Junior Academy

 Our Junior Academy is expanding!

Led by our Director of Football, Andy Dunn, and Academy Director, Bailey Gaughan, we're introducing new Academy and Academy Plus options.

Academy 

During terms 2 and 3, any motivated and committed junior player (9th – 12th Grade) can choose to join the Academy, subject to available space (limited to team and squad sizes). They'll participate in the winter season under the guidance of experienced and qualified coaches.

• Training twice a week on Monday and Wednesday
• Games will be on a Saturday morning across West Auckland and the North Shore
• At the conclusion of the program all players will have a self-reflection / performance review session with their coach.
• Players will participate in a team video analysis session.
• In addition, players can opt-in to Skill Centre workshops operating in Terms 1 and 4

Please note: For Girls: Junior Academy training is available via the Mixed (Boys) teams, there are no all-girl  Junior Academy teams (there will be all girl Junior teams in our community space which start in May)

Academy Plus  

This is an invite-only programme and is specifically designed for those players where football is their primary focus and they are showing the highest level of skill, potential and commitment.

On an annual basis the Club will invite selected players at each Junior grade (9th-12th) to be part of the Academy Plus programme at the conclusion of the Academy Identification sessions in February and is based on our "4 corner model" with heavy focus on Technical, Tactical, Physical and Social / Emotional markers.

• An annual programme, with activity in all four terms, requiring commitment at the beginning of the year
• Players will have training with our highest qualified and experienced coaches (Junior Level 3 and vastly experienced in High Performance football environments)
• Terms 1 and 4 training and friendly games / festivals / tournaments
• Terms 2, 3 focuses on the NRF winter season - 2 x training per week plus game day in the NRF Junior Competitions
• 3 x Academy Holiday Programs - 1 week per term break, Monday–Thursday 9:00am to 12:00pm
• Video analysis of at least two games plus focus on individual play
• Continual coach-player reporting framework
• Selection in one year does not equate to automatic selection the following year.

West Coast Rangers recognises that some players won’t be able to commit to the Academy Plus due to other sports or commitments and this in no way prevents them from the Academy.