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Football West Academy

Our Academy

Football West officially launched the Football West Academy in April 2025.

This marked a significant step forward, as Football West resumed direct responsibility for junior player development for boys and girls for the first time in over a decade.

Eight teams represent the Football West Academy – four boys and four girls teams*.

The Academy is integrated with Football Australia and forms our advanced pathway program. This provides a comprehensive training environment for young footballers aged 12 to 15 (boys) and 12-18 (girls), aimed at enhancing the technical skills, tactical understanding, and high-performance behaviours of our players. Please note, the boys teams all play up one year (eg, U12s qualified players in the U13JDL; U13s play in the U14 JDL etc)

We also ensure players have access to appropriately skilled, qualified and experienced coaches throughout their pathway journey. All coaches within the Academy hold a minimum Football Australia B Diploma, ensuring a high standard of coaching across the board.

Our Mission

The Football West Academy is driven by a passion for nurturing young talent and a strong commitment to developing the next generation of footballers in Western Australia.

Our Vision

To provide a nurturing environment where young athletes grow as both footballers and individuals, guided by our core values of mutual respect, fair play and excellence. Our goal is to develop both skilled players and well-rounded individuals who positively impact their communities.

Our Approach

At the heart of the Academy is a clear, development-focused methodology that emphasises both technical skill and tactical understanding. Our player development programs are tailored to suit age and ability, with a focus on providing meaningful and challenging training experiences.

Our Impact

The Academy forms a critical pathway to Football West representative state teams, to be considered for Emerging Matildas and Emerging Socceroos Championships.

Development Focus

13–14 years old

Building on technical proficiency while introducing key tactical concepts. Players learn how to apply their skills within a team context.

15–16 years old

Focusing on match impact — developing the ability to influence game outcomes through advanced decision-making and execution under pressure.

17-18 years old

Bridging the gap to senior football for our girls program, refining technical fundamentals and tactical understanding.

Commitment

Players in the Hyundai Football West Academy and Football West Academy are expected to commit to three training sessions per week plus one match on the weekend, reflecting the high-performance standards of the program.

More Information

Any queries, please email to academy@footballwest.com.au

*The girls program in the Academy is sponsored by Hyundai Australia, and the teams play under the Hyundai Football West Academy name

Recent News

Frequently Asked Questions

The Academy is an advanced pathway programme integrated with Football Australia, designed to build technical skill, tactical understanding, and high-performance behaviours in a structured environment. Check the latest intake announcement for current squad structure and trial dates.

It’s for talented young players, with boys’ intakes commonly targeting ages 12–15 and girls’ intakes commonly targeting ages 12–18 (varies by intake and eligibility rules). Check the current trials article for age/birth-year eligibility, then register before the deadline.

Boys squads are structured as U13, U14, U15 and U16, and girls squads are structured as U13, U14, U15 and U18 (availability and birth-year cut-offs vary by intake). Check the current intake’s squad list and trial eligibility before registering.

Selections are made after trials, and places are limited (example: 16 players selected per boys team in one intake). Everyone starts with a clean slate each year, so if you miss out, check the next intake and trial again.

The Academy forms part of an official advanced pathway aligned to Football Australia and is delivered by accredited coaching staff, with minimum coaching diploma standards stated for Academy coaches in published intakes. Private academies vary, so if you’re comparing options, check the current Academy intake details and attend the parent induction when offered.

Support varies by intake, but published inclusions include experienced accredited coaching, player development focus areas (technical, tactical, conditioning, injury prevention), and specialist roles such as goalkeeper coaching and strength and conditioning (where applicable). Check the current intake details to confirm what specialist support is included.

You must register and attend the first two trials, with later trial sessions invitation-only (format varies by intake), and you are assessed in your correct age group based on birth year. Arrive early, wear shin pads, and check the current trials notice for venue and session times (these change each year).

Yes. Membership/train-on programmes run alongside full-time squads and typically involve one extra training session per week under Academy coaches (eligibility varies by intake). For girls, a published example includes U12 players training in Term 4 and Term 1 before returning to clubs for the season.

Some trials are linked to state team identification (varies by intake): examples include combined boys trials used to select both the U16 Academy team and the U15 State Team extended training squad, and girls trials that also served as identification for WA State U15/U16 extended squads for the CommBank Emerging Matildas Championships (for certain birth years). Even if you don’t intend to join the Academy, you may still need to attend the combined trial to be considered for the linked state squad, so check the current announcement carefully.