Troy Lange, a Melbourne based personal trainer, wants to bring modern footy fitness to the web with his website AussieRulesTraining.blogspot.com. Lange grew up playing footy in the South Western Victorian town of Warrnambool (a host of the 2008 International Cup). After moving to Melbourne and becoming a personal trainer and fitness studio owner, he put on the boots for the Melbourne High School Old Boys in the Victorian Amateurs.
Lange playing for Melbourne HS Old Boys.
Lange believes it is time to help non-AFL players prepare for their footy season using modern footy training techniques and programs. "I don't think there is much difference in training professional and amateur footy players as the principles remain the same but obviously time restraints are an issue so you really need to be efficient with your training. I've really found that the lack of information on training for footy results in players trying to do bodybuilding programs but I haven't seen many bodybuilders running in the AFL lately. I think there is huge need for training guides for non professional footy players. Unless your playing at the AFL or VFL level, then you're pretty much left to your own devices in regards to resistance training which means plenty of bench presses and curls for most of us. There is a lot more to performance training then just getting big chest and arms."
Collingwood's American recruit, Shae McNamara, teaches footy to the kids at his home in Milwaukee Wisconsin. The video is from the upcoming documentary YELLOW MAGIC by Martin "Mini Mart" Mondia.
AFTER signing a South African player last week, Greater Western Sydney coach Kevin Sheedy said his next recruitment stop for his new AFL club is the United States. Sheedy believes the state of California has untapped potential for producing Australian Rules talent and plans on travelling there in the near future. The state is better known for NBA club Los Angeles Lakers and the NFL's San Francisco 49ers, but Sheedy believes he can find athletes who can handle a Sherrin as well as a basketball or pig skin. "I reckon California is the go, you've got 40 million people and they're like Australians really aren't they," said Sheedy, who put GWS' 18-year-old TAC players through their paces at Blacktown on Thursday.
"You look at what part of America you think is (like) Australia, you'd say California. There's 40 million people, there's double our population. I'll be going to California to chase players don't even worry about that, I just won't tell you when I'm going."
Sheedy also declared South African players will be playing top flight AFL within the next decade. GWS has already signed South African Bayanda Sobetwa.
"There will be 10 players recruited from South Africa in the next 10 years for sure," he said. "Don't forget, we can recruit from around the world now.
Delegates from 15 Australian football leagues around Europe converged on Frankfurt last weekend to officially found the European Australian Football Association, the long-awaited first pan-European governing body for the sport of Australian rules football. Following on from the summit held in conjunction with the 2009 EU Cup in Zagreb, the conference has seen a governance structure put in place, with the financial and logistical backing of the AFL.
A six-member commission has been elected, featuring both sports management professionals and leaders of national leagues in Europe, along with the appointment of Gerard Murphy as EAFA chairman and the creation of a full-time Regional Development Officer position being funded by the AFL.
Revos take on Denmark at the 2008 AFL International Cup.
The fall and the winter is awards season around USFooty. The men and women of USFooty get dressed up in the finery to find out who will be named the Most Valuable Player or Club Best and Fairest. In most clubs this award is given to the player who receives the most "votes" over the season. After each game, club officials and umpires are given the opportunities to rate the three or five best players on the field, where a 3 is given to the best, 2 to the next, and 1 to the third best. Many clubs count up the tally during the awards night, building the tension and suspense as the night wears on.
Looking down the list (FULL LIST HERE) there are some good bets. Rohan Ward had an outstanding season for 2009 MAAFL Champs, Chicago United. Ward finished 6th overall in the USFootyNews.com Goal Kicking, named in the forward pocket for the USFootyNews.com All-Star team, and won both the Chicago Best and Fairest, the Warrick Burgmann Award and the Chicago Goal Kicking, the Al MacGlashan Award. Down in North Carolina, playing coach Jason Heathcote similarly took both major club awards and was named at Center-Half Forward for the All-Star Team. Nashville's All-Star bookends, Chris Moerman and Luke Nemeth took Nashville's Goal Kicking and Best and Fairest respectively.
Portland's Best and Fairest, Martin Coventry fights for the ball against the Seattle Grizzlies.
V/Line, the Victoria Australia's regional train operator, discusses sponsorship of junior footy in country Victoria and the importance of footy to communities in country Victoria.
Collingwood's Shae McNamara relaxes at home in Milwaukee over the holidays. The video is from the upcoming documentary YELLOW MAGIC by Martin "Mini Mart" Mondia.
Troy Lange, a Melbourne based personal trainer, wants to bring modern footy fitness to the web with his website 
AFTER signing a South African player last week, Greater Western Sydney coach Kevin Sheedy said his next recruitment stop for his new AFL club is the United States. Sheedy believes the state of California has untapped potential for producing Australian Rules talent and plans on travelling there in the near future. The state is better known for NBA club Los Angeles Lakers and the NFL's San Francisco 49ers, but Sheedy believes he can find athletes who can handle a Sherrin as well as a basketball or pig skin. "I reckon California is the go, you've got 40 million people and they're like Australians really aren't they," said Sheedy, who put GWS' 18-year-old TAC players through their paces at Blacktown on Thursday.
Delegates from 15 Australian football leagues around Europe converged on Frankfurt last weekend to officially found the European Australian Football Association, the long-awaited first pan-European governing body for the sport of Australian rules football. Following on from the summit held in conjunction with the 2009 EU Cup in Zagreb, the conference has seen a governance structure put in place, with the financial and logistical backing of the AFL.
The fall and the winter is awards season around USFooty. The men and women of USFooty get dressed up in the finery to find out who will be named the Most Valuable Player or Club Best and Fairest. In most clubs this award is given to the player who receives the most "votes" over the season. After each game, club officials and umpires are given the opportunities to rate the three or five best players on the field, where a 3 is given to the best, 2 to the next, and 1 to the third best. Many clubs count up the tally during the awards night, building the tension and suspense as the night wears on. 
