The USAFL and AFL Attend 2011 NFL Combine

The USAFL and AFL were guests of Under Armour at the recent NFL Combine in Indianapolis.  Representing the AFL was Peter Schwab, AFL Director of Coaching.  Doren James, Operations Manager attended on behalf of the USAFL. Several scouting and recruiting managers from Collingwood, Geelong, North Melbourne, Fremantle and the Gold Coast were also in attendance.  With the AFL set to adopt free agency in 2012 AFL club representatives took the opportunity to meet with their counterparts from various NFL teams to gain insight into the draft process, player management and the NFL’s free agency system. 

This was the second year in a row that the AFL attended the combine as it looks to expand the international talent pathway in the US.  The AFL is working with Under Armour to develop a series of combines to identify elite American athletes.  AFL clubs are looking for the next Shae McNamara, the Milwaukee native made his AFL debut for Collingwood in the second round of the NAB Cup against Sydney last weekend.  Less than two years ago, McNamara had never kicked a footy and after sixteen months of training has notched his first AFL goal.  Roughly a hundred of the NFL combine’s participants will go undrafted and AFL clubs are looking for ways to identify and attract a few select athletes from this pool that could make the transition to the AFL the way McNamara has done.

In addition to his role as AFL Coaching Director, Schwab is a member of the USAFL Australian Advisory Board and he has offered support to the USAFL’s efforts to bolster its coaching accreditation.  At the annual USAFL Board retreat in February the Board recognized the importance of accredited coaches to the growth of the league.  The Board is currently exploring strategies to offer coaches the opportunity to obtain their accreditation at clinics throughout the year and Nationals.

Schwab was the third representative from AFL Game Development to meet with USAFL officials in the past six months.  The USAFL and AFL will continue to work closely to develop strategic talent pathway and coaching development outcomes.