Academy of Football Australia helps Nerang Eagles dominate junior Gold Coast competitions

THEY say necessity is the mother of all invention - and Academy of Football Australia director Gary Scott can relate.

THEY say necessity is the mother of all invention - and Gary Scott can relate.

Not satisfied with the coaching plan for the NPL ahead of its launch in 2013, Scott created the Academy of Football Australia five years ago to help young players with professional aspirations fulfil their dreams.

The academy - based out of and aligned with Nerang Soccer Club – has proven a revelation, with the Eagles’ under-18 Junior Premier League side storming through this year’s campaign unbeaten and with a goal difference of plus-101.

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They first won the Pre-Season Lightning Premiership, before claiming the JPL double and topping it off with victory in last weekend’s Gold Coast Champions Cup.

The under-16s also took out the JPL double, while the under-15s reached the preliminary final.

“Basically, we set (the AFA) up in 2013 so if kids had dreams, we wanted to fulfil them. I’m a firm believer that if you want to do something (right), do it yourself,” said 61-year-old Scott, who moved to Australia from England in 1972.

Nerang under-18 players Ben Dixon, Max King and Jordan Bishop with Gary Scott. Picture: Glenn Hampson

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“I’ve had a bit to do with professional football in the UK indirectly and directly. If the players want to achieve (their dreams) they have to train like they do overseas, which is at least eight to 10 hours and at least 50 games a year.

“The average football player on the Gold Coast here touches the ball between 200 and 250 times a (training) session.

“If you want to fast-track (development), you’ve got to triple or double that so we basically put into our training that guys must touch the ball 1500 times a session, four times a week so we can fast track it.

“I knew there was something that could be done for these kids here and it’s coming to fruition now. It’s all hard work, that’s what it comes down to.”

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Under-18s player Jordan Bishop, who has watched numerous clubmates earn overseas scholarships and trials, said his side’s success was a “real testament to all the hard work we’ve put in at the AFA”.

“At the end of the day you can see the AFA system works, it’s showing results. We got all four trophies, undefeated season, 101 goal difference,” Bishop said.