Ryan Doidge is hopeful Northern NSW Football players will use the opportunity to play in the National Youth Championships to challenge themselves and use it as an important step in their development.
Players from across Australia are preparing to travel to Coffs Harbour with one week to go until the 2022 National Youth Championships, which start next Monday.
Doidge, NNSWF’s Talented Player and Coach Development Manager, will be in Coffs Harbour for the girls and boys tournaments. His role will include supporting NNSWF coaches and looking to provide professional development opportunities while also running his eye over some of the most talented players from the region.
“Having only been in this role for a few months now I am looking forward to getting to know these players better and making sure they know they are at the forefront of what we’re about,” Doidge said.
“Having an environment where players can play without fear of failure, be conscious of being adaptable, brave, creative, determined and enthusiastic is what we are looking for within our players.
“We want our players having the freedom to express themselves within the team environment.”
The Football Australia National Youth Championships for girls will be played from Monday 19 September to Friday 23 September. The boys championships will follow from Monday 26 September to Friday 30 September.
All member federations will be represented at the tournaments, with NNSWF entering under-14s and 16s girls teams as well as two under-14s and 15s boys teams.
“It’s a really good opportunity to play in an environment against some of the nation’s best players,” Doidge said.
“I hope that our players feel proud to represent their area and it’s a great opportunity to showcase what talent we have in this area.
“I hope that our teams use this opportunity to challenge themselves and use it as another step in their development. It will be a great experience for our players and teams to play with individual freedom and creativity and I hope that the players come back having given everything that they can give.
“The NYC’s are part of the talented player pathway. The tournament is the next step up from being part of an A-Leagues academy or our Talent Support Program. This tournament will also serve as a national identification tool for our national teams set up.
“Players will be given the opportunity to solve problems themselves, create solutions and apply these within the games. A player-centred approach is the environment we want to create for our players, not just at nationals but for all of our NNSWF programs.”
