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| AFL Auskick | |
|---|---|
| Name | AFL Auskick |
| Sport | Australian rules football |
| Founded | 1998 |
| Owner | Australian Football League |
| Country | Australia |
AFL Auskick is a national introductory participation program designed to teach young children the basics of Australian rules football. It serves as a feeder and development pathway linked to community clubs, state leagues, and professional pathways, and interfaces with organizations across Australian sporting, educational, and cultural institutions. The program operates in urban, regional, and international contexts and connects to talent identification, community outreach, and school-based initiatives.
Auskick originated from pilot initiatives in the 1980s and 1990s that involved the Australian Football League and state bodies such as the Victorian Football League and South Australian National Football League. Formal national branding emerged through collaborations with the Australian Sports Commission, VicHealth, and corporate partners including the National Australia Bank. Auskick expanded alongside the professionalisation of the AFL during the 1990s and 2000s, aligning with milestones like the AFL Draft and the creation of the AFL Commission. It grew through partnerships with the Australian Institute of Sport, Netball Australia cross-promotions, and community organisations such as the Australian Red Cross for outreach. Regional uptake involved coordination with the Northern Territory Football League, Queensland Football Association, and the West Australian Football Commission, while international programs connected with expatriate communities in the United Kingdom, United States, and New Zealand.
Auskick is structured by age divisions, session modules, and local delivery models that interface with the AFL Club Development units, state sporting organisations like Football NSW, and metropolitan councils including the City of Melbourne. Delivery occurs in venues such as school ovals, community grounds managed by Local Government Areas of Australia, and facilities affiliated with the Melbourne Cricket Club and regional stadiums. Administrative oversight involves cooperation among the AFL Players Association, regional leagues such as the Northern Football League (Victoria), and national bodies like the Australian Sports Commission. The program uses annually updated resource packs developed with input from institutes such as the Australian Institute of Sport and academic partners at universities like the University of Melbourne and Griffith University.
Participants include boys and girls aged typically 3–12, reflecting recruitment models used by AFL clubs such as the Collingwood Football Club, Sydney Swans, and Brisbane Lions for junior engagement. Demographic monitoring draws on research with institutions like the Australian Bureau of Statistics, Deakin University, and community groups including the Australian Multicultural Council to address participation across Indigenous communities represented by organisations such as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission-era initiatives and regional partnerships with the Tiwi Islands football programs. International participation has occurred in cities like London, Los Angeles, and Auckland through links with expatriate organisations and the International Australian Rules Football movement. Data on retention and pathways often feed into scholarships administered by bodies like the AFL Academy and the AIS-AFL Academy.
Coaching frameworks derive from the AFL’s coaching pathways and are influenced by accreditation schemes from the Australian Sports Commission and state coaching bodies such as Sport NSW. Curriculum modules incorporate fundamental skills promoted by coaches from clubs including the Geelong Football Club, Richmond Football Club, and Essendon Football Club and are informed by sport science from institutes like the Victoria Institute of Sport. Training for volunteer coaches often involves modules referencing safeguarding guidelines from organisations such as Play by the Rules and child protection policy frameworks used by the Australian Institute of Sport. Curriculum emphasises motor skills, game sense, and modified rules aligned with models used in programs like Netball Australia School Programs and grassroots initiatives led by the Community Football Network.
Auskick culminates in local gala days, school carnivals, and festival matches staged alongside community rounds of leagues such as the Essendon District Football League, South Australian Amateur Football League, and junior arms of the TAC Cup. Major promotional events have included appearances at AFL Grand Final fan zones, pre-season clinics run with AFL clubs including Carlton Football Club and St Kilda Football Club, and collaborations with national events like the Australian Sport Awards. International exhibition matches and clinics have been organised with assistance from consular networks and organisations such as Australia Day Council branches overseas.
Auskick has been credited with boosting grassroots participation and strengthening ties between professional clubs and communities, contributing to pathways that feed into leagues like the Victorian Football League and competitions overseen by the National Indigenous Football Academy. Community programs have partnered with health initiatives run by VicHealth and local health districts, Indigenous engagement projects with the National Congress of Australia's First Peoples-aligned organisations, and school partnerships with education departments such as the New South Wales Department of Education. Corporate social responsibility initiatives have linked Auskick to charities like Beyond Blue and youth services including Headspace in campaigns promoting physical activity and wellbeing.
Auskick has faced criticism related to resource allocation between metropolitan and regional centres, debated within councils such as the City of Sydney and advocacy groups from the Australian Rural Education Coalition. Issues around commercialization and sponsorship have been raised in academic critiques from institutions like the University of Queensland and comments by commentators connected to media outlets including ABC (Australian Broadcasting Corporation). Gender equity and access for girls prompted discussion among organisations such as WomenSport Australia and resulted in policy responses within the AFL Commission and state bodies including the Western Australian Football Commission. Safeguarding and volunteer training shortfalls cited in local inquiries involved scrutiny by child safety advocates and legal review panels associated with state tribunals such as the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal.