The Newcastle Jets will charge parents $275 for under 9 to 12 boys and girls for a five-week "talent identification program" that will select players for the club's "pre-academy" system.
The decision to charge for "talent identification" has caused widespread discussion in the football community, amid concerns that the Jets are seeking to charge young players for trials.
But the Jets said the five-week program, which begins on November 14 and has two sessions a week, is part of its improved academy system that will provide an opportunity for youngsters to work with top coaches.
It would also give coaches "more time to assess players", rather than a standard trial in which some players may not get enough time to show their skills.
A Jets document sent to parents and posted on social media said the aim of the talent identification program was to identify players "to invite into our 2023 pre-academy program".
This "pre-academy program" is for under 9-12s and "forms part of the athlete pathway to the Newcastle Jets academy [13-16s]".
The Jets are yet to set fees for the pre-academy.
One parent whose child wants to trial for the talent identification program said "I don't want to pay the $275, but my hands are tied".
The parent felt he had to pay to "give my child a chance", although the Jets said this wasn't the case.
Another parent said he thought the talent program was "decent value".
"I don't have a problem with it. I think anyone that has kids with a bit of talent wouldn't complain about it. I think it's a must if they want to go that way.
"We fork out for private coaching as it is. Like most sports, football is all about money. You've got to pay to get anywhere."
Mr van Egmond, the club's academy director, said the talent identification program was "not compulsory" and not the only way to be identified and make the Jets academy teams.
Jets academy players in the under 13-18 age group are being charged $2700 each for next season, the Jets confirmed.
Jets CEO Shane Mattiske said the Jets academy for boys and girls had been making a loss of more than $200,000 a year.
He added that it cost the academy more than $250,000 a season to train at Northern NSW Football's Speers Point complex, which has synthetic fields, and the fields at University of Newcastle. The Jets academy also pays more than $60,000 a season in fees to Football NSW to compete in Sydney-based competitions. The Jets, as an A-League club, are also competing against the likes of Melbourne City, which is backed by petrodollars from Abu Dhabi in the UAE.
Mr Mattiske said the academy's financial losses meant the simple choice would be to close part of it down.
"The tough choice was to look at how we make this work because we think this is the right thing to be doing for the Newcastle and Northern NSW community," he said.
Mr Mattiske said the Jets had previously faced criticism that its academy "hadn't been performing to people's expectations".
"There was criticism of the quality of coaching, fields and facilities," he said.
Mr Mattiske said the Jets had reviewed the academy program, which led to the appointment of Mr van Egmond, improvement in coaches, new programs and a foundation.
"We're the only A-League club that has a fully fledged girls academy that mirrors the boys academy. There is no business case for the girls' academy, however the Newcastle Jets have committed to it. This region has been very proud of the quality of female players it's produced. We've got some of the greatest ever Matildas in this region."
Mr van Egmond said the academy director's position that he holds had been part-time, but was now full-time. And more coaches had been appointed, which would help provide a better service to the players.
The Jets launched the foundation last month, which aims to support the academy and families that can't afford to pay the costs required to play for the Jets.
The Jets confirmed that kids in the 9-12 age group who make the pre-academy will continue to play for clubs in the Northern NSW JDL [Junior Development League], which costs about $1000-2000 a season in fees.
In setting a fee for the talent identification program, Mr van Egmond said the Jets had examined the costs that local clubs charge for their academy programs.
The pay-to-play system has been occurring for some time, but trials had been free.
Former Socceroo Clayton Zane said there were "already enough costs for football in Newcastle".
"I don't have anything bad to say about the program, but talent ID in Australia is not something you generally pay for," Mr Zane said.
"It is very elitist. Some kids won't be able to afford to do it. That's the reality. There are processes in place for talent ID as it is," said Mr Zane, a former Jets coach who now does professional youth coaching.
He said technical advisors from Northern NSW Football and club technical directors identify the players.
The Jets and Northern NSW Football confirmed the talent identification process for under 12s will change, with the Jets "taking ownership" to provide a more direct link between players and the club.
Col Curran, the only Novocastrian to have played at the men's World Cup, said the costs of playing football seemed "ridiculous", compared to his era.
Mr van Egmond, who coached the Jets to the A-League championship in 2008, said football "shouldn't be an elitist sport".
"I would love it to be free."
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