The AJFC Football Academy is a key pillar of Abbotsford Juniors Football Club’s core value of “Respect and Development” which is to promote participation and achievement at all levels. The Club is committed to provide options for male and female players who wish to play at a competitive level and those who play for social/friendship purposes.
In 2017, Abbotsford Juniors introduced the concept of the AJFC Football Academy, Academy teams and football trials linked to the creation of these teams. Run by the Club’s Football Development Committee, the AJFC Football Academy program is focused on providing a platform for boys and girls to play at the highest Football Canterbury Association (community) competitive level in their age group each year.
Our AJFC Football Academy program offers:
- Access to high level competition teams for boys and girls from Under 8 to Under 16 age groups
- Teams are formed through public trials open to all players who register whether or not they played for AJFC in the previous year
- Offers additional training opportunities for players both as a team and via paid skill development training with expert coaches
AJFC Academy teams and their players are encouraged to train a minimum of twice a week. Players who are selected and accept a position in an Academy team will be offered priority access to additional paid skills development training as a team, coordinated and run by the AJFC Football Development program with our expert training partner, Futboltec. Participation is optional but encouraged.
Players will also be entitled to purchase an AJFC Academy training kit package with their team. The contents of package may vary from year to year but would usually include a training kit of a jersey, shorts and socks, a jacket and track pants. Purchase of training kit is optional.
AJFC Academy teams are encouraged and supported by the Club to enter and participate in sanctioned competitions such as the Football NSW State Cup and Kanga Cup.
AJFC Academy Trials
AJFC Academy team trials are conducted on an annual basis where there is an existing Academy team returning from the previous year or when Club believes there is a high likelihood of a team being formed.
Trials for membership of an AJFC Academy team are typically conducted at the end of November and early December. Exact trial dates and locations are published on the Club’s website and social media.
Where an AJFC Academy team is formed the Club will typically submitted the team for grading consideration as Division 1 based upon skill ability and prior year performance where relevant.
Grading of teams is conducted by the Football Canterbury Association who have the final say on what Division a team will play.
AJFC Academy Teams
There were a total of 14 teams participating in the AJFC Football Academy program for the 2024 Winter football season:
Non-Competitive Teams
- Under 8 Boys x 2
- Under 9 Boys
- Under 9 Girls
- Under 10 Boys
- Under 12 Boys
- Under 12 Girls
Competition Teams
- Under 13 Boys
- Under 13 Girls x 2
- Under 14 Boys
- Under 14 Girls
- Under 15 Boys
- Under 18 Boys
AJFC Academy Rules and Regulations
The operation of the AJFC Football Academy program is governed by a set of rules set down and confirmed by the AJFC Executive Committee each year. The rules cover how Academy teams may be formed, the privileges afforded Academy teams and how trials are to be conducted.
Academy Football Training Programs
Abbotsford Juniors Football Club offers specialised paid football skills training options to Football Academy Program members throughout the Winter Football Season running from April to August. Football Academy Program members have priority access to these programs which are also available to other AJFC playing members. AJFC also offers more specialised football training programs in the form of Goalkeeper Skills training and new program planned for 2025, Striker Skills training during the same period.
Skills training is designed as a companion program to Academy team members regular team training with their coach(es) where game training and positional play will be a focus. Participation is optional in addition to regular team training and is subject to registration and payment of fees.
Find out more about our Football Skills Development Programs.