President’s Report

JEFF HOOPER

President

This year was a year where pivoting in junior footy was taken from an administrative task to a community art form.

Every single player, every parent, supporter, family member and especially club and league officials had to be flexible, open minded and above all positive in the way we conducted ourselves to get, keep and ultimately conclude a season that we stole from a pandemic that aggressively advanced on us through the winter months. Whilst we didn’t get enough footy, we got as much as we could played in the circumstances and for that I am grateful to the thousands of club volunteers and YJFL staff that gave of themselves for the benefit of our junior footy players. Smiles say it all and we kept it all about the kids! Thank you everyone.

I would like the specifically acknowledge and thank Peter Nicholls for his 24 years of service to the YJFL in a range of roles culminating in his leadership as General Manager. Every development made by the YJFL in that time has had Peter’s hands on it. There are too many to mention but a specific highlight is that Peter is primarily responsible for the “hard yards” done to establish the female football development for Eastern Metropolitan Melbourne. Pete was instrumental having hosted and nurtured the first junior female clubs that became the foundation teams for the Eastern, Yarra Ranges, South Metro and of course Yarra Junior football leagues. He is 10

undoubtedly one of the fathers of female junior football in metro Melbourne.

This is my last year as President with Ishbel Moodie poised to takeover after three years of induction and two as Vice President. I am the last of my Board generation and my retirement provides the YJFL with a new and relevant leadership driven forward pathway and a Board structure more representative of that future with at least four female members.

With a small apology for reflection, the League has grown significantly since my time as a parent volunteer at Kew Rovers back in the noughties and even more-so as a player in the 1970’s at Bulleen Templestowe. In 2007, the YJFL had 19 member clubs, in 2021 we have 32. There were 302 teams, there are now 503. We had 7,324 players; we now have 10,891.

We had a smattering of females playing with the boys and only up to age 13, now we have a separate competition with 2,598 females. We have established development programs for beginners and elite players, welfare programmes for the League and clubs and corporate partner sponsorships. Our facilities are state of the art, relationships with our nine councils are the strongest they have ever been and support from AFL Victoria continuing to develop as the AFL itself goes through its business-pivoting restructures to respond to the financial and strategic pressures of COVID.

Financially, the League is independently strong with streamlined systems of registration, player

payments, in-game medic support and football and personal development tailored to an economical League subs per player method. Importantly, our umpire systems, development and numbers are the strongest they have ever been and relationship alliances with the VAFA and on to AFL provide a pathway for umpires in line with players.

The future of the YJFL is exciting with a Board capable and excited to continue to ensure the League is one that puts players and clubs first and adds value to the community within which it lives. I thank you for the privilege of being the presidential custodian of this wonderful League and look forward to admiring the work done in the future from the honoured life membership I will always cherish.