But the amount of red tape involved in operating a private academy is phenomenal, and it’s a really contentious subject across Far North Queensland and Australia.

Being an academy, certain sections of football frown upon you. The governing body don’t like it and they don’t make a secret of it, either.

Football is a political game but I always say that as long as you are trying to develop kids with good intentions, provide opportunities they may not have otherwise had, and ensure your coaching is at a high standard then the kids will always be the winner.

I’m not the only former player in coaching. I’m finding more and more former (or even current) professional players who want to impart their experience to the next generation. They get to stay in the game they love that way, particularly when, like me, they’ve been playing so long.

It’s all we know really.

We should be able to teach the way we want to. We don’t want to be restricted to certain methods. At our academies there’s freedom in the way we can coach young kids, without getting bogged down in the rigidness of the national curriculum.

I learnt to play the game a certain way, I’ve got a way of delivering my coaching and that, for me, is very important. It’s the reason I became involved.

The greater diversity of coaching techniques that are available to young kids, especially in regional areas, the better for Australian football in the long run.

We want to continue encouraging quality teams to Cairns – we’re bringing some of the most talented kids in Australia up north – so our kids don’t have to constantly travel. Plus, it’s a great opportunity to play football in paradise. April is the best time to come visit the Great Barrier Reef.

It’s exciting for the region, and we hope to host the FNQ Youth Cup and Camp for years to come. Many people don’t realise that opportunities are so limited in Far North Queensland, especially for the juniors.

So when you can do things like this, it’s pretty special.

As told to Lucas Radbourne-Pugh

For more information, or to submit your youth team - U10, U11, U12, U13 - to the competition visit the event page here: https://www.facebook.com/events/900836500090178/ or the Caravella Academy website: http://www.caravellafootballacademy.com.au/