YVFM Junior Footy Hour host Mark Jones with junior footballers, from left, Chris (Emerald),By Paul Pickering
IN FOOTBALL parlance, you might say Yarra Valley FM has adopted a ‘youth policy’.
In a bid to raise the profile of the Dandenong Ranges Junior Football League (DRJFL), the radio station has recruited an enthusiastic new breed of on-air talent.
At 7pm every Friday night, the emerging stars of the league take over the airwaves on YVFM’s Junior Footy Hour.
The program, hosted by Emerald Juniors’ specialist coach Mark Jones, invites DRJFL clubs to participate in a comprehensive preview of the round ahead, discussing the line-ups, game plans and highlights that are likely to unfold on a frosty Sunday morning.
A different club is featured each week, with the president, a junior coach and a collection of nervous youngsters donning the headphones.
Jones says that while the program has been running for two years, the clubs are only now beginning to really embrace the opportunity to promote themselves.
To the amazement of many of his guests, Jones reels off the names of in-form players, their recent statistics and the finer points of the side’s strategic vision.
“I do a bit of research on the clubs before they come in, and it’s great because the kids are always blown away,” he laughs.
While the program is a useful forum to discuss the issues facing grass roots football, it is the thrill of hearing their young champions on air that has parents and teammates tuning-in to 99.1 on their FM dial.
For Wandin president Bernie Hinds, a recent appearance was just the tonic for his club after a drought-affected start to the season.
“The three young fellas we took in on the night were over the moon,” he said.
“It’s a great learning curve for the boys and helps them identify the time and effort people put in to give them the opportunity to express themselves.
“It’s a great boost for their confidence and self-esteem.”
Hinds says that the word quickly got out about their upcoming appearance and the club had people from all over Melbourne trying to tune-in.
While Jones has no ambitions to take on the big boys in the radio ratings, there is little doubt that Friday night footy has never sounded so fresh.
