Have a passionate, young footballer on your hands?
We’ve got a team of coaches ready to encourage their dreams.
Junior Skills Coaching.
About
HAD Football’s Junior Coaching sessions are designed to help young footballers aged 8 - 13y to build strong football fundamentals in a supportive, focused environment.
Sessions emphasise technical skill development, confidence, game understanding, and high-quality habits that translate directly into improved on-field performance.
Coaching is delivered in small groups or 1:1 by HAD coaches who prioritise safety, inclusion, and individual growth. Each session is tailored to the footballer’s current ability, goals, and preferred learning style, with clear, actionable feedback to support both technical and mental development.
Skills Coaching is ideal for beginner to intermediate young footballers seeking personalised guidance, skill refinement, and targeted development outside their regular team training.
Meet your coaches!
Jai Dalrymple
Jai is an experienced HAD coach who also works in talent identification and assessment in the AFL.
Jai specialises in skill fundamentals and positional trait development specific to the player.
Location: Melbourne - Suburbs in and around City of Maroondah and City of Whitehorse.
Georgia Knight
Georgia is a current AFLW Footballer with Collingwood Football Club and an experienced HAD coach.
Georgia specialises in supporting footballers to develop their fundamental skills and building confidence and consistency in their game.
Location: Melbourne - Suburbs in and around the Yarra Ranges and City of Monash.
Liam Barber
Liam is an experienced HAD coach who has coached footballers aged 8+ for over 2 years.
Liam develops confident, skilled footballers by refining fundamentals and preparing them to perform under pressure in team environments.
Location: Melbourne - Suburbs in and around the City of Whittlesea, Banyule, Darebin and Nillumbik Shire.
Chris Worner
Chris brings over a decade of coaching experience across junior and senior football to the HAD program. Currently Head Football Coach at Scotch College Melbourne (9A) and Senior Coach at Oakleigh Amateur Football Club (VAFA Division 1), Chris also spent six seasons as Head Coach of the U16 girls at Chelsea Junior Football Club.
Across every role, Chris works to build strong fundamentals, developing players as people, and creating an environment where athletes can grow into the best version of themselves on and off the field.
Location: Melbourne - Suburbs in and around the City of Kingston, Frankston, Greater Dandenong and Bayside.
Jackson Mansfield
Jackson is a passionate and experienced footballer, winning 2x Junior NFNL League Best & Fairests.
With representative experience through the Calder Cannons and Bendigo Pioneers, Jackson has a strong understanding of what development looks like at every level of the game and brings that knowledge and enthusiasm into every session he coaches.
Location: Melbourne - Suburbs in and around Mitchell Shire, City of Whittlesea, and Macedon ranges.
Jason Burge
Jason is a passionate and decorated footballer, winning back-to-back Best & Fairest medals and captaining his club at the highest level of Queensland football.
Starting his career as a Southport Sharks junior and now honoured as a Life Member, Jason brings first-hand knowledge of what it takes to develop through the ranks, having played 167 games and winning multiple premierships across the QAFL. He brings that experience, commitment, and love for the game into every session he coaches.
Location: Gold Coast - Suburbs in and around Gold Coast, Broadbeach, and Southport.
Book your Junior Skills Sessions!
FAQs
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Athletes must be aged between 8 and 13 years of age. This age requirement exists to ensure the safety of all participants and to maintain the quality, pace, and learning outcomes of the program.
Older participants engage in more advanced skill development, and maintaining this standard ensures an optimal experience for everyone involved.
If you are an older footballer looking for individualised skills sessions and programming, contact bek.comand@hadfootball to discuss our offerings for footballers aged 14+.
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A parent or guardian must remain onsite for the entire session for supervision and safety purposes. HAD Skills Coaches reserve the right to cancel/end the session early if a parent or guardian leaves mid session.
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No. Our HAD coaches work with complete beginners through to talent pathway and AFL/AFLW athletes and are therefore capable of adapting sessions to the individuals needs and skill level.
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Absolutely. We work with athletes of all genders, and coaches tailor instruction to each individual.
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No — Skills Coaching is individualised and player-focused, offering tailored feedback and concentrated skill work that athletes often don't receive in team sessions.
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Yes!
1:2 and 1:3 skills coaching sessions are self-organised group bookings. This means participants must form their own group (for example, booking with one or two friends) prior to making a booking.
HAD does not group individual participants together for shared sessions. If you wish to participate in a 1:2 or 1:3 session, all participants must be known to each other and booked together under the same booking.
If you are booking as an individual, please select a 1:1 session.
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Standard sessions are 45 minutes.
When booking, you will be given the option to add an additional 45 minutes and purchase a double session (90 minutes).
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The scheduling calendar should automate into your local time zone, however, you can select this and change it if necessary.
Please take into consideration the location (and therefore, time zone) of your coach as well to minimise confusion and missed sessions.
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Locations vary by coach. Your coach’s service area is included in the ‘Meet your Coach!’ section of our ‘HAD Junior Skills Coaching’ page. Your coach will confirm the specific oval/venue via text message within 48 hours of your booking.
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Runners (summer) and Boots (Winter ONLY - we are required to follow council requirements so may not be able to wear boots depending on the state of the oval)
Water bottle
Comfortable training clothing
Any snacks you may want/need
Any necessary medication/medical devices
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Sessions generally continue in light rain but may be rescheduled in severe weather or unsafe conditions. Your coach will notify you as early as possible.
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Yes. You can schedule and book as many sessions as you desire, with the same or multiple coaches.
If you are interested in a longer term, higher commitment option contact us at info@hadfootball.com.au to find out about our Immersion Program.
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Cancellations made more than 24 hours in advance may be eligible for rescheduling at the discretion of HAD Football.
Cancellations requests made within 24 hours of the scheduled session start time will incur a 100% session fee charge.
To reschedule a session, contact your coach OR bek.comand@hadfootball.com
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Yes. All of our coaches obtain an Employee WWCC and First Aid training as part of their minimum requirements for working as a HAD Skills Coach.