The secret is to get creative with how to connect! Fortunately, everyone is isolating. This means people are open to new ways to connect.

Social Media

With the more time on their hands, people are spending more time browsing their social media news feeds. This makes social media a perfect tool to engage with your junior families. Be conscious that not all junior players will be on social media.

Many clubs have had success and a lot of fun engagement using #stayathomechallenge.

Other ideas include:

  • Posting videos of training sessions at home
  • Host a "Club Shirt Friday" and get families to post photos of themselves wearing club merchandise
  • Online quizzes or posts asking 'iso' questions like "What's the strangest thing you have done to pass iso time?"

Think about posting non-footy related content like "What has been the most interesting thing you learnt during homeschooling?" or "Who did the best iso baking?".

Ultimately, you want to generate conversation to keep parents engaged.

CoachAFL ‘Coaching From Home’ Facebook Group


CoachAFL has created a free public Coaching From Home Facebook group to support coaches, parents and players during the footy shutdown and to bring new ideas to life that connect and engage our community. Join the group to access and share videos of footy drills and training tips for parents and players to do at home in isolation.

Remote Parent Dinners

Send around a Facebook event, share an easy recipe everyone can cook and host a remote parent dinner. Parents can talk about the challenges of homeschooling, isolation and life without footy. 

Virtual Happy Hour/Book Club

Set up a Facebook event, invite your members and host a happy hour, book club or any other creatiive event to engage parents. This gives the parents opportunity to connect and talk in a more relaxed and informal setting.

Online Parent-Only Trivia Nights

This is a great way to engage your players, raise some money and recognise sponsors at the same time! Ask your sponsors to donate prizes for the night and give them a plug during the event to increase sponsor value.

There are online trivia platforms to help your run your trivia night from home. You can use software like TriviaHub or ZOOM to host your night. Once you set up the event, ask members to pay a small fee to enter the event and market the event through your social media channels, club newsletters and website. 

Whatsapp Group

Create a parent team Whatsapp group so parents can stay in contact with each other and share information and stories, and just have an informal chat when they need to. 

Host a Parent Only Netflix Party 

Netflix Party is a new way to watch Netflix with your friends online. Netflix Party synchronises video playback and adds group chat to your favourite Netflix shows. 

Set a time once the kids are in bed to watch a movie or series as a group. 

Online Group Exercise Sessions 

Using video calling platforms, organise a regular group exercise session. Most clubs will have a few gym-junkies within their group that can instruct a 30min session for the group. You can also encourage family-fitness sessions and get the kids involved too!

If your club has had success engaging parents/families during the COVID-19 pandemic, please send the details to clubhelp@afl.com.au to showcase your success and ideas to other clubs.