Academy for future stars

Emerald Secondary College school council president Phil Dwyer, Emerald Football Netball Club president Dean Stuhldreier, Emerald Secondary College principal Jodie Doble, Emerald Junior Football Club president Mark Goodyear, and Emerald Secondary College AFL academy coordinator Jarrad Donders can't wait for an exciting new footy chapter at the school. Picture: SUPPLIED

By Russell Bennett

Emerald Secondary College is on the verge of launching its own footy academy.

In a groundbreaking move, the school’s AFL Academy will be up and running in 2020 and is the first of its kind for the college. It’s set to follow on from the success of its inaugural AFL Pathway Program, which was launched earlier this year.

The concept is the brainchild of 25-year-old health and physical education teacher Jarrad Donders, who is also a senior AFL Yarra Ranges Division 1 footballer at Emerald.

From 2019, the footy landscape in the south east is set to change dramatically with the launch of ‘Outer East Football and Netball’ – a new promotion-relegation style competition that will replace the existing AFL Yarra Ranges league and also incorporate six current South East Football Netball League (SEFNL) clubs: Beaconsfield, Berwick, Doveton, Narre Warren, Officer and Pakenham.

The launch of Emerald Secondary’s AFL academy in 2020 is set to capitalise on the new competition, and give a number of its young players the opportunity to significantly enhance their skills through individualised training programs and methods.

“This year we started up an extra-curricular (football) program outside of class time,” Donders explained.

“Through that students were able to learn more about match play, (game) strategy, skills, hydration, and recovery methods.”

Students were also given the opportunity to attend excursions to both the Hawthorn Football Club, and the MCG.

As a young up-and-coming teacher, Donders did some work placement and was an assistant coach at Hallam Senior College – known for its own established football academy.

He could see a clear need to start a similar venture at Emerald – his hometown.

“With the expansion of AFL Outer East, there’s certainly room for an academy in the local area,” he said.

Opening to Year 7 students, Emerald’s academy will offer boys and girls the opportunity to engage with coaches, professional athletes and resources during school contact hours.

Donders said the new program would give participants the opportunity to “foster students academically and athletically in their pursuit of excellence.

“We know that Emerald breeds great footballers, from (Carlton star) Kade Simpson to (Blues team mates) Cam O’Shea and Matt Lobbe, and an AFL academy will provide the perfect environment to condition and develop our young, local talent.”

The academy program will aim to sequentially develop individual players through skill development, games, professional strength and conditioning sessions, match rules and conditions – fitting their stage of learning and ability.

It’s set to be run with a strong connection to TAC Cup outfit Eastern Ranges, and the newly-announced AFL Outer East.

Recruitment, and the application process, is set to begin with a series of clinics run for Year 5 students from schools around the greater Emerald area in Term 4 this year. An information evening will then be held on 26 March next year at Emerald Secondary College.

Donders said he’d already been in contact with primary schools around the Casey region, too.

“I’ve already contacted primary schools down that way (in the southern part of what will be the new competition) – we’ve got the facilities at the school, and Chandler Reserve (the home of the Emerald Football Netball Club) which is a two-minute walk down the road – so we’ve got access to all the facilities we need to build a strong academy.

“Our aim is to establish a strong push of interest for the academy starting in 2020.”