talk to some u18 div 2-3 players - chances are they will be at uni here in a year or two.

time to get the flyers out and the club polo.

will see you there, had it in my diary for a few weeks, what club polo will you have on?

wont be at the polo - will be at basketball.

i've been there and done that

There is a lot of young under 14 boys playing amongst the under 14 boys country teams that arent playing district.

District clubs would be stupid not to be out and about this weekend promoting their club.

Alot of the players div 1 or 2 standard in the Under 14 boys div 1 comp

exactly what I'm on about - thanks banker !

But realistically what are the clubs going to offer as incentive for the parents?
Big bucks to travel every week for the weekend...play and then stick to train...got to be something in it for the family that are willing to sacrifice...

exactly

clearly no fees / reduction would be a start.

if a car load or 2-3 travelled together some petrol reimbursement could occur.

training can be variable - at decent close by locally run ITC session would suffice. Their coach would make sure they run through things when in adelaide.

It works.

obviously week night trainings are not required.

So a country kid who may/may not be better than a local kid should receive a free fee and money bonus to play in a competition that costs clubs huge money, when they may be taking the spot and court time frm a local kid that will leave and go elsewhere?

Are you serious, any club that offers that is not very smart, and will have no money in no rime flat.

no mention of country kid ahead of city kid for a start.

was putting it out there to get them in addition to existing players.

if free fees for 3-4 kids cripples a club........

maybe i should call it a country scholarship

Vodka 52, you know it to be true. You are right, when a country player pays a small amount for fees (less than BSA affiliation), gets petrol money and free uniforms, it means that the other kids at the club are sponsoring that child to play at that club and deny their little Johnny or Janey a spot in a higher division. So let's say they save $400 in fees, $200 in a uniform, and then if they go a petrol allowance of $20/week for a 20 week season, that's $1,000 of freebies.
Let's say there are 40 teams and 8 kids per team, I reckon that each city kid per season funds around $3 per country kid. So if you have say 10 country kids at the club and have freebies to entice them, then the first $30 of each city kid's fees goes to having those country kids at the club.

scholarship is not lost fees

see there comes the bit....metro want the kids and lets not bullshit about that...but they want them to pay premiums too..

metro parents get worried because it's janeys or johnnys court time that gets cut too cos the kid from the country can play...

i was actually thinking subsidized fees...and 1/2 price uniform..petrol...no way...

You know what you say happens anyway and I know of instances at my own club which may not involve free fees but other things may have been offered. BUT can a city kid go and play for a country team? Plenty of city kids not getting opportunities in the big smoke due to nepotism. May have better opportunities in the country? could a metro kid try out for a State country team? just putting it out there!

Visiting a country tournament to recruit? Are you guys serious?

This would never happen in Victoria. You would be heaved out of the stadium for approaching country kids in this way, thankful to escape with your limbs in tact. There have obviously been many instances where country players have made the long haul down to try out for a Metro team, but recruiting them at country games/tournaments....golly?

I guess there are some differences, like Country teams are commonly entering teams into the Metro competition such as Geelong, Ballarat, Bendigo, etc. and this could be something that SA Country could promote? This would also encourage kids from more obscure country locations to try out for larger country teams or even make the trip to Metro club try outs.

I could just imagine the Vic Metro clubs Dandenong, Melbourne, Diamond Valley, Nunawading, etc. lining up at the Country champs with there polos on and rego papers in hand.

Point of interest - how would the payment of petrol monies be seen by the NCAA. Obviously the payment is small, but they are strict and all players in that team would be affected. Food for thought.

Yeah serious - but I dont think petrol money is offered. Many clubs send their Div 1 coaches to the Country Tournament which is held in Adelaide this weekend and look to recruit players. Especially if they need a big in the team and the team is looking at going to U14 Club Chmpionships. So the kids generally still play for Country and also play for a district team. They may get reduced fees (minimal). That is about it. But they generally would only train once per week (Sunday) with their district club, and wuold train with their country club during the week.