Western NSW Football AYL/SAP
From Under 9-12 Boys, they have teams that compete in the Football NSW SAP Competition.
Frequently Asked QUESTIONS
SAP and AYL
What is SAP
Western NSW Football enters teams in the The Skill Acquisition Program (SAP), which is the primary Football NSW development program for young footballers in the U9 to U12 age groups. SAP underpins the National Premier League NSW Men’s and Women’s Competitions by providing the state’s most promising young players a clear, professionally delivered development environment for them to pursue their footballing ambitions.
Players train within their own SAP team each week. SAP teams compete in weekly fixtures against other SAP teams, under the Football NSW Miniroos format relevant to their age group (U9: 7V7; U10-U12: 9v9)
Western Branch Football / Western NSW Football currently holds a Boys SAP licence, with Western teams participating in weekly fixtures against mostly metro based SAP teams. Girls SAP licences will not be available from Football NSW until 2025, so girls are encouraged to trial for the 2024 Boys SAP squads.
SAP - Trial Process
Entry to SAP for the 2024 season is by trial, with the process taking place in:
- Bathurst – Sunday 22nd October- Police Paddock
- Orange – Sunday 29th October- Sir Jack Brabham Park
U9 (born 2015) – 9am
U10 (born 2014) – 9am
U11 (born 2013) – 10.30am
U12 (born 2012) – 10.30am
SAP - Cost (Based on 2023)
- In 2023 the fees were $1,200 per player ($50 Active Kids voucher may be applied)
- includes: playing kit, training kit, tracksuit, polo, bag, training ball, all training sessions and matches, venue hire, entry to Bathurst Cup, VEO (game day recordings) elite level coaching delivered by Football Australia qualified coaches (AFC/FFA C-Licence minimum)
SAP - Locations and Times
Weekly team training sessions in Orange or Bathurst, subject to ground availability.
A weekly hub training is also planned for BATHURST, ORANGE and MUDGEE but will be confirmed once the player selection, ground availability and coaching staff appointments have been completed
Weekend match venues (based on 2023): Bathurst (11), Orange (3), Mudgee (5), Goulburn (2), Blacktown (1), Penrith (1), Guildford (1) plus regional gala days in Goulburn and Forbes (2).
The majority of games were played starting from 10am and finished by 2pm.
SAP - Dates
Pre-season training to commence in late 2023, with matches running each weekend in 2024 from Mid-March to Mid-August (break for the Easter weekend).
Matches are usually scheduled on Sunday (U9/10 10am 12pm; U11/12 12pm-2pm). However, during the Western Youth League (local district/rep) season, SAP matches are often on Saturday to allow SAP players to also play in their local WYL/rep teams on the Sunday. Football NSW will release the 2024 competition schedule early 2024.
Dual-Registration (Playing SAP + Local Club)
SAP players have in recent seasons been permitted to also play for a local club side (with priority given to SAP with any fixture clash). This permission is expected to be extended again in 2024. SAP training and games should be given priority over other commitments. It is important to note that training and playing in other competitions without first obtaining approval, may result in non-coverage of insurance for players and coaches involved, or fines and sanctions against clubs by Football NSW.
Please ensure you have gained approval from the convenor before you proceed.
What is AYL
Association Youth League (AYL) is a Football NSW run competition that acts as a pathway for aspiring grassroots and local club footballers to develop them for the National Premier League (NPL) and beyond. The AYL competition is composed of Footballs Associations affiliated with Football NSW. The competition is offered in the age groups of U13, U14, U15, U16 and 18. Girls are allowed to trial for and play in these competitions and may play in the age group below.
In 2025 Football NSW will be changing the structure of their youth competitions and Western NSW Football will then be able to apply for a licence in the available girls competitions.
AYL - Trial Process
Entry to AYL for the 2024 season is by trial, with the process taking place in:
- Bathurst – Sunday 22nd October- Police Paddock
- Orange – Sunday 29th October- Sir Jack Brabham Park
U13 & Y14 (born 2011 & 2010) – 9am
U15 & U16 (born 2009 & 2008) – 10.45am
U18 (born 2007 & 2006) – 12.30pm
AYL - Costs (Based on 2023)
- In 2023 the fees were $1,600 per player ($50 Active Kids voucher may be applied). In 2023, the fee cap set by Football NSW was $2,950, Western NSW Football is operating well under this amount
- includes: playing kit, training kit, tracksuit, polo, bag, training equipment, all training sessions and matches, venue hire, entry to Bathurst Cup, VEO (game day recordings) elite level coaching delivered by Football Australia qualified coaches (AFC/FFA C-Licence minimum)
AYL - Locations and Times
Weekly team training sessions in Orange or Bathurst, subject to ground availability.
The following teams entered the 2023 AYL competition and as such participants should expect to travel away to the following opponents: Blacktown Districts, Macarthur, Manly Warringah, Nepean, North West Sydney, Southern Branch (Goulburn or Nowra fixtures), Southern Districts (Liverpool) and Sutherland Shire.
For the 2023 season, there were 27 games, with each team being played 3 times. For Western NSW Football, two-thirds of the games were home games with games in Bathurst, Orange and Mudgee, and one-third away games played at the opponents home ground. Finals games will be played at venues across Sydney, with the Grand Final being played at Valentines Sports Park.
All teams will play their games in the same location for each round, which allows for some players from younger teams to back up and gain experience at a higher age group as appropriate. The game times are usually based around this structure
- U13 – 8.30am
- U14 – 10.05am
- U15 – 11.40am
- U16 – 1.15pm
- U18 – 3.00pm
AYL - Dates
Pre-season training begins late in 2023, with a short break for Christmas and New Year. The Bathurst Cup is scheduled for Saturday 3rd and 4th of February, other pre-season games may be scheduled if appropriate. The 2023 season had 27 rounds starting on 26th of February, going through with a break for Easter and concluding on 16th of September. Teams that qualify for the finals will play over the next two weekends. Football NSW will release the 2024 competition schedule early 2024.
Most games are played on a Saturday with the occasional scheduling requirement forcing a Sunday match. If games are missed due to weather or other issues, Football NSW will require these games to be made up, which might mean double header weekends.
SAP & AYL - Female Players
Female players are able and encouraged to join and participate within the Western Boys structure for both SAP and AYL teams, (note: successful female trialists may apply to play in the adjacent younger age group, where deemed appropriate). Several female players participate in Boys SAP, both within Western teams and across the state.
SAP & AYL - Volunteers
As with all sporting clubs, there are plenty of opportunities for families to become involved to help run a successful club for your children.
SAP gamedays will require
- game leaders,
- help with setup and pack up of flags and goals etc
- Setup, packup and uploading of VEO.
AYL game days will require
- Team manager to assist the coach,
- Jacketed officials,
- Setup, packup and uploading of VEO.
Application for Committee members are also sought from the parent group to help with various tasks in running the club, for instance: social media, fund raising, administration and maintaining the direction of the club.
