football.
Not necessarily have they given up the game,

My lad went through Junior Football, which was renowned for being used as a creche for parents and interest built from the under 7's peaked around the 11's and 12's and fell after that with most kids not returning for U15's and U16's.....by that time scouts had taken who they wanted.......Kids had other choices and didn't need mum and dad to follow them.

I refereed games through this period, when adult sunday football was also declining fast, so much so there is no adult sunday league (which I ran a works team in) anymore round here, so please don't give me the made up nonsense that they are all playing adult football.

Once again the problem we have is participation numbers have declined massively via a social trend we cannot hope to reverse, and the head injuries alarm bells have only made it worse. SL clubs through their foundations give kids the chance to play and through their academies give the best a chance to make a career of it.

No point people constantly moaning SL clubs don't do enough to develop players, they actually do all they possibly can through foundations an academies.

If you want a row about it contact Jamie Jones Buchanan and out him straight.....

Re: Elite Academies : Tue Jun 08, 2021 7:49 am  

vastman wrote:

When I was 14 I was a star FB and I have the trophies to prove it.

That was 1983, perhaps it’s different now, I hope so.

In 1986 I had just about finished with my works soccer team in the Sunday league - something like 12 leagues of 12 clubs.

There is no sunday league anymore......... It's been a massive social change. Grass roots Soccer and Rugby has been decimated.

Re: Elite Academies : Tue Jun 08, 2021 10:42 am  

Donnyman wrote:

My lad went through Junior Football, which was renowned for being used as a creche for parents and interest built from the under 7's peaked around the 11's and 12's and fell after that with most kids not returning for U15's and U16's.....by that time scouts had taken who they wanted.......Kids had other choices and didn't need mum and dad to follow them.

I refereed games through this period, when adult sunday football was also declining fast, so much so there is no adult sunday league (which I ran a works team in) anymore round here, so please don't give me the made up nonsense that they are all playing adult football.

Once again the problem we have is participation numbers have declined massively via a social trend we cannot hope to reverse, and the head injuries alarm bells have only made it worse. SL clubs through their foundations give kids the chance to play and through their academies give the best a chance to make a career of it.

No point people constantly moaning SL clubs don't do enough to develop players, they actually do all they possibly can through foundations an academies.

If you want a row about it contact Jamie Jones Buchanan and out him straight.....

Well, I'm totally confused.
I must have mis read your earlier post on here, which I thought was suggesting that it was SL clubs and their academies that were killing the community game ??
My point was that it's nothing to do with SL clubs, which give better training and development of young lads and that it is lack of numbers which is THE problem for the community game.
"We" have to make RL more appealing and find ways of keeping youngsters in the game.

Reducing the numbers of elite academies wont achieve this.
Thankfully, one or two decisions have been reversed now and I re state the fact that SL clubs that are deficient, should be helped to get their academies up to scratch and not just binned off.

Re: Elite Academies : Tue Jun 08, 2021 7:46 pm  

wrencat1873 wrote:

Well, I'm totally confused.

My point was that it's nothing to do with SL clubs, which give better training and development of young lads and that it is lack of numbers which is THE problem for the community game.
"We" have to make RL more appealing and find ways of keeping youngsters in the game. Reducing the numbers of elite academies wont achieve this.

Yes I agree a lack of numbers.......

However the more academies you have the worse the general standard becomes.

Surely we want a competitive academy at a high level

A 10 club academy league will raise the standard a 14 club league will reduce it and will carry 100 players who are never going to make it.

Re: Elite Academies : Tue Jun 08, 2021 11:00 pm  

wrencat1873 wrote:

Well, I'm totally confused.
I must have mis read your earlier post on here, which I thought was suggesting that it was SL clubs and their academies that were killing the community game ??
My point was that it's nothing to do with SL clubs, which give better training and development of young lads and that it is lack of numbers which is THE problem for the community game.
"We" have to make RL more appealing and find ways of keeping youngsters in the game.

Reducing the numbers of elite academies wont achieve this.
Thankfully, one or two decisions have been reversed now and I re state the fact that SL clubs that are deficient, should be helped to get their academies up to scratch and not just binned off.

Correct!

It’s getting the schools playing the game again IMO. Not reducing the number of academies.