DraftStar's football development program will provide high-performance coaching to young footballers aged 11 years and up and will complement the AFL's national and state-based development academies and established talent pathways.
"The partnership arrangement will allow DraftStar to conduct AFL approved training camps, combine testing and personal coaching around Australia," AFL general manager of development David Matthews said on Wednesday.
"The DraftStar program will complement work already occurring within our state leagues, by helping to grow the game with more specialist coaching and opportunities for players of all ages."
As part of the agreement, DraftStar will be able to use the 'combine rating score' system developed by the AFL over the past year in a bid to allow aspiring footballers to compare their fitness to that of their peers on a national scale.
The scoring system sees players tested in eight areas - the 20m sprint, agility run, standing vertical jump, running vertical jump (off right and left feet), shuttle run, the Nathan Buckley kicking test and the Matthew Lloyd clean hands test - with the raw scores converted to a rating out of 60.
Former Hawthorn player Ben Dixon is DraftStar's director of coaching with current AFL players Joel Selwood, Scott Pendlebury, Brett Deledio and Cyril Rioli also key figures in the initiative.
"The program will provide specialist camps which offer skills and fitness testing that simulates the NAB AFL Draft Combine, and incorporates sessions on leadership, teamwork, motivation, public speaking and nutrition," Dixon said.
AFL national talent manager Kevin Sheehan is hopeful the arrangement will provide another avenue for aspiring footballers to achieve their AFL goals.
"The key to this is opportunity," Sheehan said.
"Some people need high-level coaching to actually believe that they're good enough at the game.
"Nic Naitanui was a basketballer who really didn't think that he was good enough to play AFL, but given an accelerated program, within six months he believed he was good enough and wanted to make the grade.
"We think DraftStar with its network of coaches and its reach right around Australia can achieve some great things and get kids who mightn't know they're good enough into state leagues and follow through that pathway.
"It's the 'ignition' if you like to really get them focussing on the AFL as a possible career."
Online coaching will be a major component of DraftStar's program with those interested urged to visit www.draftstar.com.au.
