ABSTRACT
With the expansion of Australian Rules Football into a national competition and the development of the Australian Football League (AFL), the opportunity for players to undertake a full time professional career as an Australian Rules player is increasingly attractive. Sponsorship, television rights and increased membership have provided the finance that is necessary for players to be contracted on a full time basis. This new structure has seen the introduction of the drafting system and the competitive recruiting of the most promising young players across Australia. The intensity of the competition has led to players as young as 16–17 years of age becoming the targets of the AFL recruiting agents. Being drafted by a club results in a significant change to the lifestyle and routines of these young players. In some instances it may even mean a change of location as they move interstate to take up the appointment with their new club. Because of the demands that this sudden transition makes, the role of the parents is significant in shaping the level of success that the player can experience. The problem was to define that role and establish guidelines for parents to follow.
