State Academies Launch
Dodgeball Federation Australia is proud to launch our high performance State Academies in New South Wales and Victoria for 2018/19. 
The new State Academies will effectively replace the ongoing Australian Dodgeroos Academy during the year, with each State operating its own training programs in Melbourne and Sydney, adopting identical training modules, with resources being shared amongst States.
The State Academy is the pathway to being selected for the Australian Dodgeroos, who will be competing in the Asia Pacific Championships in 2019 (location TBA).
Academy Objectives:
The objective of our State Academies is to enhance our high-performance programs at local and national team level, learning different training regimes, tactics and importantly, the playing philosophy and ethos of the Australian Dodgeroos.
The transition from the Dodgeroos Academy to the Victoria and New South Wales Academies will give further opportunities to dodgeballers locally – training and developing their skills and knowledge in a high performance environment. A larger production pool of talent will not only benefit the sport locally, but importantly give the state and national teams a further growth and a new pathway for development.
Additionally, we will be focusing on increasing the participation and growth of our State Academies, while continuing to promote further Club development in our local areas.
State Academy Schedule:
Organised training sessions will be conducted on a monthly basis in New South Wales and Victoria. The first State training session in Victoria and NSW will be held Saturday, December 15. Further details will follow.
The Australian Dodgeroos squad will be selected from the State Academy criteria below. The Dodgeroos squad is scheduled to be confirmed in May, 2019 hosting monthly training sessions (based in Melbourne or Sydney) in the lead-up to the Asia Pacific Championships. The monthly State Academy sessions will operate, in addition to the Dodgeroos training.
General Criteria For State Academy Selection:
Initial selections will take place in December, following the ADPL NSW and Victoria seasons.
To be in contention for selection and actively involved in the 2018/19 State Academies, the DFA will adhere to the following criteria:
– Perform and excel at a high level during ADPL club competition and demonstrate the attitude and commitment required to succeed as a high performance athlete.
– Players based in Victoria / New South Wales must have been actively playing in their local ADPL (minimum 50% attendance of rounds throughout the 2018 season)
– Talent Identification Program: The DFA may elect to select players new in the 2018/19 ADPL system, who they believe fit into the culture and specifically have the potential and talent to progress as a player in the State Academy. These players may not have played the minimum games (listed above), but possess the traits under the Talent Identification Program.
Additional Criteria For Australian Dodgeroos Selection In 2019:
– Male players must be actively playing ADPL in 2019 (minimum 65% of matches in the Men’s Division or play a minimum of 50% of matches in both the Men’s and Mixed Divisions).
– Female players must be actively playing ADPL in 2019 (minimum 65% of matches in the Women’s Division or play a minimum of 50% of matches in both the Women’s and Mixed Divisions. In NSW, a minimum of 65% of matches in the Mixed Division)
– Players must be consistently playing in their local ADPL and adhere to the criteria, or will face omission from the squad at any point during the year, regardless if a player has been selected in the State Academy and /or Dodgeroos squad.
– If a player marginally falls short of the attendance figures due to a noted injury or personal reason (within 10%), this will be taken into consideration. An example of what would not be permitted – a player resting from ADPL on a Friday or Saturday for no apparent reason or due to an injury, then attends State / Dodgeroos training that weekend.
State Academy Components & Technical Staff Applications:
The State Academies will be categorised into four different components – P.T.T.S:
o Physical
o Technical
o Tactical
o Social
The DFA will be giving you the opportunity to be part of our Technical Staff with your State Academy. The successful applicants will be responsible for planning each set component, working alongside and assisting the selected State Coaches (further info on coaching applications will be published soon).
A maximum of two people will be responsible to assist the head coaches in each position.
* Please note, successful applicants will not be guaranteed to be involved as a player in their State Academy, nor be a representative for the Australian Dodgeroos in 2019.
In your application, please include the following:
– Experience in Dodgeball / high performance sport and length involved.
– Leadership experience in any sport, if any.
– Experience in the role you’re applying for.
– Why you should be considered for the role.
– Your ambitions and goals in regards to the position.
To apply for a position, complete the form below:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd-F8Dap7hxiTAEi7q-ow88oARVrjE5_-84ia2mErgv276xNg/viewform
Applications for the positions close Monday, November 5.
State Academy Component Descriptions:
Physical training is designed to prepare athletes to perform at their maximum potential in dodgeball. It is not only limited to building appropriate strength, power, endurance, agility, stability and mobility, but also develops the synchronised movement required for technical execution of dodgeball skills.
Physical training reinforces both the tactical and technical elements of dodgeball, ensuring that an athlete can physically implement the technical movements and strategies for the required intensity and duration.
The aim for the physical program is to provide athletes in the academy, the knowledge and education to train outside of dodgeball if they wish, and increase the standards of physical conditioning. By providing a training plan and education process, it will give greater opportunities for athletes to be able to train outside of academy sessions, individually or together.
Candidates to be involved in the planning of the physical component team should have a background in physical conditioning, knowledge of periodisation and gym training plans.
Technical training deals with developing the required skills of the Dodgeroos. Such as throwing, dodging, catching and blocking with more advanced skills being the pre-throw. Developing these skills is generally under the guidance of a coach, performing set drills and exercises.
All technical skills should be executed according to key performance points. Emphasis is on repeating key movement patterns accurately for a sufficient number of times to convert a cognitive motor pattern (requiring coordinated concentration) into an autonomous one requiring little conscious effort.
Candidates to be involved in the planning of the technical component team should have a strong knowledge in the technical skills of dodgeball.
Tactical training is concerned with dodgeball specific decision making and reaction to situations. This is usually trained using open drills requiring a reaction to an external stimulus, forcing the athlete to respond.
Tactical training puts the technical tools to work. It selects the right tool for the right job and pieces together connecting techniques in response to your opponent’s reaction.
Tactical training also involves the strategy and game plan for the Dodgeroos.
Candidates to be involved in the planning of the tactical components team should be experienced dodgballers. Ideally, having vast experience at ADPL level, and being involved in some capacity with the Dodgeroos.
Social aspect of a team sport is crucial. It is what bonds teams and brings in the cohesion needed to become champions.
Involved in the social aspect will be events planned for each month such as hiking, movie nights, BBQ at the park, social gatherings, etc. These events will be opportunities for the academy players to bond and create stronger friendships within the squad.
More information on P.T.T.S elements, along with further sports performance training can be found at Heatrick Strength and Conditioning.