Background

Football Focus is Lugarno Football Club’s initial player development program, the most comprehensive player development program across the Football St.George Association. The program covers the under 8 to under 11 age groups and gives players the SAP experience for a fraction of the cost. It is run by UEFA – A Licensed coach Dejan Lukic.

The program is going into its fourth season in 2022 and has seen junior Lugarno FC teams performing at a high level in the Advanced competitions of the Football St.George Association. The club has a long-term commitment to ensuring our junior players have the greatest opportunity to succeed and the program provides them with the environment to become the best player that they can be.

Further illustrating this long-term commitment to the development of its juniors, Lugarno FC has also launched accompanying programs NextGen (U12-U14) and NextGen+ (U15-U18) to continue the development of our junior players as they progress through the age groups, playing in the Advanced competitions within the Football St.George Association.

What separates this program from all other grass-roots programs is the credentials of the coaching team assembled, led by UEFA - A Licensed Coach – Dejan Lukic.

 

About the Coach

Lugarno Football Club was very fortunate to secure the services of Dejan Lukic and his team going into season 2019. Dejan Lukic is a UEFA - A Licensed coach who has had over a decade playing at the highest level in Europe as well 20 years coaching both in Europe and Australia. His UEFA - A Licence qualifications speak volumes about his pedigree and the club is very privileged to have someone who is qualified to coach teams in the A-League, coaching our junior player development programs.

Dejan has developed his coaching style after working with a number of different coaches both in Europe and Australia. His focus is on instilling the discipline within teams building foundations with the work ethic needed to succeed whilst ensuring that players in the Football Focus program are constantly improving their skill level and game play. He has an acute focus on passing tactics to junior players to ensure that they are developing a sound understanding of the game we all love.

Dejan has a long-term love of the game and is constantly working to improve himself as a coach, highlighted by the fact that he holds UEFA – A Licence accreditation, which is decidedly rare in Australia, let alone amongst any grassroots clubs.

 

The Program

Lugarno Football Club’s Football Focus program offers a pathway for junior players to develop their football skills in a structured environment run by a UEFA – A Licensed Coaching Co-ordinator Dejan Lukic and his coaching team.

Key focus areas:

• Games and exercises for improving ball skills.
• Additional games and exercises improving agility (Running, Jumping)
• Motivating games and exercises for kids to learn the basic aspects of technique (Dribbling, Passing, Shooting)
• Small teams playing on goals 2v2, 3v3, 4v4.
• Exercises improving kids motor skills.

At the completion of the season, Football Focus trials for the following season are advertised and are open for all to attend. Players are selected to be part of the program after a multiple week trial selection process is conducted.

Players successful in gaining selection into the Football Focus program will receive a formal digital offer of acceptance which includes a code of conduct detailing the expectations of both players and parents as part of the program. A player’s position on the program is secured only when this code of conduct has been digitally accepted by the player and his parent together with the payment of the acceptance fee (illustrated in the costs section below).

Players are then sized up for their uniform which includes a personalised Umbro Football Focus tracksuit as well as the rest of their playing and training uniform (detailed below). The required training commitment is twice a week during the regular season and the 4-week pre-season but players also get an organised 6-week off-season academy prior to the start of pre-season, all under the watchful eye of UEFA – A Licensed coach Dejan Lukic and his team of accredited coaches.

 

What you get

Football Focus is a grassroots development program on par with any SAP program provided to junior players but without the extensive costs involved. The coaching qualifications of our head coach Dejan Lukic and his team make the Football Focus experience a smart choice for parents investing in their junior footballer’s development.

As part of the program you get:

Coaching (Complete Season including Pre-season) – Two nights a week for the 4-week pre-season and entire regular season. Coaching sessions will be at least an hour duration and conducted by UEFA – A Licensed coach Dejan Lukic and his team of accredited coaches.

Off-Season Coaching Academy – This academy is once a week for 6 weeks in total (starting mid to late January) and concluding at the start of March when teams then begin training twice a week during the pre-season, progressing into the regular season. Coaching sessions will be at least an hour duration and conducted by UEFA – A Licensed coach Dejan Lukic and his team of accredited coaches.

School Holiday Clinic – All Football Focus players will be given the option to attend one of the club’s School Holiday Clinics as part of their Football Focus Acceptance Fee. These 3-day clinics will be conducted during the Term 1 and Term 2 holiday breaks by UEFA – A Licensed coach Dejan Lukic and his team of accredited coaches. Players and parents will be able to nominate their holiday preference which will be subject to capacity requirements.

Season Launch – Prior to the start of the regular season, the club will host a Junior Development Season Launch where Football Focus, NextGen and NextGen+ teams will all be formally announced and the players are presented with their uniforms for the upcoming season.

Uniform –

• Personalised Umbro Football Focus tracksuit. Jacket with Football Focus logo and personalised player initials. Pants with Lugarno FC logo.
• Umbro Playing Jersey.
• Umbro Playing Shorts.
• Umbro Playing Socks.
• Personalised Umbro Training jersey with player name and player development number.
• Umbro Training shorts.
• Umbro Training socks.
• Playing Skins.
• Club Rain Jacket

 

Supporting Details

Cost - $295 ($195 after Active Kids Voucher) + FSG Registration Costs. Equivalent SAP cost - $1,500 and above.

Game Day Coaching Selections – Once Football Focus teams have been selected, parents of Football Focus players are asked to put forward their requests to become the Game Day Coach for their respective teams. These coaching selections will be finalised by Dejan Lukic and club representatives and the successful applicants will receive regular game day support from Dejan Lukic and/or his team of coaches as well as an opportunity to actively assist Dejan and his team in the team’s training sessions.

Footnote - Once Football Focus teams complete their U11 season, all players are eligible to try out for the following season’s U12 NextGen team which is the natural progression once teams/players graduate from the Football Focus Program.

 

Disclaimers –

• All Football Focus teams will be submitted as Advanced teams playing in the Advanced (or highest equivalent grade) competition within the Football St.George Association.
• FSG Registration costs are unknown until such time that FSG notifies Lugarno FC of registration fees for the 2022 season (as an indicator, 2021 FSG registration fees were $200-$210 per player)