Sunday, October 31, 2021

Intrastate youth games on Sunday complete weekend program

Photo:  Action from today's Boys' Under-15 game between the South and the North. [PlessPix]

Under-16 Girls

Youth 4-1 North

Photo:  The goalkeeper clears in today's Girls' Under-16 game. [PlessPix]  

Under-15 Boys

South 1-3 North

Photo:  A goalkeeper tries to prevent an opposing forward from getting past him in today's Boys' Under-15 game. [PlessPix]  

I asked David Smith, the Coach Development Manager at Football Tasmania, what he thought of today’s games.

“I was a bit disappointing with the Under-16 girls,” Smith said.

“But, due to injuries, work commitments, and the fact they were unable to go to National Championship, we had a number of players missing which resulted in seven Under-14 girls having to double up from yesterday.

Photo:  Action from today's Under-16 Girls' match. [PlessPix]  

“It was disjointed, but there were some strong individual performances, but both teams lacked cohesion.

“In the Under-15 Boys, I was happy with both teams.

“This is a good age group and this group have trained strongly throughout and showed today that in the next 12-18 months a number of these players will be playing senior football.”

Smith said the weekend’s games had been a success in terms of the outcomes he had been looking for.

Photo:  David Smith (extreme right) watches the Under-15 Boys' game. [PlessPix]  

“For me, it was a success,” Smith said.

“It showed me the need to have Statewide programs with both training and frequent games.

“It is also important that the program supplements club programs where we can get identified players training together.

Photo:  Action from the Under-16 Girls' game at KGV Park today. [PlessPix]  

“Any program needs to work hand in hand with clubs.

“We need to provide opportunities for players and developing coaches to be challenged technically and these types of games are one of the options.”

Photo:  An attack develops in today's Under-15 Boys' game. [PlessPix]
Photo:  Ivica Bolonja (left), who is doing his C Licence coaching qualification, with David Smith in the technical area today during the Under-16 Girls' game. [PlessPix]

Photo:  A Southern Under-15 Boys' player takes the ball on his chest while under pressure. [PlessPix]

Photo:  A North player holds off a South opponent in the Boys' Under-15 game today. [PlessPix]
 
Photo:  Action from today's Boys' Under-15 clash at KGV Park. [PlessPix]

Photo:  Nathan Coad, Football Tasmania's new Referees' Development Manager, was on the line today at KGV Park. [PlessPix]

Photo:  A North attack developing in today's Boys' Under-15 game. [PlessPix]

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

I think the issue was that once any chance of playing in any meaningful comp the under 16 girls lost interest, this is especially true with the girls who had been away for previous nationals.

Yesterday was a kick around really hardly any of the WSL northern girls turning up.

Anonymous said...

A couple of observations I noticed from the U16 girls game, from a live stream perspective:

1. The gap between the best and worst girls was huge, not as much for the boys.

2. Technically some of the girls were not great. No touch, panicking on the ball, just kicking it even though they had time to play.

3. The 6 southern girls who were WSL regulars during the year stood out and even though didn't have brilliant games either, actually tried to play properly and link up and showed much more game sense.

4. I think this shows there is still a requirement for some sort of TSP program to develop young girls and give an opportunity for the best players in each age group to work together on a regular basis.

Anonymous said...

Walter what happened to the story on the merger???

David Webb said...

I heard yesterday that the merger was still on.