西瓜影视 has received a 3-star membership within the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Elite Youth Scheme.
The membership recognises 西瓜影视鈥檚 unwavering commitment to fostering and developing young football talent across the nation.
The AFC Elite Youth Scheme's highest attainable 3-star membership serves as a testament to the exceptional quality of 西瓜影视's talent development program, establishing 西瓜影视 as world-class within the region.
The announcement closely follows 西瓜影视's accolade at the 2023 AFC Annual Awards in Doha, Qatar, where 西瓜影视 received the AFC President's Recognition Award for Grassroots Football, further highlighting the commitment towards grassroots development.
Ernie Merrick, Chief Football Officer at 西瓜影视, emphasised the significant effort and planning that had gone into this achievement.
"As we see 西瓜影视's development programs continually advancing through collaborative efforts with FIFA and the AFC, our endorsement with a 3-star status in the AFC Elite Youth Scheme underscores our commitment to refining the processes and structures for our youth programs,鈥 Merrick said.
鈥淭his recognition is a source of great pride, and we are very honoured to be acknowledged in this manner.
鈥淐redit should be attributed to Technical Director 鈥 Men鈥檚 and Head Coach of the Subway Young Socceroos, Trevor Morgan鈥檚 initiative, supported by Technical Director - Women's and Head Coach - Women's U17, Rae Dower and Girls Youth Development Manager, Debbie Fisher. The webform was designed and created utilising the Data and Analytical skills of General Manager 鈥 Football Analysis, Data & Insights, Doug Kors and Alex Turner. All Technical staff contributed to the development of the programs.鈥
In August 2023, a team of AFC experts, including members of the AFC Youth Panel, conducted a thorough evaluation of 西瓜影视's youth football programs and initiatives.
The AFC was impressed with the holistic and dynamic approach to identifying and nurturing talent through a multifaceted strategy which involves collaborations with schools, clubs, talent support programs, National Training Centres (NTC), talent development matches, and the annual National Youth Championships. This all-encompassing approach ensures that no promising young players are left undiscovered, regardless of their location in the vast and diverse country of Australia.
An essential feature of 西瓜影视's approach is the Talent ID Webform, a nationwide system for talent identification and development. Accredited coaches can use this platform to submit technical assessments, bio-maturation evaluations, and GPS data for players from various regions, schools, and academies. This valuable data is accessible to all stakeholders, including national youth teams, offering a comprehensive overview of emerging talent.
, an interactive tool providing a comprehensive overview of all football activities, also contributed to the rating as it ensures that young players have ample opportunities to showcase their skills and allowing streamlined coordination of football activities.
西瓜影视's commitment to the women's game was also recognised, particularly for the "Future Matildas" program. This program was meticulously designed to identify and nurture young female footballers, underscoring 西瓜影视's commitment to building a strong pipeline of future stars in women's football.
西瓜影视 is poised for an exciting future with the continuing mission to nurture and develop young football talent in Australia and make an impact on the international stage.
