Response to SSFA’s Justification for Cancelling the AYL Program

While we acknowledge the challenges that the AYL program has faced, we firmly believe that these issues stem from the Association’s own mismanagement and lack of support, not from any inherent flaw in the program’s structure. SSFA’s decision to cancel the AYL program is not a solution to the problem, but rather an admission of their inability to properly administer a pathway for aspiring players in the area.

1. Lack of Support and Compensation for Coaches

SSFA’s assertion that there has been a “consistent shortage of qualified and committed coaches” overlooks critical facts about the conditions they created for those coaches. The association slashed coach compensation from around $5,000 to less than $2,000 in reimbursements, spread over 30 weeks. This arrangement effectively makes coaching a volunteer position, one where coaches are sacrificing both time and money. Such conditions naturally deter quality coaches and drive them to leave for better opportunities at NPL clubs, where they are fairly compensated for their time, skill, and commitment. Other associations have managed to pay their coaches appropriately, recognising the value of professional development for both players and coaches, and SSFA should do the same.

2. Poor Infrastructure and Lack of Resources

Coaches and players have not only been underpaid but also left unsupported. Basic needs, such as educational support, ongoing training, and essential equipment, were routinely neglected. The program was also moved from Kareela’s all-weather fields to poorly maintained, disused fields at Barden Ridge, which further impeded the quality of training. The Association’s failure to provide appropriate facilities and resources signals a lack of commitment to the program and its participants.

3. Culture of Attrition Stemming from Mismanagement

The reason SSFA lacks committed coaches and players isn’t because of the program itself but due to a culture that undervalues and under-resources them. With approximately $500,000 in revenue generated by the AYL program, SSFA had the means to properly support coaches and elevate the program’s standards. Other associations have successfully managed similar programs by prioritizing both player and coach development. SSFA could and should have done the same.

4. Misaligned Purpose and Broken Pathways

The initial purpose of the AYL was to bridge club-level players with the National Premier League (NPL), creating a direct pathway for local talent. However, years of misaligned priorities and a fractured relationship between SSFA and the single NPL side in the region have turned this into an empty promise. Instead of fostering this essential pathway, SSFA’s handling of the program has left local players with no viable path to further development, forcing them to look outside the area.

The Association’s claim that canceling the AYL program will allow SSFA to “renew focus on strengthening local competitions” rings hollow when we consider that the program’s failure was the result of how it was managed, not an inherent flaw in the program itself. SSFA’s message to talented players is essentially to train as hard as they can, invest their own time and money, and, when ready to progress, to leave the area.

The AYL program could have succeeded and thrived under proper management and support. Instead, SSFA’s actions have eroded trust, drained resources, and ultimately failed the very players it was meant to serve.

If you would like to share your experience, voice your concerns feel free to email Football NSW Head of Development edwardf@footballnsw.com.au