STRATEGIC PLAN 2020-2024 - Gridiron Australia
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STRATEGIC PLAN 2020-2024
TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION
This strategic plan has been developed through consultation with representatives of the current
member states of Gridiron Australia in conjunction with the board of directors. It is the hope
that this document will provide some clarity on the direction of Gridiron Australia as the peak
body for American Football in Australia over the next five years.
1 INTRODUCTION
HISTORY OF THE SPORT
1 HISTORY OF THE SPORT American Football commenced in Australia in
1979 with the formation of the Waverly Oval
In November 1989, the Grand Prix Challenge
was held in Adelaide, a four-way competition
Raiders. The Waverly Oval raiders were started involving Victoria, South Australia, Western
by Stephen Jones with school and work mates. Australia and New South Wales. New South
Wales went on to win the Challenge.
In 1983 Teams from both New South Wales and
3 OUR VISION Victoria started to form and play each other in In 1990 the Down Under Bowl concept arrived
a social competition. in Australia and is still going strong. Each year
individual American States are invited to field
In early 1984 an advertisement was placed over High School all-star teams, travel to Australia
a Sydney radio station advertising for American and spread the growth of the game down under.
3 OUR MISSION football enthusiasts to assemble. The response
was remarkable and seven teams formed in
Games are played against local Australian
teams and between US teams. These games
Sydney teams comprising enthusiastic amateurs are run by International Sports Specialists Inc.
who had been throwing the ball around on (ISSI), a company based in Utah, USA. 1998 saw
Sunday afternoons were formed. the most successful year yet with 36 teams
travelling to the Gold Coast in Queensland to
4 GRIDIRON AUSTRALIA The first season saw all games being played at a
disused rubbish tip. There were no goal posts,
compete in the Down Under Bowl.
GAME PLAN no medical supervision and no insurance. The
early pioneers did not wear helmets but found
Trans-Tasman competition came to Melbourne
in January 1991 when Victoria played the
kick boxing protective headgear useful. visiting South Auckland Raiders from New
Zealand, finishing in a thrilling 19-19 draw.
1984 also saw the first interstate clash when
a team from Melbourne travelled to Sydney A series of interstate Bowl games were to be
6 OUR PILLARS to play. NSW won the match 30-7. American played between all major States in October/
Football had arrived in Australia. November 1991. The Victorians were rewarded
with a good win.
Fred and Melba Burson were the first people
that imported football equipment into Australia The following week saw the NSW state team
7 CONCLUSION to use. They also did things like bring coaches
out from the University of Hawaii for clinics
go down to the Victorian Eagles at Olympic
Park. This left Victoria as the National State
at their own expense. Luckily for Gridiron in Champions for 1991.
Australia Fred had the money to actually have
the equipment on stock in Australia. Their The National Gridiron League of Australia
efforts helped lay the foundation for the sport (NGLA) was formed in January 1991 “to govern
to develop in Australia so that other leagues and promote American football on the national
could start up around the country. level and to represent Australian gridiron on
the international scene.”
Also in 1984 the Australian American Football
Conference was founded (later renamed the Gridiron Australia (GA) was formed in 1994,
Australian American Football League). with the aim of replacing the old National
Gridiron League of Australia.
1
AMERICAN FOOTBALL- THE AUSTRALIAN WAY
By 1995 American football was being played in also planned. Australia also participated in the
every State and Territory in Australia, a total inaugural World Cup, to be held in Italy in June
of approximately 100 teams. 1999. 3512 MEMBERS 226 COACHES OVER 70 TEAMS
In 1995 Darren Bennett became the third In May 1998, the AAFL was dissolved, with
Australian to play in the NFL when he was Gridiron Australia becoming the only National
selected as the punter for the San Diego body involved in the management of Gridiron
Chargers. The first Australian to play in the NFL matters in Australia.
was Colin Ridgeway, who played Aussie Rules
for Carlton in the 1960’s before being picked There are currently six active member states
up by the Dallas Cowboys as a punter. After and one affiliated body – Australian Capital
him came Colin Scotts, who went to college in Territory, New South Wales, Queensland, South
Hawaii before being drafted to play with the Australia, Tasmania, Western Australia, and
Phoenix Cardinals and then the Houston Oilers the Australian Gridiron Officials Association.
in the middle to late 1980’s. 394 VOLUNTEERS SIX ACTIVE MEMBER STATES 59 OFFICIALS
Gridiron Australia is a member of the ONE AFFILIATED BODY
GridironAustralia’s First National Championships International Federation of American Football
were held in the national’s capital, Canberra, (IFAF)..
in January 1996. Both senior and junior teams
from New South Wales, the ACT, Victoria and The Australian Gridiron League is a national
South Australia attended. South Australia won tournament run by Gridiron Australia. The
the Senior Championship 34-0 and New South event is held biennially. The event consists of
Wales won the Junior Championship 12-8. Men’s and Women’s games and is held in either OUR MISSION
a fly in fly out - home and away format or an
In 1996 24 US teams toured Australia and New in-camp tournament, pending the members’ Be the dynamic and innovative leader of gridiron in Australia. Engage, support and inform all
Zealand as part of Down Under Bowl VIII. Both preference.The Junior Nationals is an in-camp gridiron stakeholders. Raise the profile and standing of and participation in gridiron. Support
Victoria and South Australia recorded wins over tournament held biennially for under-19s.
US teams. The Outback Gridiron Team is the Australian and deliver quality competitive and recreational gridiron opportunities locally, nationally and
In 1997 the Australia Day Championships were Representative Team which competes every internationally.
held in Sydney, with Queensland taking the four years in the International Federation of
Championship. American Football World Cup.
In 1997 Australia resumed its international The IFAF 2015 World Cup was Australia’s most
campaign, against New Zealand. On 1 August successful to date with Australia finishing 5th.
1997, the Australian Bushrangers played the The next World Cup is slated for 2023. OUR VISION
New Zealand Haka in Auckland, New Zealand.
The game, the inaugural Anzac Bowl, was a The Women’s Outback Team compete every Providing exciting competitive and recreational opportunities to a rapidly expanding and
great success. four years in the IFAF Women’s World Cup.
Australia attended for the first time in 2017
diverse membership and to communities across Australia.
On 7 January, the Australian American Football and will attend for a second time in 2021.
League (AAFL) was formed. On 31 January
1998, the Bushrangers played Team Hawaii in The Junior Outback Team competes every 2
Honolulu during the National Football League’s years to attend the IFAF Junior World Cup. The
Pro Bowl week. Trips to Europe and Japan are next world cup is slated 2020.
2 3
OUR GAME PLAN
HOW WE PLAY STAKEHOLDERS PILLARS SCORECARD
G Players Communication Communication
Football Operations Annual marketing plan
overnance Access to representative
Governance Member survey results
Promotion robust governance football and elite pathways
Emerging Programs 5,000 Members by 2022
practices at club state and
national levels Coaches Football Operations
Access to learning and
R
National Coaching framework
development
PROGRAMS
National tournaments
espect National Coaching Conference
Respect for all stakeholders Volunteers Outback Outreach Camps
through education and Encouragement of
behaviour participation National Competitions
Australian Gridiron League Governance
O (AGL) Review and update GA
Officials (AGOA) Women’s Australian Gridiron policies
pportunity Access to learning and League (WAGL) Transparency with member
Opportunity for all to development U19 Nationals states
participate in the sport and
Maintain national recognition
provision of elite pathways
State Bodies National Teams by the Australian Sports
Commission
W
Support through
governance and national (Outback)
Women’s Championships
orking Together programs
World Qualifiers
Emerging Programs
Cooperation and for the Development of programs
betterment of the game. Development Tours
ASC which appeal to all age
Governance & source of groups
support Skill Development Providing leagues and clubs
National Coaching with tools to administer these
Framework programs
National Officials Framework Enhance Non-player capacity
Outback Outreach program opportunities
National Coaching
Conference
6
4 5
OUR PILLARS
COMMUNICATION FOOTBALL OPERATIONS GOVERNANCE EMERGING PROGRAMS
We will provide robust We will support and deliver modern We will promote robust We will develop national
communication channels to coaching and officiating development governance practices at programs that will encourage
engage our members and other systems to give our members the club, state and national level and support the participation
stakeholders. We will promote our best quality of training available for through education and policy and retention of members,
great sport to all Australian’s so development. We will ensure giving access to the sport for
the sport.
that the presence of Gridiron is that our sport maintains the a wider demographic through
known across the country. specifications set out by the variants of the sport.
Australian Sports Commission.
KEY STRATEGIES
KEY STRATEGIES • Develop and implement a modern KEY STRATEGIES
Coaching Accreditation process KEY STRATEGIES
•Engaged membership base through •Annual Review and update of Gridiron • Making gridiron accessible to a wider
transparent communication • Allocate resources to develop demographic by developing variants of
Officials across the country Australia policies
•Increased communication with •Nationally shared financial outcomes the game (Youth/ Flag Football)
external stakeholders such • Deliver elite coaching exposure to • Supporting current state leagues
the player’s doorstep through the and aligned financial systems that allow
as government agencies, sponsors a whole-of-sport financial overview and clubs so that they can offer more
and the community Outback Outreach program programs to prospective members
• Quality National tournaments are to support transparency, viability and
•Resources allocated to the active sustainability • Creating a framework which
promotion of Gridiron in Australia delivered encourages members to stay actively
•Systems that allow for the creation of
•Digital rebranding and an overarching commercial framework involved in Gridiron after they stop
asset consolidation •Education programs for SSOs and Clubs playing
•Transparency through correct and •Develop National Working with
reliable communication channels PERFORMANCE MEASURES Children register, anti-doping
• National Coaching Accreditation
education program and concussion
framework rollout PERFORMANCE MEASURES
policy
• Investment in AGOA officiating • The development of programs which
PERFORMANCE MEASURES programs appeal to all age groups from young
• Financial allocation to • Increased participation and PERFORMANCE MEASURES children through senior adults
advertising in yearly budgets gameplay quality at National • Annual review of all GA Policies
• Providing leagues and clubs with
• Development of annual tournaments • Transparency with
tools to administer flag, youth
marketing plan • Successful hosting of a National member states
contact, junior, senior programs
• Regular reporting accessible Coaching Conference • Maintain national recognition
• Creating attractive opportunities for
to all members and the public • Outback Outreach Camp by the Australian Sports
those who wish to get involved in a
• Member survey results Commission
non-player capacity
• 5,000 Members by 2022 Coaching Conference
• Outback Outreach Camp
6 7
CONCLUSION
This sport can positively influence so many people and has perhaps one of the highest ceilings
in the sporting world in terms of pathway opportunities. Few other sports can provide this.
It is time to band together as a community and finally realise the potential this sport has.
A call-to-arms is being made by the board of Gridiron Australia for all current members to
positively contribute towards the future.
• Put the future and growth of the sport as your personal priority
• Approach your nearest club or league association
• Volunteer your time or resources
• Engage others and contribute in any way possible towards #GROWTHEGAME
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