THE AAF STORY

AAF brings the vision of former footballers and coaching fanatics, Bill Galanis, Kosta Galani and Johnny Di Biase, to life. Driven by a passion to provide world-class footballing services to aspiring Aussie kids, Bill, Kosta and Johnny have utilised their combined 30-years of experience to establish a range of programs designed to develop the football abilities of children between 8 and 14 years of age.

Based in Cooke Park, the Australian Academy Of Football is Sydney’s premier football academy – providing services and facilities of the highest standards in Australia, our facilities allow us to train during the day, and under lights at night.. In addition to a number of group training and holiday skills programs, at AAF our players are given the opportunity to train on a synthetic field, which is resilient to weather conditions all year round.

AAF’s other facilities include public toilets, a BBQ area, shelter and an abundance of tiered seating to accommodate all spectators and truly offer the complete sporting experience. We highly encourage our parents/guardians to stay and observe how the AAF is teaching the fundamentals of football.

GET INVOLVED

At AAF we are driven to support aspiring footballers of all levels. Whether your child is interested in improving their skills for a game or committed to turning their interest in The World Game into a semi-professional or professional career, AAF can guide them through the process.

However, we understand that parents also need to take a variety of considerations into account when deciding whether our football academy is the right fit to ensure their son or daughter fulfils their footballing potential.

For that reason, the Australian Academy Of Football coaching staff and team are just as passionate about guiding guardians through the range of professional programs we offer. Whatever your goals, we are confident we can help you find the right methods to nurture your child’s natural abilities.

With our central location, extensive and in-depth approaches to training, world-class amenities and value-focused payment options including the government funded active kids program, AAF offers endless examples as to why we are Sydney’s premier football academy.

Train with AAF Risk-Free

ABOUT US

Passion, vision and commitment combine at the Australian Academy of Football (AAF), where our staff use 30-years of collective experience to develop the football skills of children between 8-and 14-years of age. Taking place on a full-sized, synthetic pitch at Cooke Park Belfield in Inner-West Sydney, our group training sessions run in blocks of 10-weeks. At the AAF our ultimate aim is to teach kids the fundamentals of football during their important development years.

Our experienced coaches – Bill Galanis(Head Coach), Kosta Galanis and Johnny Di Biase – teach players of all skill levels how to control, pass and shoot the ball with both feet. Drawing on their own unique professional accomplishments Bill, Kosta and Johnny are committed to supporting your child to ensure they excel in all areas of the sport, regardless of their current skill levels.

In particular, we pride ourselves on the time that we invest in perfecting our players’ shooting skills through repetition and correction, encouraging them to use the instep, inside instep, inside and outside of the foot techniques with both feet.

We keep abreast of innovation and research in football training and apply the latest technologies if needed. We believe this approach helps to bring players’ game to the next level and improves their athletic performance (speed, balance, agility) which, in turn, prepares them for future football careers.

“At the AAF we work tirelessly to formulate and deliver programs which give our players the best chance of achieving their footballing goals,” says Bill. “Our coaches are equal parts enthusiastic and encouraging. And our development programs are intended to incorporate both the technical, and tactile aspects of playing The Beautiful Game, and equip our young players with the attributes they need to play football at the highest level – in whatever capacity they may aspire to.”

The technical component refers to developing better individual players who are able to best manage the ball with both feet equally, while the tactile is focused on improving player awareness and responses to different game scenarios, and a good sense of space.

Used in combination, AAF has created programs that can be easily adapted to backyards, parks and indoor areas with parents receiving simple shortened programs which they can implement at home. In fact, unlike training with traditional clubs, where the focus is on “winning” games, our academy prioritises perfecting the basics, as we believe this is pivotal to making the greatest progress and shining on the pitch.

Beyond the football field, at AAF we also believe that a physiological edge is vital to compliment physical and technical performances. That’s why we strive to help your child find and develop the discipline, mental aptitude,
self-confidence and work ethic that will see them transition
from youths into responsible adults.

“In addition to supporting the physical development of our members, at AAF we believe that the ethics of participation, sportsmanship, teamwork and personal sacrifice are traits that can be celebrated long after the final whistle is blown,” says Bill.

FAQ's

Where is the AAF located?

Find us at Cooke Park, Chisholm Street Belfield. Our operational times are every Saturday from 1:30pm – 7:30pm with different programs running throughout that period.

Why should I take my child to a football academy, as opposed to training with their regular club?

Taking your child to a football academy allows them to be trained by coaches that are specifically focused on their physical and personal development and growth. At AAF our primary goal is to enable your child to develop critical football and life skills. The extra training that they do with our academy in conjunction with what they do with their local football teams will also allow them to grow at a quicker rate than otherwise.

How do your programs cater for children of a variety of skill levels?

We offer all new players their first session free, this allows our coaches to get a good sense of a player’s current skill set. From there, we team them together with players of similar abilities and create training exercises tailored to these groups.

How much do your group training and holidays skills programs cost?

Our group training sessions are done in 10-week blocks and cost $350.00 + GST = ($385.00) there is also a one off cost of the academy kit (Shirt, Shorts and Socks) this is Compulsory. Holiday skills clinics will vary in price so please get in contact with us to find out more.

What happens in instances of bad weather?

At the AAF we train during most weather conditions aside from when it storms, hails or if there is lightning. Our manager will notify all parents in advance (with adequate notice to make alternate plans) should a session need to be cancelled.

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