It has been a long summer sitting and waiting for the AFL season to come around again but thankfully the time is now for western Sydney locals to sign up to their local AFL club for a fun-filled year of Australian Football.

There is no better way to have fun, be active and to meet new friends than to play AFL during winter. No matter your skill level, AFL is the game for you with a range of programs available for first time players to seasoned veterans.

2011 is an exciting year for AFL in New South Wales with the Greater Western Sydney GIANTS preparing for their entry into the national competition next year while the Sydney Swans will again vie for the Premiership.

A second AFL team in Sydney has also resulted in a range of opportunities for local players to have a once in a lifetime experience by playing AFL.

Some budding juniors will run out to a packed Sydney Cricket Ground or ANZ Stadium during a Sydney Swans game as part of the NAB Auskick halftime program.

Players looking to become future stars of the AFL will be given a chance to join the ground-breaking Sydney Swans and GWS GIANTS Academies. The Academies are open for players as young as nine-years-old and will provide players with direct access to their respective club’s coaches and training facilities.

The Joss State Zone Trials will again showcase the best talent in the under-13, under-14, under-16 and under-18 age groups to identify and develop future AFL players. In 2010, the record 18 NSW/ACT players who were listed by AFL clubs all played at one of the Joss State Zone Trials. 

AFL is not just limited to players either. There are myriad opportunities for fans to be involved in the game by becoming an umpire, volunteer or coach.

AFL General Manager - National and International Development David Matthews said there are AFL competitions to suit people of all ages, shapes, sizes and skill level.

“AFL is a game for everybody. Families new to Australian Football can firstly learn the skills of the game through the fun and safe introductory program, NAB Auskick,” Matthews said.
“From there young players can progress to the modified version of AFL through Junior and Youth Football, all the way to Seniors and furthermore to one of the 18 AFL Clubs throughout Australia.

“It doesn’t matter if you’ve never played AFL before. No matter your age or skill level you can join your local club and one of the experienced coaches will be there to teach you all of the tricks of the trade.
“AFL is the perfect game for you if you’re looking to be active, have fun and meet new friends.”

Be one of the 125,000+ participants in NSW/ACT in 2011 playing the best game on Earth. For your local club visit www.playafl.com.au or call (02) 8333 8030.