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 JOIN THE PIES!!! Info on playing for the New York Magpies |
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New York Magpies Frequently Asked Questions
Do you have to be Australian to play? NO! The New York Magpies welcome players from any nationality who are living in the New York Metro area to play. To compete within the United States Australian Football League (USAFL – http://www.usfooty.com/), we must have a 50/50 ratio of Australian citizens and non-Australian citizens (predominately composed of Americans). Therefore, even if you have never kicked a football before in your life you are still able to play for the Magpies! Are the players professional or amateur? The players are all amateur. As such, we organize our trainings and games to try and accommodate for the work schedules that many have in New York. The New York Magpies Australian Football Club is a registered not-for-profit charitable organization under Internal Revenue Code 501(c)(3). What level of football is the USAFL? The standard within the teams vary, including players who have previously played at a professional or amateur level in Australia, Americans who have played for a number of years in the US, and also both Australians and Americans who are learning the game for the first time. For those that have played football in Australia, a comparable standard of the New York Magpies is a mid-level amateur side, although rapidly improving in standard. Where can I learn more about the skills of the game? One of the best resources is the Auskick website which has great skills and training videos at http://www.aflauskick.com.au/?id=79. The videos cover:
Where can I buy a football in the US? You can buy footballs in the US from the following locations:
What fitness level is required? Australian Football is perfect for people who have previously played an American college sport, such as American football, Rugby, Lacrosse, Soccer etc. The level of fitness is similar to that of soccer players, but Australian Football also contains tackling. How many games are played per year? In season 2005, the New York Magpies played 11 games. In addition, we had 4 Metro League games and two “State of Origin” games in New York. The Gotham Magpies, the club’s second team, played 3 games in 2005. In 2006 the Magpies are looking to play 11 games, and are also looking to arrange games in 2006 for the Gotham Magpies. The number of these games will depend on player numbers, but should provide plenty of opportunities for players at all levels to play Australian Football. The plan is to increase the number of Metro League games, our internal 9-a-side league, to 7 games (4 teams with each team playing the others twice, and then a final), further increasing the opportunities for new players to play the game in New York. With the introduction of the Metro League, players in New York have a chance to play up to 7 games of Australian Football a year without having to leave New York or attend training on a weekly basis. The Metro League is Australian Football in a slightly modified format (smaller field size, smaller number of player per team - usually 9-a-side), but with predominately the same rules as regular Australian Football. The New York Magpies have 4 Metro League teams - the Suburban Tollman, the Village Bohemians, the Hudson River Rats, and the Times Square Tourists. Metro League footy is a great way for new players to learn how to play the game, for players with work or family commitments to continue to play without having to devote a weekend to an away game, and for those after a social kick of football to continue an involvement in the game. Due to the interest in the game here in New York, the Magpies were able to establish a second representative team, the Gotham Magpies, at the Nationals tournament in 2005. The aim of the Gotham Magpies is to provide an opportunity for less experienced players to learn how to play the game, and for more experienced players to press their claim for selection in the New York Magpies first representative team. What is the required commitment? The Magpies aim to provide an opportunity to play football at both a social and a reasonably serious level, through the local Metro League games, and through both of our representative teams in the New York Magpies and the Gotham Magpies. As most players have significant work commitments, it is rare that players are available for all away trips or games, or indeed all trainings. The expected commitment is to make training and games when available, bearing in mind individual work and family commitments. Those who aim to play for the representative teams, the New York or Gotham Magpies, should try to be at as many trainings, both weekday and weekend, as possible. Being aware that not all who are interested in playing are able to travel regularly or at all, the Magpies also provide the Metro League games as an opportunity for less experienced players to learn how to play the game, and for more experienced players to press their claim for selection in the representative Magpie teams. The season runs from late March through early October. The Magpies provide the opportunity to play a game, either Metro League, or a Magpies home or away game approximately every second weekend, with major US holidays automatically rostered as off weekends. How much does it cost to play for the club? The club provides differing levels of membership depending on your level of commitment. To be eligible for New York or Gotham games you must become a Club Member. The Metro League games are completely FREE. In 2005 Club Memberships are $65 for first year players and $130 for returning players. What to I get for being a member of the club? In addition to eligibility to play both Club and Metro League, membership entitles you to discounts at stores, bars and restaurants around NYC, and at the club’s fundraising events. What does the club use member funds for? Member funds are used to purchase equipment, e.g. jumpers, balls, water, pay for field permits etc., and provide umpires for games and the general running expenses of the club. The club also undertakes extensive fundraising and sponsorship activities to provide player subsidies and cover a portion of the general expenses of the club. Do the Magpies travel to play teams outside of New York? Yes, the Magpies play a number of away games per year. In 2005 the Magpies played games in the following locations: Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, North Carolina, Florida, and Milwaukee. Away trips which require a flight are paid for by the players, but accommodation on these trips is generally subsidized by the Club. For away games that are within driving distance of New York (eg. Philadelphia, Baltimore, Boston and Pittsburg) the Club hires vehicles to provide transportation. For a player who played every game and went on every away trip in 2005, the club subsidized approximately 40% of the total cost to the player. The club raises funds to subsidize player travel by hosting and promoting various fundraising events throughout the year. What if I don’t want to travel, or cannot due to work commitments. Is there a social team? With the introduction of the Metro League players in New York have a chance to play up to 7 games of Australian Football a year without having to leave New York or attend training on a weekly basis, making it an ideal alternative for those looking for an introduction to a new sport, or for those with full work and family commitments. Where do the Magpies train and play? During season 2005 the Magpies trained on Wednesday evenings at the “dustbowl”, an area west of the North Meadow in Central Park (at around 98th St, just near 5th Ave), and trained on Saturdays at Van Cortlandt Park in the Bronx (Approx. 45 minutes from midtown Manhattan by subway). More details on the training located here. In 2005 the Magpies played its home games at Miller Field, Staten Island and played its Metro League games at Van Cortlandt Park. This is likely to continue in 2006. Is there an opportunity to represent my country? Yes! American players are eligible to be selected in the American Revolution, the US National Team, which regularly plays in tournaments against teams from Canada, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Ireland and Denmark. Based on performances in the 2004 season, the New York Magpies had 5 players make the Revolution team. What is the Port Adelaide Scholarship award? The Port Adelaide scholarship is a fully funded trip awarded by the Magpies to an American player on our roster to provide them an opportunity to spend a month training with a professional Australian Football club in Australia (the Port Adelaide Magpies in South Australia, one of our sister clubs) and to experience a slice of life in Australia. The scholarship is awarded annually, and is made available through fund raising events held by the club throughout the season. To view more details regarding the Port Adelaide Scholarship, click here. Does the team organize social events? Yes – the Magpies hosted 3 major social / fundraising events in 2005: The Australia Day Party in late January; An Anzac Day BBQ on the Frying Pan at Chelsea Piers in late April; and the AFL Grand Final Party in late September. This Grand Final Party provided a live telecast of the Australian Football League Grand Final (Australia’s equivalent to the NFL Super Bowl) to approximately 600 Australians and Americans at Planet Hollywood in Manhattan. In addition, we hold a few smaller events throughout the year. Does the team organize employment or visas for Australians? No. The Magpies are an amateur club run by volunteers. Australians who have queries regarding employment or visas in the United States should contact either their local Australian Consulate or the Australian Embassy in Washington D.C. If you have further queries, check out the links at the top the home page on our website (http://nyfooty.com/) or contact Looking forward to seeing you out there! |