How's this for junior fees!

[Ciudad Juarez]

I understand that junior fees at South Melbourne FC (Victorian Premier League) will be $3200 + GST per player next season.

[themessenger]

I understand that junior fees at South Melbourne FC (Victorian Premier League) will be $3200 + GST per player next season.

are you sure it is not $490 per junior player and $390 for SSF?

[Ciudad Juarez]

http://issuu.com/smfc/docs/2013-smfc-yo ... ode=mobile

[Bomber]

Jeepers, they must get 10 different style tracksuits at least for that!

[zackadacka]

http://issuu.com/smfc/docs/2013-smfc-yo ... ode=mobile

That is ridiculous

[johnydep]

They are starting what many clubs will have to do to stay at the highest level:

• Employ qualified staff
• Medical staff
• full list of equipment
• A grade facilities
  etc

It cost money to have full time staff, someone has to pay. And the best way to have the best development is paid staff.

Good luck to South Melbourne FC, hope they are very successful with their model.

[Big Mac]

Trials last 12 weeks and it costs $490

[themessenger]

I understand that junior fees at South Melbourne FC (Victorian Premier League) will be $3200 + GST per player next season.

guess they gotta pay for that 36 page brochure for starters!

will be very interesting to see how many football stars come out of this development program in a few years time?

[Bomber]

Sounds better than any A-League development program, but really, its only a consideration for rich kids.

[Ciudad Juarez]

Good for Johnny average whose daddy is a dental surgeon.

Tommy talent may have a single mother so no good for him.

Be interesting which players they end up attracting and how many of them pay all their instalments.

[johnydep]

Freedom of choice, not only is it a great song by DEVO but something we all have. Don't like the fee structure of a club or academy - don't sign up. Don't agree with a clubs philosophy - walk away.

Kids, players and parents have a multitude of choice when it comes to playing football, use them but don't stop new ideas just because you don't like it.

[Ciudad Juarez]

Freedom of choice, not only is it a great song by DEVO but something we all have. Don't like the fee structure of a club or academy - don't sign up. Don't agree with a clubs philosophy - walk away.

Kids, players and parents have a multitude of choice when it comes to playing football, use them but don't stop new ideas just because you don't like it.

Good on them for trying something different, ill be surprised if it lasts longer than one season

[paul merson]

Jeepers, they must get 10 different style tracksuits at least for that!

Track suit?? I'd want a fkn Armani suit!!

[Bomber]

Jeepers, they must get 10 different style tracksuits at least for that!

Track suit?? I'd want a shiraz Armani suit!!

To fit your size, $3k would just about cover it!

[barchetta]

Not sure, could be wrong. Wasn't it South Melbourne that got banned from Kanga Cup because of violent behaviour of parents in 2011?

[mancity]

Im pretty sure a couple of kids have had their whole family moved from Adelaide so they could be involved in this program. Hope it comes off for them.

[Toffeefox]

South Melbourne have set themselves up to be the next club to receive an A league franchise. They have spent millions on their ground and this is one of the ways they are funding it. $3200 is just the tip of the iceberg..

I know of two kids who moved to Melbourne to do this but that program has separated from SMFC and is now affiliated with the Victory. It costs approximately $10k a year to be part of it, they play tournaments in Asia and Australia and conclude the season with a tour of England and play Academy teams.

If the FFA is serious about developing the next generation of Australian international soccer stars they have to look at these programs and get the funding into the clubs to mean that purely talent is the only key criteria to entry not an ever expanding wallet first and talent second.

[EzyG]

This is great for development in this country they should start appearing in every state
I would think from the start contracts would be involved for the sale of the kid to a European club
$$$$ for SMFC good move, this has been happening around the world for 50 years.

[Ciudad Juarez]

Get your facts right!

http://www.smfc.com.au/files/2013-Youth ... -Sheet.pdf

[Coach_Mulatinho]

Get your facts right!

http://www.smfc.com.au/files/2013-Youth ... -Sheet.pdf

i prefer to pay 3200 for this program than any 800 in SA

[Ciudad Juarez]

Get your facts right!

http://www.smfc.com.au/files/2013-Youth ... -Sheet.pdf

i prefer to pay 3200 for this program than any 800 in SA

Fair enough

I'd rather put this kind of money into a fund each year to pay for my sons uni fees instead

[aufc_123]

Get your facts right!

http://www.smfc.com.au/files/2013-Youth ... -Sheet.pdf

i prefer to pay 3200 for this program than any 800 in SA

Fair enough

I'd rather put this kind of money into a fund each year to pay for my sons uni fees instead

But is that we he'd rather do? You can take both football and study seriously, but as football professionalism gets to the lengths of a program like SMFC's it becomes very difficult to do both. Unfortunately as junior football becomes more professional in Aus, the negatives of this will be shown on the school report card. Obviously I'm only talking about the high school years, you would probably still be able to get away with training every night in primary school.

[Ciudad Juarez]

What percentage of kids go on to become pro footballers in Australia?

And which kid wouldn't say they want to become a pro footballer, regardless of their ability!

I prefer to play the odds, let my kid play for fun, and try not to live my dreams through him.

[Coach_Mulatinho]

What percentage of kids go on to become pro footballers in Australia?

And which kid wouldn't say they want to become a pro footballer, regardless of their ability!

I prefer to play the odds, let my kid play for fun, and try not to live my dreams through him.

but if your kid is selected to play youth team at any a-league team, would you tell me to go to school?

or is ability to be tennis player or any sport take him to play state teams etc... would you tell me to forget it and keep studying hard?

[Ciudad Juarez]

What percentage of kids go on to become pro footballers in Australia?

And which kid wouldn't say they want to become a pro footballer, regardless of their ability!

I prefer to play the odds, let my kid play for fun, and try not to live my dreams through him.

but if your kid is selected to play youth team at any a-league team, would you tell me to go to school?

or is ability to be tennis player or any sport take him to play state teams etc... would you tell me to forget it and keep studying hard?

I'm talking about paying thousands of dollars for coaching.

And yes, if he was playing youth league he would definitely be encouraged to work hard at school

[Coach_Mulatinho]

What percentage of kids go on to become pro footballers in Australia?

And which kid wouldn't say they want to become a pro footballer, regardless of their ability!

I prefer to play the odds, let my kid play for fun, and try not to live my dreams through him.

but if your kid is selected to play youth team at any a-league team, would you tell me to go to school?

or is ability to be tennis player or any sport take him to play state teams etc... would you tell me to forget it and keep studying hard?

I'm talking about paying thousands of dollars for coaching.

And yes, if he was playing youth league he would definitely be encouraged to work hard at school

if its good coaching, if your kid as a future in football.. why not.. nothing in life is 100% sure, not even good school, good job, good wife...

[Faith No More]

but if your kid is selected to play youth team at any a-league team, would you tell me to go to school?

or is ability to be tennis player or any sport take him to play state teams etc... would you tell me to forget it and keep studying hard?[/quote]

I'm talking about paying thousands of dollars for coaching.

And yes, if he was playing youth league he would definitely be encouraged to work hard at school[/quote]
if its good coaching, if your kid as a future in football.. why not.. nothing in life is 100% sure, not even good school, good job, good wife...[/quote]
CM ...it sounds like you didnt get any of the above judging by your comments on this forum

[Steve#4]

If the family can afford it it is a good Idea....There is a lot of talent from lower income families,
I suppose they just slip through this sought of system.

It is a money making scheme in my eyes, good on them...Not much difference to Blue ribbon schools
for the rich.

[Stonthialo]

Choice is the key word. Don't like it move on.....High fee paying schools have many children on scholarships and people can choose to take a test to get into these schools. This soccer club has the same philosophy. Whether I agree with it or not the most important factor is quality of coaching should provide quality training. I also agree that we should not be pushing kids away from the game and that maybe clubs should have a number of community teams to help all kids play the best game in the world!

[Steve#4]

Choice is the key word. Don't like it move on.....High fee paying schools have many children on scholarships and people can choose to take a test to get into these schools. This soccer club has the same philosophy. Whether I agree with it or not the most important factor is quality of coaching should provide quality training. I also agree that we should not be pushing kids away from the game and that maybe clubs should have a number of community teams to help all kids play the best game in the world!

That's great.....How many scholarships do they give a year compared to full fee paying kids?