SANFL 2006 Annual Report

A growing area within the SANFL, the Football Operationsdepartment has been responsible for administering theSANFL competition and implementing game developmentprograms in partnership with the SANFL clubs and AFL viathe Affiliated Leagues, Umpiring, Participation, Talent, CoachEducation and School and Club programs.The department has enjoyed another successful year withpleasing results obtained in a broad number of areas.Highlights of the 2006 State League competition included:• A competitive, exciting and attacking brand of footballdisplayed by all League Clubs• An average of 30 goals scored per match• 3.5% increase in minor round attendances• South Adelaide competed in the major round for the firsttime in 14 years• Woodville-West Torrens won the premiership for the firsttime since 1993• The State team defeated Western Australia by 17 pointsAt the game development level, 2006 highlights included:• 2.8% increase in total participants• 0.5% increase in AFL Auskick participants• 5.3% increase in Aussie Footy participants (primary school)• 2% increase in Youth Footy participants (secondary school)• 832 Level 1 Coaching Course participants• 10.6% increase in new umpires recruited• Good working relationships with the SAAFL and allmetropolitan and regionally based Affiliated Leagues• Competitive Under-16/18 State Team performances• 15 players drafted to AFL Clubs• 6 players rookie listed by AFL ClubsLooking towards 2007, the Football Operations departmentwill be restructured into two departments, State LeagueCompetition and Game Development and we are determinedS A N F L A N N U A L R E P O R T 2 0 0 61FOOTBALL OPERATIONSto continue to grow these results whilst maintaining a veryhigh standard at the State League level.PARTICIPATIONTotal participation in Australian football in South Australiain 2006 was 72,040 – an 18.5% increase over the past four years.This number comprises those who were involved in Australianfootball programs and competitions for a minimum of six weeks.AFL AUSKICKAFL Auskick continued to grow with 15,029 childrenparticipating in the 2006 program, a 0.5% increase on 2005.Key features of the 2006 program included:• 2,500 participants attending Adelaide and Port AdelaideFootball Club “Pie Nights”• 1,500 participants playing AFL Auskick grid games at halftimeof AFL matches• 19 participants attending the AFL Grand Final to play halftimegrid games• The “Dipper Roadshow” throughout the Adelaide Hills region• 550 participants involved in the Auskick Parade of FutureChampions at the SANFL Grand FinalAUSSIE FOOTY PROGRAMParticipation in Aussie Footy, primary school football, increasedby 5.3% in 2006. The program, focused on attracting as manyprimary school students as possible to play the game, consists of:Video Ezy Red Rooster Primary School Football Competitions484 teams involving approximately 9,500 students were involvedin Friday afternoon and Saturday morning competitions. ThePremiers Cup, bringing together the best 10 metropolitan schoolteams in SA School Football Association zones in a knockoutcompetition, was won by the Our Lady of Visitation PrimarySchool Gold team.TOTAL PARTICIPATION75,000AUSKICK18,000SCHOOL PLAYERS18,000PARTICIPANTS70,00065,00060,00055,00060,72867,19470,05172,040PARTICIPANTS15,00012,0009000600010,73512,93514,95915,029PARTICIPANTS15,00012,0009000600010,95014,62515,19515,49250,000300030000002003 2004 2005 2006YEARS2003 2004 2005 2006YEARS2003 2004 2005 2006YEARS8