The 2019 Yearbook is the last FNSW source without being affected by Covid.  There is a table on Page 81.

https://footballnsw.com.au/about/annual-reports-and-yearbooks/

Do you we have number of participants for each association? We could then work out if certain associations are under represented in Football NSW competitions.

The next step for FNSW to take, having done the right thing in compressing the existing NPL clubs into 3 levels each with 16 clubs to give players more games, is to start an NPL 4 division with another 16 clubs.  NPL 4 and 3 could have less requirements to reduce the costs of participating for those clubs.

There is difficulty in a state the size of NSW to provide equal opportunity for regional players.  There are 45k registered players spread across the FNSW regions, 15k on the Central Coast, 15k in the Illawarra and the remainder spread across 15 Regional Associations of 500 to 3k in size.  With 190k spread across the 15 District Associations in Greater Sydney it is obvious that the large majority of clubs on the competitive pathway will be located there.

Well elucidated. Couldn't have put it better myself :)
I really agree with everything you've noted and you obviously have intricate knowledge of the Central Coast: Yes, another academy team in Central Coast is sorely needed. I thought Trent B was at the football school and didn't really go through the academy system per se?
However I might slightly disagree in that from what I've seen the top teams of the NNSW youth could match it with many of the football NSW teams. I believe the Jets academy experiment to play in football NSW NPL 2 was the wrong move. Sure, they seem to be winning or close to winning the various ages but when I was at the trials the feedback I received was parents of these kids just couldn't hack the travel of playing in Sydney every second week. I think in all likelihood they will revert back to NNSW. I think that would help that federation ultimately. 

I think you will find that State League is now Football NSW League Three Mens. 

Lachlie Wales (Terrigal) came through the Mariners Academy as did Trent (Umina). Ollie originally came from Avoca Beach before the Academy (his father Vic - a former Socceroo ran his own Academy), Matty Simon played for East Gosford and I think also played for Central Coast Lightning ( a forerunner of CCU). Of the current young guys  in the squad that came through the Academy Jacob Farrell, Harrison Steele and Matt Hatch are all local.

The Mariners cast their net far and wide with recent players coming from Vic, Tas, ACT, SA and Qld as well as rural NSW, Sydney (especially Western Sydney) and Newcastle ,  - not just the Coast. That is unlikely to change.

What really needs to change is another rep side under the Football NSW umbrella with a full academy to complement CCU. I would like to see something around Doyalson or Budegwoi that caters for the northern part of the Coast better (Central Coast Lakers?). As you said a number of Coasties player in the NNSW area - but I find that that Federation is well below that of Football NSW. e.g. Jets Academy have chosen to play in Football NSW League Three Mens. rather than Football NNSW
 

Cheers mate. Unfortunately no, there is no opportunity. 
Central Coast Football is a member of football NSW but only 2 NPL teams and there is no 'state league' here or teams playing in a state league.
There is a 'state league' in 'football northern NSW' and I know quite a few central coasties play in that league in Newcastle teams, but again draining players away from this region. 
Sure there are other ways of getting ahead: Trent Behagiar is a prodigy of the international football school we have on the central coast, while as I understand it Lachie Wales scored a spot at the Mariners academy from playing at his local community club, Terrigal.
The way I see it as a bit of a novice (i.e. just  a football loving parent) is Football nsw and central coast football have not been able to keep pace with the growth of football and the growth of the population in this region. Ultimately it means all of us (I mean all Australians who want to see football prosper) are missing out on seeing this football breeding ground developing to its full potential.

Hey mate, great to hear your journey and good luck with your lad  hope it works out. I know absolutely nothing about the central coast but do the state league clubs up there not have the opportunity to be promoted up to NPL?  If its the  umber one sport surely there are a club or two that can rise up the table?

Sorry Muz, I know next to nothing about Newcastle Olympic.

salary cap makes big transfer fees impossible thus it isnt really worth developing talent to sell if you cant make a profit 

thus the salary cap does more to hurt the viability of the league then help it. 

this isnt afl players have choices to ply there trade else where 

Yes it's hard on regional areas and travel will be required if you want to play NPL. Mid north coast seem to do pretty well in NPL though so coaches are doing something right there. 
However the issue for Central Coast is that it is basically 'northern Sydney". Huge population, and yet only 2 rep teams and nowhere else for incredibly talented youth to play. As a country, we are missing out on the development of youth in an area where football is exceptionally strong. I would go as far to say that football is the number one sport here (overtaken taken Rugby league some years ago) and may be one of the few places in Australia where football is the no1 sport. 

So they do for youth team football but not at senior level? That seems to be getting things the wrong way around. 

Sure, but that money doesn't go to the developers (who I assume you are referring to above). They get eaten up and shat out by the development companies, who in turn are eaten up and shat out by the big publishers. This has been the case for decades, and is only getting worse. Which is why I decided against it.

They do. https://northernnswfootball.com.au/competitions/npl/

Scroll down to youth. There's Port (Mid coast) and Coffs (North Coast).

10 out of 12 games are in Newcastle x 2.

Regional football is always going to have issues. To be fair at least the opportunities exist. They actually had to fight to get in is what I heard because the Newcastle teams didn't fancy a 5 hour bus trip each way. Meanwhile the poor buggers here are leaving at 6.00am on a Saturday (4 teams on the bus) and coming back at 10.30pm at night. (No parents allowed on the bus. That's not a complaint, just an observation.)

(I'm over 50 and I know this.)

Yes and the stupid short sighted government does nothing to try and help the industry in Australia. Meanwhile they're shelling out grants and incentives to movies and TV.

Another example of old people not seeing the future in front of them.

its bigger than the music and film industries combined...that's why... biggest industry on the planet... you must be over 40/50 I presume?

I know a guy who made a mobile chess game retired at 26.

Great thread and thank you for clarifying your posts Neveraeurosnob.. 
Often while reading threads the real issues can be missed. It looks as though the main issue is the lack of a transfer system, which will create a market place and the demand for better development academies/ environments.

The questions this brings to mind are
-  If A higher division club (most likely A league club or NPL ) paid money for a player they take from a lower division (community or NPL) would this start a market place? 
- Is the transfer of Money for an athlete ( youth or any footballer) illegal in Australia? 

A bit of a stretch but does the Australian football market (a club/s) need to take a leaf out of the Crypto market, start with buying 1 player and work out the legalisation and any of the required control mechanisms later to ensure no malpractice. 

Couldn't places like Coffs Harbour, Port Macquarie, Tamworth et al. have rep teams playing in the NNSW NPL? Then players would only have to trek down to Newcastle for away games, and I imagine the first grade teams would even gather some fan support if they're playing at a high level and uniting the community behind them. Given that there's something like 800k people in NNSW outside the Hunter Valley, it seems like a massive missed opportunity for player development. 

Youth development will rise though a key difficult but crucial change needed along with Domestic Transfer System (Development Focus):
 - Increase and align the calendar for whole game (from Aleagues to grassroots) to be 36+ games, 9.5/10 months - Jan/Feb - Oct/Nov. Pro/rel throughout with 2nd div. Football must use its power through far superior participation numbers than any other code to push for this as this is necessary for our players to compete internationally and raise standards. All of the top countries are playing way more games than us with more teams and this is impacting our development. This will also increase and improve our fan culture/engagement as long offseasons can impact peoples love, development and continued support of the game in Aus.

Can't edit the above so will repost here.

Having said that I don't know what the answer is to NPL zones. We're almost far enough North that it would make sense to play at the Gold coast. I think Lismore do that. Anything they try and work out has problems.

Feel your pain about travel and being in a 'no man's land'. There's some real talent up here in the mid north coast but at 5 hours each way to play in the NPL comp in Newcastle many give playing in the NPL away. (And the NPL sides from here have won the comp many times in the past.)

As for adult football for example, Coffs United was one game away from making the final 32 of the FFA cup only losing 1 nil to a Newcastle Olympic. And these blokes here are all rank amateurs. Not sure about Newcastle Olympic. Maybe Mono can tell me if they're paid and what they're actually level is.

Quite off topic I admit, but why on earth would you get into video games for money? You'll get paid twice as much for half the work in a real business, and will have time left over to actually enjoy some games.

We won't have a "proper" or better Academy system until as a Transfer System, with Player Compensation and Solidarity Payments is put in place.
In Europe this is the centre of Eveything, is the search for TALENT. Where ever that TALENT is.
Its part of the Economic Model within the Global Football Model.
We've just copied Australian Provincial Sports Models.

There is no incentive to develop players.

Thanks for everyone for their insights and supportive comments! Appreciated. 
To cover some of the other questions and comments:
We live on the Central Coast. We have the Mariners and Central Coast United (CCU) as rep teams. Both  play NPL in football NSW (Sydney). Now these teams cover a population of 400K. Mariners are well known for picking Sydney and Newcastle youth players and almost impossible to infiltrate. They are good though and if you look at NPL positioning they tend to either win the comp or go close to winning most age groups. Not always the case but generally very good.  CCU pick the rest based on who they think are the best and of course 'who you know'.  Clearly by the way they perform, they aren't picking the best. 
This leaves a massive gap. There are a large number of very good youth that either can't or don't know how to develop further from a playing perspective as they have nowhere to go (or feels like that). We have been sold this idea that you 'need to be in the system'.  Many go to Newcastle and play there, but so many parents just can't drive that distance four times a week. The issue for the Central Coast, is that we are caught in no-mans land, between football NSW and football Northern NSW. I have never seen such a ridiculous system. Yet this area here is a breeding ground for quality players. It's a sporty area with sporty kids. There are huge numbers of community players and some players have managed to find their way to pro football, however so many more have that potential but are lost because they don't know what to do. I grew up in Sydney and thought it was a solid football city but the central coast - per population is amazing for football passion. Yet what do the kids here do beyond community football?
After trialling at 3 NPL clubs in Newcastle, my son said  his local community A grade club on the Central Coast would easily beat all 3 NPL clubs in Newcastle. To me, that's a problem. These are kids rejected by the Mariners and CCU and feel as if they have nowhere to go beyond community football. At that point they and their parents start to lose interest; it feels like barrier after barrier. After reading all of your comments I think we will just keep developing with his coaches (they are quality) and if you are good enough, it will come. Today I will find out if he has made the Newcastle NPL team (1 spot for 3 remaining triallists). 

What I meant by a proper development academy is what my son's Euro coach talks about what happens in Europe: A club that takes on youth with the specific goal in mind of developing them  as a player, as an 'investment' not just for the sole purpose of winning the comp. From my experience here, all I see is these NPL clubs picking players with the sole intention of winning the comp, little care for 'potential', with little if no interest at all in the welfare and development of the player. I guess that might be a harsh judgement and I am sure it's not all like that, but that's what we have experienced. 
I think it's fair to say SAP allows for this, but beyond that, after 13, it's a different story. 

Hi Arthur, thanks for all these tips and especially insight. Much appreciated.
It's good to know my son is on the right path. He does all of these things. He has two private coaches: an ex-Austrian pro footballer who specialises in technical skills and an ex-EPL/ + lower leagues pro (Australian) who provides game skills. His fitness is outstanding for his age, but aware of maintenance and growth. He also has a European passport and is a bit rusty in the language but learns it at school. I guess that is an advantage for when the time come. Going over to Europe (bar COVID issues) is not an issue for us. Your comments puts into perspective development when you feel as if you are getting nowhere. 

As Arthur days above

“Every disadvantage has its advantage.” Johan Cruyff
First things first.
JNPL is not the be all and end all. The percentage of JNPL boys that end up playing Senior Football at AL or NPL (Division One level) is minimal, less than 1% nationally of boys who finish U20 (or similar level) year on year.
So the key point for any kid is not where you are at 15, but where you will be at 21.
Most think that’s achieved by being in the NPL system whether with an NPL Academy or an AL Academy.
The vast majority of parents, like yourself and myself too, don’t have the knowledge of how it all works and find out when its all too late.
On Clubs selecting locals or committee member kids or Sponsors kids, my view has changed from seeing it as wrong, to understanding it’s a necessity for a Club’s survival in the Australian Football Ecosystem. Its just a fact.
Second thing, what to do now?
If the lad isn’t in the JNPL system the question is what to do now, for some they just give up. For the tenacious ones its not over.
In fact if I had my time over, knowing what I know now, I wouldn’t have even worried about JNPL for my boys, or daughter. It was costing me $6,600 in fees alone, with add ons like travel, equipment and private coaching it was double.
My kids have trained at and played against, Liverpool FC, SALT FC (LFC community arm), Heart of Midlothian, Rennes, Nantes, Spartan FC, Dundee United, St Johnstone, Motherwell, Panionios, Atromitos, AC Brest, PEC Zwolle, Emmen FC and a few I’ve forgotten.
What I learnt was our kids aren’t far off the pace, in every case the improvement over close to two weeks there was exponential for every player. When they came back to Australia they mostly dropped off.
My oldest had trials at St Johnstone while on tour, and played professionally in the Cypriot 3^rd Division for a short time.
So point one, we don’t train enough, we don’t have good enough training.
Point two, to understand the “true” level travelling to Europe for the aspiring player is an absolute must. The longer the better, 4-6 weeks a year would be best.
Point three, playing in Community is okay. In fact if your kid is better than his teammates at this level and his opponents he will have the “freedom” to express himself, experiment without fear. And most likely the coach will let him do what he wants as he will see him as a his key match winner. So he will be played in key positions with plenty of game time.
Point four, Futsal, Futsal, and more Futsal. All modern training/coaching is based on “Game Training”, “Passing Games”, and tactical awareness within training games. You get all that in Futsal and more.
Point five, private coaching sessions. Once a week on repetition of skills (Coerver or similar) is enough. At PEC Zwolle all their youth teams do this once a week with a specialised coach. A no brainer.
Point Six, Fitness and Conditioning. We aren’t as Football Fit as we think, nutrition and a good personal trainer with strong knowledge of the game is imperative to reach the European Level. From 13-16 once a week is enough. Transitioning from youth 17-21 two to three times a week is a must.
Point Seven, self practice. A bag of balls, handful of cones, and off to the park, with a mate or two if possible, and just have fun and experiment.
Finally about having “Proper Development Academies” here, isn’t going to happen for a generation if at all. Our Football Culture is weak. Our focus is on the Elite at the top end, when it should be the other way around.
Could write more but this is my experience, these points are the bare essentials.

NTC still exists in South Australia

I must admit I'm a bit out of the loop these days, but I thought NTC programs had been disbanded?

I have coached the local NTCs for some sessions in the past , but in about 2013, FFA, now Football Australia, were moving towards a club based model. This was when I was last coaching. 

Good day, Neveraeurosnob.

From reading this, I'm surmising you  reside in Sydney or Melbourne?

Sorry to hear you've  experienced  this 'closed shop mentality.'

I've been a TD of an NPL club in a smaller state, where opportunities for keen youth to enter NPL programs  are easier to come by. We want as many as possible players in  NPL and A L  development programs, because of the high attrition rate by adolescents. 

Unfortunately, by having low  numbers of kids in programs, means one can waste time with kids who drop out. The more kids experiencing quality coaching, the better IMO. I've never had to overlook committed kids for NPL development programs, but only for underage  rep teams that are feeders for underage state teams.

I love  to help, but I'm not sure I can proffer any useful advice for your scenario/predicament.