Tell us about DM Football Academy?
DM Football Academy (DMFA) is dedicated to increasing the standards of grassroots football and committed to delivering the best quality training and education for young football players. The programs are created by qualified coaches, professional educators and experienced Australian international footballers.
What do DM Football Academy sessions look like?
When planning a session, we aim to ensure that the sessions are fun, challenging and game related. In addition, sessions should develop the players technically, tactically, physically, socially (interaction with other players, communication) and mentally (improve game awareness, decision making). Each session should provide lots of contact with the ball and game related actions. As much as possible we try to inspire players with the session content, with personality, with energy and with enthusiasm.
Why do you use Small-Sided Football?
We believe the most educationally effective way is to develop technical skills (execution) and perception skills (decision-making) simultaneously. Currently the rationale of small-sided football is understood and adopted all over the football world as the best way to make the youngest players familiar with our game. It is fast-paced, there is constant ball contact and it requires a high degree of skill, quick decision-making and improvisation. For young footballers to develop they need to play and be truly confident with the ball and the best way to develop this is by maximising their touches on the ball. Small-sided football has been the training ground for some of the world’s greatest footballers.
Tell us about your national and international experiences?
Organised national and international experiences are an important way of challenging the players within our programs and provide us with further data on their capabilities beyond local football.
Our academy delivered a dominant performance at the 2026 Sydney International Cup held at the Sydney Academy of Sport in Narrabeen.
Key Highlights and Results
- Grand Final Achievement: All DMFA age groups entered reached their respective Grand Finals, maintaining undefeated records.
- Master Touch Champions: DMFA claimed Double Master Touch titles, marking the academy’s 5th time winning the Master Touch Championship.
- Sydney International Cup Champions: DMFA claimed a record four championship titles across multiple age groups.
