The AJFC Football Academy is a key pillar of Abbotsford Juniors Football Club’s core value of “Respect and Development” which aims to promote participation in football and achievement at all community levels. The Club is committed to provide options for male and female players who wish to play at a more competitive level and those who play for social/friendship purposes.
In 2017, Abbotsford Juniors introduced the concept of the AJFC Football Academy, academy teams and football trials linked to the creation of these teams. Run by the Club’s Football Development Committee, the AJFC Football Academy program continues to provide a platform for boys and girls to play at AJFC’s highest competitive age group level within the Football Canterbury Association (community football) each year.
Our AJFC Football Academy program offers:
- Access to high level football competition for boys and girls from Under 8 to Under 12 age groups
- Teams that are formed through public trials open to all players whether or not they played for AJFC in the previous year
- Additional training opportunities for players both as a team and via paid skill development training with expert coaches
- Support for our high level competitive male and female teams in Under 13 to Under 19 age groups
AJFC Academy teams and their players are encouraged to train a minimum of twice a week. Players who are selected and accept a position in an Academy team are offered priority access to additional paid skills development training as a team, coordinated and run by the AJFC Football Development program. Participation in paid skills training is optional but highly encouraged.
Players are also entitled to purchase an AJFC Academy training kit package with their team. The contents of the training kit package may vary from year to year but would typically include a training kit (training jersey, shorts and socks), a tracksuit, beanie and bag. Purchase of training kit is also optional.
AJFC Academy teams are encouraged and supported by the Club to enter and participate in sanctioned competitions such as the Football NSW State Cup and Kanga Cup when and where these opportunities are available.
AJFC Academy Teams
During the 2026 Winter football season there were a total of 16 teams participating in the AJFC Football Academy program:
Non-Competitive Teams
- Under 8 Girls
- Under 9 Mixed (Boys)
- Under 9 Girls
- Under 10 Mixed (Boys) x 2
- Under 11 Girls
- Under 11 Mixed (Boys)
Competition Teams
- Under 13 Boys x 2
- Under 13 Girls
- Under 14 Boys
- Under 14 Girls
- Under 15 Boys
- Under 15 Girls
- Under 16 Boys
- Under 16 Girls
AJFC Academy Trials
AJFC Academy team trials are conducted on an annual basis where there is an existing Academy team returning from the previous year or when Club believes there is a high likelihood of a team being formed.
Where an AJFC Academy team is formed the Club, it will typically submitted the team for grading consideration as Division 1 based upon skill ability and prior year performance where relevant.
Grading of teams is conducted by the Football Canterbury Association who have the final say on what Division a team will play. There is no guarantee an Academy team will be graded into Division 1.
Trials for membership of an AJFC Academy team are typically conducted at the end of November and early December. Trial dates and times are detailed at AJFC Boys Trials and AJFC Girls Trials.
AJFC Academy Rules and Regulations
The operation of the AJFC Football Academy program is governed by a set of rules set down and confirmed by the AJFC Executive Committee each year. The rules cover how Academy teams may be formed, the privileges afforded Academy teams and how trials are to be conducted.
Academy Football Training Programs
Abbotsford Juniors Football Club offers priority access to paid football skills training options to Football Academy Program members throughout the Winter Football Season running from April to August. These programs (which include our Goalkeeper and Striker Skills training) are available to other AJFC playing members where space is available.
Football skills training is intended to act as a companion program to Academy team members’ regular team training with their team coach(es) where game training and positional play will be a focus. Participation is optional in addition to regular team training and is subject to registration and payment of training fees.
Find out more about our Football Skills Development Programs.