Each year we run a Development Program (DP) for children selected into the club’s graded teams. Those teams play in the local CDSFA competition on weekends and are typically placed in Division 1 of their respective age groups.

Selection into the DP is via an annual grading process and this process usually takes place in November each year.

The DP provides a great opportunity for your child to be coached by qualified and club approved football coaches. We aim to create the ideal environment for your child’s individual growth.

Player development is right at the heart of what we do because we believe that developing players is the best way to keep a child interested and engaged in a sport.

In our program, teams train twice a week with the club coaches and for games on the weekend they are led by a parent volunteer coach and manager.

Programs will commence in March 2023

The DP season plan is based around the Australian soccer pathway but also includes more detailed aspects of technique and tactics of game play. The plan is general and each coach within the DP will be allowed to include his or her own personal interpretation of selected skills and strategies.

Within the overall DP plan, we have two main plans – one for U8 till U11 and one for U12 till U16.

To support the plan, we aim to build a strong and connection between the DP coaches and the parent volunteer coaches.  This is to help the parent coach take lessons from the DP sessions into games and to also allow for learning from games to be fed back into the DP training sessions.

DP sessions are held at the Waterfront Drive pitches in Callan park. Sessions run on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. Sessions start at 4:30pm, 5:40pm or 6:50pm.  Younger age groups are scheduled in the earlier time slots and older age groups in the later ones.

Sessions are mix of game training, situation training and skill practice.

Game skills will be taught together with emphasis on certain aspects of individual play varied depending on the session topic.

For DP sessions, U8-U11 teams use quarter half of a full-sized pitch while U12-U16 teams use half of a full-sized pitch and all the training equipment is provided.

  • The parent coach should be aware of the training plan and after discussion with DP coach help to incorporate relevant problems from game days.
  • The parent coach is welcome to consult or be part of sessions at any time.
  • We strongly recommend participating and coaching your team, gaining experience and learning new approach to coaching.
  • The DP coach will follow the BDFC annual plan but will be open to accommodate your thoughts on improvement.

The annual DP training plan is based on:

  • Individual game skills
    • Attacking skills
      • Behaviour without the ball
      • Passing the ball
      • Receiving the ball
      • Dribbling
      • Beating an opponent
      • Shooting
    • Defending skills
      • Marking player with the ball
      • Marking player without the ball
      • Marking space
      • Capturing the ball
  • Game combinations
    • Attacking combinations
      • Passing
      • Position swap
      • Action pass and go
    • Defending combinations
      • Securing other teammates
      • Passing over responsibility for attackers
      • Multiplying defenders, doubling up
      • Cohesion in zonal defending
  • Game systems
    • Attacking systems
      • Combination play
      • Contra attack
      • Build up
    • Defensive systems
      • Zonal defence
      • Personal defence
      • Combined defence

If your child is not in a graded team but is keen to improve their skills with some extra training, then you might like to consider the IDP. The IDP sessions are led by the same DP coaches that we use for the graded teams. All the training conditions and the environment are the same as for the graded teams.

19 Sessions from 12/15 March at a cost of $300 per player

Individual Development Program
U6-U7 Mixed Tuesday 4:30pm – 5:30pm
U8-U10 Mixed Tuesday 5:40pm – 6:40pm
U11-U13 Mixed Tuesday 6:50pm – 8:05pm
U6-U10 Girls Friday 4:30pm – 5:30pm
U11-U13 Girls Friday 5:40pm – 6:40pm
Goalkeeper Program
U8-U10 Girls Wednesday 4:30pm – 5:30pm
U11-U13 Girls Wednesday 5:40pm – 6:40pm
U14-U16 Girls Wednesday 6:50pm – 8:05pm
U8-U10 Mixed Thursday 4:30pm – 5:30pm
U11-U13 Mixed Thursday 5:40pm – 6:40pm
U14-U16 Boys Thursday 6:50pm – 8:05pm

2024 DP Training Schedule (Interim)

Click below to access the 2023 DP Training Schedule

Schedule

2024 DP Training Calendar

Click below to access the 2022 DP training, IDP training, MiniRoos and Holiday Camps Calendar

Calendar

Individual Development Program

Click below to register for the IDP or Goal Keeper Program

Goalkeeper Training Program

Click below to register for the Goalkeeping Program or IDP

Behaviour Management Policy

Click below to read the DP Behaviour Management Policy

Policy

DP Vision

Click here to read our Development Program Vision

Vision