The Skill Acquisition Program (SAP) is a key component of Football Federation Australia’s national curriculum.
SAP is designed to perfect and accelerate the skill development of identified players between the critical ages of 9 to 13. This is the age group universally acknowledged to be the optimal mental and physical phase in which children are able to learn motor skills.
SAP’s aim is to provide the necessary technical ‘tools’ to be able to play the game at the highest possible level with a focus on functional game skills, with an immediate skills transfer into positioning and small-sided games being an absolute requirement.
It is based on world’s best practice and has been developed by internationally acclaimed Technical Coaches and the FFA Technical Department.
While the long-term plan is to implement SAP programs across the state to provide more players with an opportunity to be trained through the Skill Acquisition coaching program and SAP Coaches, Football Queensland is focusing more resources into coach education to reach this objective.