Saturday 6th December 2014 saw some Football Victoria SAP Licensees participants including teams from all over Victoria showcasing SAP Clubs from under 9’s, 10’s and 11’s girls in what was a wonderful day for football.

Our girls SAP team headed down to Point Cook for their final 2014 SAP Gala day lead by Technical Director Paul Castelli.

Developing our young players to play, enjoy and to learn in the right environment has always been the focus for SAP. It was very encouraging to see coaches, parents, and most importantly, players continue to embrace this new philosophy in youth football over the weekend. PVSC hope to see these talented players follow their dreams and progress through the football pathways.

WHAT IS THE SKILL ACQUISITION PROGRAM (SAP)

Aims

Our main aim is to establish a program of Football Training and education that will help young players improve technically, tactically, physically, mentally, and socially while preparing them for professional and international football.

Football skills are vital to a player’s development at all levels, but essentially at the elite level where success is determined by the ability to perform a range of core skills effectively under match conditions.

Of course not all players will attain these heights, but all will benefit from being part of the SAP program in a number of ways. They will be exposed to a total Football education process and experience, which will benefit each individual Footballer and help prepare them for whatever their Football future may bring.

Players will be given the opportunity to improve both technically and tactically while learning the value of a disciplined approach, punctuality and the need to practice effectively and regularly if they aspire to be a professional player in the A-League or W-League.

We will help players to develop socially, to be polite, to interact with others and achieve a high level of self esteem. Players will also learn to appreciate the value of setting high standards and the value of hard work, whilst learning about the benefits of living a healthy Football lifestyle.

Players will ascertain the importance of teamwork, team spirit and sportsmanship, as well as providing an enjoyable and fun environment for them to thrive in.

Building Blocks

For this reason the National Curriculum has created the Building Blocks methodology which is the framework that provides the practical guidelines for coaches working at all levels of youth development.

Skill Acquisition Phase

The phase for the ‘golden age’ of motor learning (9 years to 13 years) is known as the Skill Acquisition Phase and it is from this methodology that our program derives its name and its focus.

PVSC see the Skill Acquisition Program (SAP) having a twofold purpose:

To deliver the best possible Football education for the players.
To educate the wider football community in the methodology of coaching in the skill acquisition phase of youth development.
The SAP coaches will have a responsibility to work in the wider football community. They will be coaching assets in their area and will assist in coaching coaches and promoting the program.

The program will aid in the development of elite coaches in the Skill Acquisition Phase of youth development. The flow on effect will be the increase of opportunities for players, both boys and girls, to be better prepared technically and tactically to develop through the Talented Player Pathway. We view these football coaches as football educators and are confident that in further assisting their professional development in their field of expertise, we will make significant improvements to the standard of football.

Development v Results

Many coaches have embraced the National Curriculum and the 1:4:3:3 formations to be frustrated by others that favour a long ball direct style of football which can bring short term results but which smothers long term development. If we are looking to create a football culture consistent with the world’s best football nations then our youth development needs to focus on development instead of results.

PVSC believes that these initiatives will fundamentally shift youth development away from a results driven model to a development driven model. It will have a substantial impact on the future focus of youth football and produce a larger talent pool for clubs and the National Player Development Pathway.