Skill Acquisition Phase (SAP) Program

The Skill Aquisition Phase is a key building block in the Football Federation Australia (FFA) National Football Curriculum: 

Building Blocks

The FFA Building Blocks Methodology is the framework that provides practical guidelines for coaches working at all levels of youth development in order to help them in answering questions such as:

  • What are the mental and physical characteristics of players in the various development stages?
  • What type of practices are best suited for specific age groups and why?
  • How long should a session go for and how often should I train?
  • How do I plan and design my sessions?
  • What are points of interest when I coach my team during matches?

 Skill Acquisition Phase (9-12)  

  • In the Skill Acquisition Phase, the coach must focus on providing a solid foundation of game-related technical skills
  • If the player does not gain this skill foundation during this phase it will be very difficult to make it up later
  • No amount of fitness or competitive spirit will ever compensate for deficiencies in functional game skills

Click here to view the Skill Acquisition Manual – A resource for youth coaches of players aged 9-12 years

Click here to view the Skill Training Certificate- participation manual

Getting involved in SAP

The 2024 SAP Program will be offered in 2 different streams:

  • SAP Centres
  • Regional SAP Camps