Endzone Football Academies purpose is to develop Australian gridiron players in all facets of life and establish them on both the national and international stage.
About Us
Welcome to Endzone Football Academy, a place where passion for football meets excellence in training. Established with a vision to foster a new generation of football champions, we take pride in being Australia's leading sports academy dedicated to football development.
How we started
In 2019, our journey began under the guidance of Coach John Booker in Australia, while he was mentoring the Brisbane Rhinos.
He observed three promising teenagers with the potential to play division 1 football. Committed to their success, Coach Booker initiated a training program, starting modestly with resistance bands in an office. The program soon expanded to a lawnmower shed, where strength and conditioning coach Sam Arnold joined the mission.
Our academy has evolved over time, and today, we are now proudly based at Perform360 Coorparoo, with our training grounds situated at Griffith University Gridiron Club, Nathan Campus.
Our track record speaks volumes. Fourteen of our players have earned scholarships to American colleges and high schools, amassing over $3 million in total value. Beyond the U.S., three of our players have secured professional and semi-professional contracts in Europe, and we have facilitated opportunities for coaches to expand their careers internationally.
Where are we Today?
In 2023 we brought on board Coach Makana Garrigan and partnered with Gridiron Queensland to become the high performance pathway for Gridiron and Flag football in the state.
This year saw a shift in our program as we incorporated a life skills curriculum including goal setting, time management, financial literacy, nutrition and meal prep, recovery, public speaking, goal setting and habit forming to mention a few.
Our goal is for every player to develop the tools to make better choices in life which will in turn help them focus their time and energy on realising their football dreams
Growing the Game
In 2023 we facilitated coaching clinics and players camps around Australia and New Zealand to help develop football at a grass roots level.
While delivering the clinics we focused in on topics most likely to help volunteer coaches at a club level including the responsibilities of a coach, expectations and practice design and the art of coaching players. Players camps were tailored to the group and covers fundamental athletic movements right up to some 7v7 and 1v1s to test out the new skills.
Makana Garrigan
Makana grew up in Petaluma, California and received a scholarship to study Community Health Sciences at University of Nevada while playing safety.
During his senior year of high school, Makana received an injury which ultimately meant he was medically retired. Rather than walking away from football, Makana was a Student Assistant Coach during his undergraduate before moving to the University of Hawaii to study a Master of Educational Foundation while working as a Graduate Assistant Coach.
In 2018 Makana relocated to Maine University where he spent time as both Running Backs and Corners Coach
Sam Arnold
Sam comes from Cobdogla, South Australia and studied a bachelor in Sports and Mechanical Engineering at Adelaide University.
Since 2015 Sam has split his time working as a personal trainer and a Trainer & Assessor for Cert III, IV and Diploma in Fitness at numerous RTOs .
Sam has been coaching in some fashion for 15 years and most recently has worked with Endzone since 2019.
John Booker
John hails from Oakland, California and received a scholarship to play offensive line at San Jose State University.
From there he had a stint on the San Francisco 49ers practice squad and then began his international football career as both a player and coach. Over the last decade John has been the Head Coach in Slovakia, Brazil, Australia, Poland, Finland and most recently as the Head Coach for the Leipzig Kings in Germany.
In 2024 John is taking on a role with the Paris Musketeers
Are You ToughEnough?
Our Training
At Endzone Football Academy we believe in developing the athlete and the human. Australia is blessed with some incredible athletes, but athleticism only gets you so far without a relentless commitment to realising your potential.
Physical Preparation
Physical preparation includes lifting to increase size, speed, and strength in conjunction with field work to develop athleticism.
Loads are managed throughout the year to minimise injuries and prepare athletes for the season ahead without sacrificing their long-term athletic plan
Football IQ / Skills
Our on-field component focuses on building an array of movement tools so athletes can take advantage of the bodies they've built in the gym.
In addition to learning technique and tools we run film school teaching the basics of the game right up to some higher-level concepts used in college
Self-Reliance
The final part of the program is to enable athletes to be autonomous.
We aim to bridge that gap from Australian football to the international stage to ensure a seamless transition including education on time management and accountability, nutrition and meal preparation, recovery, communication and financial literacy
To achieve greatness, a commitment must be made and as such Endzone has a minimum 3 month sign up.
We offer a 2-week trial, if you wish to continue payments will be backdated to the beginning of the trial period.
Where:
26 Cambridge st Coorparoo, Qld
Days: This varies as we progress through offseason,
preseason and season
Times: 7pm
Unlock your full potential and thrive in the world of football.
New opportunities collectively create a holistic and enriching experience for new players at Endzone Sports Academy. Check your eligibility to get more opportunity.
