Welcome to the Olympic FC Youth Academy and hope you benefit from the information provided. Olympic FC has a strong tradition of playing football in Brisbane since 1967 (formerly Hellenic, St George & Olympic United) and has provided opportunities to play and support the club for countless number of people of diverse ethnicities, especially those from a Greek background, living in Australian society.

It is a family oriented club providing the patrons with excellent facilities, both on and off the park, and is embarking on serving the local community, and the wider football community, in sporting excellence, hospitality and bringing people together to enjoy the beautiful game of football.

With the rapidly changing environment in Australia’s football climate, Olympic FC is embracing the changes and restructuring designed by the FFA. Football development is essential to achieving the aim of sustained success and to being a leader in the world game.

How proud are we of the Socceroos, Matilda’s, Olyroos, and all our National teams as they mix it with the best in the world! Olympic FC aims to provide an avenue for aspiring players to enjoy their football across the many levels of the game, as well as serving the ambitious players with a designated pathway to a successful football career.

In order to provide this service to the football community, Olympic FC is embarking on a number of strategic priorities to promote and develop the game of football to achieve these aims:-

(1) To nurture the talent of all ability levels whilst taking into account the diversity in the growth and development of young players.

(2) To develop individual players as footballers – extending the players technical / physical and mental capabilities, and also challenging them to excel to one’s very best.

(3) To become valued community members - fostering loyalty / reliability / perseverance / patience / positive attitude / resilience / respect - all these traits are necessary for young players to cope with playing at an advanced or elite level which are rarely explored by football coaches, other than by chance in the case of some!

Working with ambitious young players to pursue their dreams to play representative football at Zone and State levels, then on to semi-pro level at BPL, and finally on to A-League or overseas football.

The Academy will specifically focus on our Youth players aged between 15 to 18 years old.  It will take into account the chronological & physical age and development of the players).

The Youth program (U.15-18s) aims at primarily improving the technical aspects of the player, as this is what is required at the highest levels of competition worldwide. Whilst not neglecting the physical and mental nature of the game, the Olympic FC Academy is endeavouring to nurture young players into being technically proficient like Cristian Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, Craig Moore, Jason Culina, Tim Cahill or Mark Schwarzer.

The Academy will provide “Excellence in Coaching” with each of the Specialist Academy coaches having a minimum of a Youth License through to an AFC “B” License and extensive experience in coaching young players!

A distinct advantage of the Olympic Football Club’s coaching team is that it involves coaches who have grown up with, or else played under coaches who have had experience in playing and coaching in all parts of the world and all the continents, highlighting that football is truly the “world game!” The young players at Olympic FC will have the combined knowledge of the coaching team’s experience in: Spain, Greece, Italy, United States, Yugoslavia, Scotland, Cyprus, England, Hungary, and across Asia and Africa.

The coaching panel at Olympic FC has an affinity with the players selected to be part of the Olympic Youth Academy because they have played at the highest level of the game to which these youngsters are aspiring.

Olympic FC Academy Coaching Panel 2010

Mr Steve Konstantinou, Mr Don Weerheim, Mr Graham Wilson, Mr Bobby Hamilton, Mr Mark Askew

TRAINING/COACHING projected outlines/aims:

Training sessions will emphasize the quality of football movements consistently, in order that they become a regular part of a player’s package of skills.

The coaches must be quality demonstrators! “Show me and not just tell me!”

Player’s movements will be faster and more efficient.

A guided discovery approach to games will focus on the players being asked specific questions to generate their own learning and understanding of football concepts.

Coaches will develop specific sessions to work on weaknesses in the player’s game eg. the use of a players non-kicking foot in certain sessions, technical exercises with high reoccurrences, playing games with the possibility of many choices and reflections, simple tactical exercises forcing players to make quick decisions.

Realistic activities which make the players feel as if they were in a real game!

The Olympic FC Academy gives its players a comprehensive program across all levels of the game that aims to provide the best development for each and every youngster and that takes into consideration the different growth and maturation levels of individuals.

Finally, the Olympic FC Academy is committed to address the four aspects of maintaining a balance in the young player’s life, and is indicative of the philosophy of many of the top ‘super clubs” and institutions worldwide; namely the French Football Association, the Dutch football system and a growing number of Academies linked to the South American and British club systems (eg. Arsenal Youth Academy):

1. To aspire to play at their highest level possible – eg. Zone/State rep.

2. To maintain a normal study program that emphasizes the importance of school, in case their intended professional career does not work.

3. The importance of family support

4. The guidance & support provided by the player’s club in the journey to be a successful footballer. (Including guiding the player to seek a balance in their every day lives.)

The Olympic FC Academy welcomes all prospective players and parents to our club in the collective aims of enjoying the football journey to success; whether it is as a coach, manager, spectator or player. I applaud the committee in embarking on an exciting brave new world involving many new paths in the evolving Australian football scene. Best wishes to each and every one of you reading this article, in your own personal journey in enjoying the “beautiful game” that encapsulates the diversity of what the world has to offer!