Apropos of my previous post, I have gone and signed the boy up to soccer. He very sweetly said that he wanted to play close to home, and assured me that if he didn’t like soccer he would return to AFL [the one true code]. So, how could I resist that logic?
Off I trundled, chequebook in hand. Lucky, as it turned out. When you sign up for Auskick you fork out $80 and get an exceptionally well organised kit. You get tix to games at Homebush, and your kid gets a wallet, a bag, a football, a hat, a water bottle, a CD of playing techniques and rules, a book about the game and a book of vouchers for discounts on boots and every other form of merchandise you can think of, including $10 towards a bank account. The fee covers all subs and jerseys for the year. You also get hooked into a lovely communicative club with professionally trained coaches. You can buy discounted socks and shorts if you want. Your kid also gets the chance to, at least once a year, be one of the kids who play the Auskick exhibition games at half-time during stadium matches. Your kid! Under lights at the stadium! And last year, two of our Auskick kids played at the MCG during the grand final Auskick segment and participated in the pre-match entertainment. Plus their parents got to go with them!
When I signed up at my local soccer club, which is actually a massive club, I got bugger all. Subs for the year cost $90 for a kid under 8, so I am already behind, though they included a pair of socks (meaning I am $2.50 behind). I then discovered I had to fork out for a soccer ball and shin pads (all compulsory, all expensive, meaning I am now $40 behind, if you don’t count the hat, bag, banking vouchers, wallet, tickets to Homebush, DVD etc). My kid got a sachet of milo (he was stoked with that though, he’s delightfully easy to please).
Don’t get me wrong. I’m not complaining about this at all. I’ll save that amount of dosh because I won’t have to travel an extra 40 kilometres on Saturdays during the season. I just thought it was worth pointing out what a difference corporate sponsorship of kid sport makes, particularly when coupled with the know-how and muscle of a national sporting body. Clearly the AFL is prepared to co-ordinate the local groups who will bring the kids into the code, and to make Auskick a better deal for parents than your local community soccer club. It’s still a community venture, but has the virtue of being connected to a national sport, which brings sponsorship dollars and loads of incentives. Food for thought.
10 responses so far ↓
Shaun // Feb 12, 2007 at 12:14 pm
Wow. The AFL has done well with sponsoring juniors. I wonder if that is just a Sydney thing or the same in Melbourne?
David Gallop, please take note of this post about how to look after the NRL juniors.
Five // Feb 12, 2007 at 2:54 pm
I’m positive it’s the same in Melbourne, probably cheaper to provide because your kid would get home game tickets, not deluxe stadium seats.
Actually, what do/don’t they do to look after league juniors?
Shaun // Feb 12, 2007 at 8:25 pm
There was an op-ed in SMH the other day about how NRL junior development is lagging. I recall an article last year on the cost of junior sport and I think league was cheaper than soccer but still nothing like Auskick.
Five // Feb 14, 2007 at 10:00 pm
Today the ad for rugby league said subs were $70, including socks and shorts, so it is cheaper. However, I’m willing to bet you don’t get the groovy bag of goodies like you do with Auskick.
Still, it’s $50 bucks lighter than what I forked out for soccer!!
Shaun // Feb 14, 2007 at 11:15 pm
i didn’t realize that league was so cheap (of course you will need boots, shoulder pads etc) but not a bad deal.
But I do like the Auskick bag of groovy goodies – even though it takes our sons and daughters away from the greatest game of all.
jo // Feb 18, 2007 at 8:17 pm
i just forked out $225 for soccer – and got one pair of socks and a pair of shorts only.
the eastern suburbs of sydney!!! i nearly walked out of the park a few times (the line was at least a hundred parent groups long) but, i bit my tongue, waited in the arvo heat, wrote a cheque…and left the park – vowing that i wouldn’t be volunteering for nuffin for her new club – (i’m usually a sucker for something over the years – i do the clothes stall at nippers – fitting tourists in budgie smugglers and guessing rashie sizes for tots in ireland every sunday morning)
and we’ll be using the 2 x backpacks we got last year from the AFL, to carry her soccer gear. one with most of the swans’ signatures on it.
like you five – i’ll be saving $$ in petrol from not having to traipse across town for games, as just about all of her soccer games are in queens park, waverley- just up the road, but FFS – a $195 registration fee!!
is this a record or what?
Shaun // Feb 18, 2007 at 9:24 pm
Some junior clubs are offering free registration this season to keep juniors play league.
Five // Feb 20, 2007 at 9:44 am
Fark, $195 registration for a kidlet is bloody insane. I think we got off comparatively lightly!!
Shaun, seems League is desperate. Lots of parents don’t want their kiddies playing it (this one included).
Shaun // Feb 21, 2007 at 8:00 am
League ranks 2nd as a participation sport behind soccer. I have no idea if the number are declining but League would be stupid not to see a threat from soccer and AFL.
I suspect that kids tend towards league in their teens. From what I have seen during half-time at the NRL games when the kiddies get a run, league is heavily modified and the emphasis is on skills not thumping the person with the ball. That comes later.
jo // Feb 21, 2007 at 10:48 pm
shaun, they do learn tackling in league, i know of a couple of union stars who have their kids playing junior league, for the tackling.
league clubs in the eastern suburbs are so depleted, that they had to join up to the souths junior comp, years ago.
and they get the rough end of the stick from dem cheating souths people (and they just cop it – way too scary)
my nephews are all league players, one is already on contract to the roosters, it’s a tough game.
AFL, League and Union are going to have to work ten times as hard to keep relevant over the next 2/3 decades etc, i dont know if 4 codes are sustainable in the v.long run….