Overview

Doncaster Junior Football Club was formed in 1968 and was a founding member of the (then) Doncaster Districts Junior Football League. We’ve provided development and recreational opportunities to thousands of children over that time, some of whom have gone on to become well known AFL stars.

We are proud of our family-friendly culture and the community spirit around our club. Our focus is much more on learning, playing, growing, participating, and having fun as part of a team, than it is on competing to win.

We have developed close links with nearby schools, and run after-school football clinics on request. We’ve fostered and supported a very popular and successful Auskick program where young Primary-school aged kids can learn the basics of football in a friendly and safe, non-competitive environment on Saturday mornings. (For more information about Auskick, see our Auskick pages on this website.)

Our competitive program on Sundays caters for both boys and girls from 7 or 8 up to 14, and for boys up to 17. We currently have nine teams covering these age groups, and they compete in the Yarra Junior Football League on Sundays. We are one of the smaller clubs in the league, but we see that as one of our strengths. We’re friendly and inclusive, and everyone gets a “fair go” in our club.

We have a close relationship, sharing grounds, clubrooms, functions and some training sessions with Doncaster Football Club. When it comes time for our older players to move on, many stay in the Doncaster “family” to play in the Under 18s and the “Senior” teams at DFC.

We are very conscious of our broader role in the community. We are an accredited “Good Sports Club” and actively pursue and promote responsibility in regard to drugs and alcohol consumption. To help us maintain the friendly and inclusive culture in our club, we have “Codes of Conduct” and a comprehensive Racial and Religious Tolerance policy, which set out expected behaviours for coaches, players and parents.

We’re “GOOD SPORTS” at Doncaster

Sporting clubs like ours play a significant role in the community and have a “duty of care” responsibility to their members and their members’ families. In recognition of this, the Doncaster Junior Football Club elected to participate in the Good Sports program. In 2005 the club gained accreditation as a Level 1 “Good Sports” Club.

The Good Sports Accreditation Program is a partnership between the Australian Drug Foundation, national, state, regional and local sports bodies, and the government sector, to develop a safer and healthier community through the responsible management of alcohol.

As a community based club, our involvement in this program is one way for our club to promote a healthy and welcoming club atmosphere whilst also meeting our duty-of-care obligations in regard to the sale and consumption alcohol.

To achieve Level 2 accreditation, the club had to address a number of criteria including the training of our bar staff. We intend to pursue further levels of accreditation in the future, and this will require a broader range of strategies and initiatives.

Level 2 – Safe Transport Policy available

Level 2 – Good Sports Accreditation Policy available

Level 2 – Smoke Free Policy available

AFL “Kids First ” Program

In addition to our Codes of Conduct for players, parents and officials, this year we have also adopted the AFL’s Kids First program.

The Kids First program has been designed to help guide parents so that both they and their children obtain the maximum benefit and enjoyment from their participation in junior football.

Parents have an important role in the delivery and support of sporting activities for their own and other children. With that comes a clear responsibility to act in a constructive and encouraging manner at all times. Barracking and wanting your child to perform well is human nature, but it is critical that this should be done in a responsible manner, and avoiding the so called “ugly parent” syndrome at all times.