Young Vic talent shines at SAP Gala Day

Darebin International Sports Centre played host to the Football Victoria (FV) Skill Acquisition Phase (SAP) Gala Day on Tuesday 29th June 2021.

Melbourne turned on the weather for what proved to be a fantastic day, with over 400 players taking part and showcasing some exceptional football skills.

Players from metropolitan SAP Centres, regional SAP Camps, as well as the TIDC Girls program played in Gala Day matches over the course of the day. 37 teams comprising of boys aged 9-12 and girls aged 9-13 took part in multiple games throughout the day, led by 18 FV SAP/TIDC male and female coaches. The Gala Day provided players within these programs the opportunity to play in development matches, while representing their respective zones.


After the success of the SAP Gala Day in April, players have since been involved in training sessions with Football Victoria Coaches in a centralised format. Metropolitan SAP Centres players have been training once weekly, while adapting the program to assist regional SAP players who have taken part in training camps over the school holidays.

“With the players coming in to train and play together on a semi regular basis, we have been thrilled to see the continued development of these players since the commencement of the program. The Gala Day presented a good opportunity for us to assess the level of players while also observing the execution of technical actions in competitive matches against other talented players within the program.” – Seb Zancan, FV SAP Development Manager

“The TIDC U13 Girls participated in the July SAP Gala Day as part of their Talent Identification Camp. The matches provided players with some match minutes and an opportunity to further develop within games against multiple teams. It also allowed them to apply what they have learnt since our previous camp in April and training sessions within a competitive match environment. We were able to observe the improvement of player technical actions and game understanding within the matches. All players and their clubs should be praised for their continued development.” – Annick Fokchak, Talent Development Manager – Girls

Football Victoria looks forward to continuing to work with SAP and TIDC Girls Players throughout 2021 and beyond, to compliment the training they are receiving in their club environments.

For further information related to the SAP and TIDC Girls Programs, please contact us at the following email addresses:

SAP (U9-12 Boys and Girls) – SAP@footballvictoria.com.au

TIDC Girls (U13 Girls) – girlstidc@footballvictoria.com.au