AFL Academy
The Mater Dei College Hawks AFL Academy provides a unique opportunity for male and female students to pursue excellence in Australian Rules Football and embark on a journey of personal growth and development.
The specialist program, established in 2018, gives talented Year 7 to 12 students the opportunity to further develop their footballing ability through skill development, gameplay strategies and tactics and theoretical understanding.
The Academy follows the structure of a Specialised Physical Education (SPE) class, made up of practical and theoretical lessons. In addition, students are encouraged to learn about the other supporting roles in the game. Students can partake in umpiring and coaching courses, including gaining Western Australia Football Commission Level 1 Umpiring Accreditation and learning Exercise and Sport Science principles such as strength and conditioning, recovery, nutrition and Sport Psychology.
Future Pathways
- Western Australia State Academy
- WAFL/WAFLW Futures selection
- WAFL/WAFLW Colts selection
- AFL/AFLW
Coaching Staff and Partnerships
The Academy is committed to providing players with the highest standard of coaching and teaching. We currently have a Director of AFL, an AFLW Specialist and an AFL Specialist in the Academy. All football staff involved in the Academy have accredited AFL coaches with combined experience playing at an elite level.
Selection Criteria
The Hawks AFL Academy caters for full-time students enrolled at Mater Dei College.
Selection is based on three sets of criteria:
- Academic performance
- Attendance and behaviour
- Physical skills and fitness (assessed during trials conducted at the College).
A positive attitude towards all aspects of school life will be an important part of selection into the Academy and reports are required from the student’s current school.
Application Process
The College welcomes applications for the Hawks AFL Academy from current and prospective students.
Current Mater Dei College students can apply by lodging an Application for Entry into the Hawks AFL Academy and then participating in a trial.
For prospective students, lodging a Hawks AFL Academy application will only be considered in conjunction with an application for enrolment and subsequent acceptance into Mater Dei College. The College enrolment process is conducted in the year the applying student is in Year 5. In Year 6, students who have successfully enrolled at the College and have lodged an application to play for the Hawks AFL Academy will be contacted and invited to a trial for entry into the Academy.
At the trial, students will have their physical skills and fitness tested. The College will hold a trial for acceptance into the Academy for 2024 in Term 3, 2023.
Following the trial, the College will send correspondence to advise if the student was successful.
Successful applicants will be required to sign an Academy contract committing to the following expectations:
- Maintain an excellent attendance and behaviour record
- Display a positive attitude towards the College ethos
- Maintain a positive attitude towards their academic studies
- Participate consistently and to the best of their ability throughout their involvement in the program
- Participate in College sporting activities other than AFL and consistently in College co-curricular activities.
Apply to AFL Academy
Applications for admission into the AFL Academy will only be considered in conjunction with an application for enrolment into the College.
All application forms should be returned to the College with any supporting documents via email to
Contact
For more information regarding the Academy, please contact:
Mr Boston Williamson, Director of AFL
or 9405 4777
Mrs Kirsty Charlton, Enrolments Officer
or 9405 4777
Mater Dei College Hawks
Mater Dei College Hawks
Mater Dei College Hawks
Mater Dei College Hawks
Mater Dei College Hawks
Mater Dei College Hawks
