Rotherfield F.C.

SEASON  2009/2010

INFORMATION FOR ALL

1. Welcome to Rotherfield Junior Football Club – an FA Charter Standard Club.

It’s the beginning of a new season and what an exciting season it promises to be.  The pitches should be even better this season given that 120 tonnes of sand, herbicide, fertiliser & grass seed have all been applied at a cost to the club of £3,500! We have entered mini-soccer teams at U8 and U10 and will have 11-a-side teams at U11, U12, & U14.

The current Junior Section of Rotherfield Football Club was established in 1997 and we’ve come a long way.  From humble beginnings we now have:-

Ø     The prestigious FA Charter Standard Club award, which recognises that the Club aims to operate within the best practice guidelines established by the Football Association.  This took a lot of hard work to obtain and was successfully renewed last season.

Ø     Lots of coaches who have completed the “Level 1 Certificate in Coaching Football” qualification. Two more qualified this summer!

Ø     Excellent support from the senior section of the Football Club, who are now reaping the benefits of the youth policy.  Teenagers who have been developed through the Junior section are now appearing regularly in the adult teams, & with an adult third team to assist with the transition from junior to senior football there is no reason for youngsters to play football elsewhere than their own Club.

Ø     Fantastic support from parents and other volunteers.  Without this support the Club could not have developed as it has.  If anyone wants to get involved in any way, shape or form please speak to any of the coaches.

Given the extent to which the Club has grown it is important that we let everyone know how we try to operate so that you can decide whether this is right for your child.  The intention of this information is to help you make that decision. 

It is particularly important that you understand our approach to children’s football, which we have set out in the next section, “Our Aims and Objectives”.  We have also developed Codes of Conduct and other policies, such as Child Protection, from the best practice recommended by the Football Association.  Please take the time to read these in the rear of this welcome pack, and we would ask you to help us ensure this best practice is adopted, for the enjoyment, safety and development of all children who join the Club.  We would also welcome any feedback you may have about how things can be improved – Speak to any of the coaches or other helpers and they will feed it back to the appropriate committee member. We are fully committed to upholding the principles of the FA Respect campaign, & held a workshop this summer with the Sussex FA Safeguarding Children Officer to understand this programme more & provide feedback to the FA on issues. Please see the section in this information on Respect.

The Junior section is an articled part of the Rotherfield Football Club, that was established in 1893, so you and your children are part of a local heritage that goes back a long way. The football club is, along with the cricket and bowls clubs, part of the Rotherfield Sports Club that runs and maintains the pavilion facilities.

Throughout the season we will do our best to keep you informed by issuing regular newsletters.  Some information will be duplicated year on year for the benefit of new members, so please accept apologies in advance if you’ve already read it. 

 2. Our Aims and Objectives

From the outset, our aim has been to provide an opportunity for any child to come and play football with the emphasis on having fun and learning how to play the game.  Although we have now grown significantly, our objectives remain the same:-

Ø     To provide enjoyment above all.

Ø     To develop every child’s knowledge of the game and their skills.

Ø     To be inclusive by providing opportunities, regardless of ability – but appropriate to the capability of each child. 

Ø     To encourage competitiveness but not a “win at all cost” mentality.

Go on, why not get involved!

The success of any Club is down to the people who are willing to get involved and we have been very lucky in finding helpers, particularly on a Saturday morning.  We are always looking for more willing volunteers, either to help with the coaching, to help with the refreshments provided from the Clubhouse every Saturday morning, to arrange social events to help raise funds, or to help coaches/managers with the Team Admin!.  If you would like to get involved in any capacity please let us know, as you will be very welcome.   You never know you just might enjoy yourselves!

All persons who help at the Club in any capacity are expected to have a CRB (Criminal Records Bureau) check inline with the FA Child Protection Policy.

If you have any concerns regarding the way the Club is run or have any questions at all please speak with any of the key contacts listed in this information.

3. Contact Details

There are currently a number of key contacts:-

a)  Rotherfield Sports Club

b)  Rotherfield Football Club

  c)  RFC Junior Section

4.  Club Membership

The annual subscription to the junior section of the football club is payable on registration at the start of each new season. For previous members we have sent these out in advance as we have to operate on a first come first served basis.  League rules stipulate a coach/child ratio that we must adhere to. 

In common with the objectives we do keep this subscription as low as possible, but kit does cost money, as does our annual affiliation to the Sussex FA, Crowborough & District league, and public liability insurance. In addition we have included the costs of indoor training during the poorer winter weather for many of the age groups.

The subscriptions for the 2009/10 season are:-

NB. The eldest or first child pays the full fees relevant to their age group with the younger sibling(s) paying the additional child fees based on their age.

As in previous years please talk to us in the strictest confidence if this causes you financial hardship.  We do not want to deprive your child of the chance to play football.

Please note: We ask you to complete a registration form and children cannot take part in coaching sessions until a registration form is completed with information as to medical conditions and contact numbers in the unlikely event of an emergency.

In addition should parents wish to be a member of the Rotherfield Sports Club, the annual fee is £2.00 per adult. This fee is very low, but is important with respect to maintaining and improving the clubhouse facilities that are an integral part of the football club.  We encourage all parents to become members of the Sports Club. Each junior member only pays £1 of their subscription to the Sports Club & they certainly make full use of the facilities.

100-club monthly prize draw

The Sports Club also runs a monthly 100 club cash prize draw. 60% of the money collected from members is returned in prizes, and the monthly minimum contribution is only £1-00. This draw is an important revenue stream for the Sports club, but also gives you a chance to win a cash prize - so go on why not have a go.  Standing order mandates are available in the clubhouse to make contributions as easy as possible, or alternatively contributions can be collected (preferably for 12 months contributions minimum). Please speak to Pete Ford if you would like to support the club through this draw or include 12 months contributions with your registration fees. 

5. Coaching Sessions

a)  Junior Sessions

Junior coaching takes place on Saturday mornings from September 12^th 2009 to the end of April. We have to start one week later than usual this season due to a clash with the end of the league cricket season.

The only Saturdays when coaching will not occur is over the Christmas Period.  Any other changes relating to training ie. indoor sessions will be notified separately by your coach. 

 ‘U’ denotes upper pitch area + ‘L’ denotes lower pitch area. Please note that the U-5/6 age group is a shorter session in accordance with FA recommendations in recognition of the physical capability of the children

Please can ALL PARENTS OR CARERS of children in the Under 6  age group ensure they stay at the recreation ground for the full duration of the session.

Reminder:  We would request that parents or carers ensure that their children arrive safely AT THE CLUBHOUSE, where upon arrival the coach/coaches responsible for that age group on that day will take a register of the children participating. Children will remain with the coaches until collection.  We know it is a long walk across the recreation ground from the car park, especially on a cold, wet morning but this is in the interest of your child’s safety.

It also allows us to encourage the children to clear away after their session and store their equipment correctly after their coaching session. Parental assistance with the goals is always appreciated.

A FULL CHILD PROTECTION POLICY IS AVAILABLE IN THE CLUBHOUSE, AND YOU MAY SPEAK DIRECTLY TO ANNE IF YOU HAVE ANY CONCERNS REGARDING THE SAFETY OR WELFARE OF YOUR CHILD, ALL OF COURSE IN THE STRICTEST CONFIDENCE.

b)    Wet Weather

It may be necessary to cancel some Saturday morning sessions due to the ground being unplayable.

In this event it is your responsibility to make one phone call to establish if the scheduled session is taking place and to ring the Lead coach of your group. The decision is usually made around 08.15 hrs following a pitch inspection, so please delay your call until after 08.30 hrs! 

The Club has booked indoor training sessions in local sports halls to guarantee some training during the Winter months for some of the age groups. You will be notified by your lead coach.

        c)  Kit Requirements

Football boots and shin pads are MANDATORY.  Please think about the feet of your children when buying boots – for example, screw in studs may cause painful blisters on hard grounds.  You may find moulded soles more flexible, as the benefits of longer studs do not really become important until children are bigger.

Please make sure your children are suitably clothed during cold weather as otherwise their concentration is significantly reduced.  Suncream can also be necessary from as early as Easter. The Recreation Ground is beautiful but also exposed in the winter!

Please ensure your children bring a drink with them, preferably not fizzy. De-hydration is an important performance limiter, they will run around a lot but the coach will allow time for the children to have a drink! It is best if the children arrive in their kit, as although the clubhouse and changing rooms are open, we cannot supervise the children getting changed.

NO JEWELLERY OR WATCHES TO BE WORN. These can cause horrific injuries. Caps or soft hats with hard badges should not be worn for the same reason.

If your child has an inhaler for asthma etc, please ensure it is labelled with their name. Although the coaches will gladly look after these, it is for the child, parent/carer  to administer.

d)  The Coaches

Each age group will have at least one dedicated Lead Coach who has obtained a minimum of the Level 1 coaching qualification that includes First Aid and Child Protection certificates.  They will be responsible for the coaching development of the group. 

All coaches/assistant coaches hold Criminal Record Bureau certificates and assistant coaches are encouraged to attend First Aid and Child Protection courses.  The Club Welfare Officer arranges all of the above and refresher courses as part of the Club’s Development plan and to maintain our Charter Standard accreditation.

There are further coaches, who will assist in each age group to ensure that coach to child ratios do not exceed 1:15. These assistants will run sessions within the coaching plan or assist with sessions.

(Q) – Qualified Coach.               

REMINDER: IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN HELPING WITH THE COACHING PLEASE LET US KNOW, AND LIKEWISE IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN GAINING A COACHING QUALIFICATION. The more coaches there are per group, the more focussed the training sessions are for the players.

The Club adheres to various policies and Codes of Conduct in compliance with FA regulations and as part of our Charter Standard award.  Full copies are available from your lead coach or a file is always available to read in the Clubhouse for your information.  The Codes of Conduct are at the end of this document to read.

6) Snack Bar

We will continue to offer refreshments for adults and children from the very popular snack bar.  This is run mainly by Karen, Angie, Mandy and Margaret and a huge thank you to them for their efforts and to anyone else who helped out.  Profit from the snack bar goes towards a variety of things primarily aimed at the children.

We have also been able to provide all our visiting mini-soccer league players and Rotherfield players with ‘goody bags’ (drink, crisps and a chocolate bar to you and I) after their matches. 

At our end of season Fun Day, players were recognised with awards. With so many registered players we try to ensure the profits are spread fairly, & I hope you agree this is money well spent, so please keep up your support.  Remember that you can keep warm in the winter months with a range of “A la Carte” choices.

If you can help out with the snack bar, even if it’s only once or twice during the year, please talk to Karen Rodemark.  All of our volunteers are also parents and if you can give them a break it will give then the opportunity to watch their children play football as well.

PHOTOGRAPHY AND VIDEO POLICY

There has been much talk about whether it’s safe to take pictures of under 18s playing sport. The FA and Rotherfield Junior FC would like to assure parents, carers, coaches, spectators, players and local media that we encourage the taking of appropriate images of children in football.  Every parent/carer must sign a consent form at Rotherfield Junior FC regarding the use of images of their child(ren).

Potential risks

The FA has developed this guidance to help avoid the following:

• The inappropriate use, adaptation or copying of images for use on child abuse websites on the internet (often referred to as pornography sites);

• The identification of children when a photograph is accompanied by significant personal information that will assist a third party in identifying the child. This can lead, and has led, to children being ‘groomed’; and

• The identification and locating of children in inappropriate circumstances which include:

 (i) where a child has been removed from his/her family for their own safety;

 (ii) where restrictions on contact with one parent following a parental separation exist e.g. in

domestic violence cases;

(iii) in situations where a child may be a witness in criminal proceedings; or

(iv) other child protection concerns. The majority of images taken are appropriate and taken in good faith. If we take the following simple measures we can help to ensure the safety of children in football.

Common sense considerations to ensure everyone’s safety:

DO

1. Ensure all those featured are appropriately dressed (a minimum of vest or shirt and shorts);

2. Respect the wishes of other people if you are asked not to take photographs/video at any football event, home or away.

3. Do check at football tournaments/fiestas you plan to attend of their policy beforehand.

4. Aim to take pictures which represent the broad range of youngsters participating safely in football e.g. boys and girls, disabled people, ethnic minority communities; and

5. Report any instances of inappropriate images in football to The FA Case Manager or the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) Tel 0845 008844 or report @iwf.org.uk

6. Talk to the coaches/organisers if you have any immediate concerns first..

DON’T

1. Publish photographs with the full name(s) of the individual(s) featured unless you have written consent to do so and you have informed the parents as to how the image will be used;

2. Use player profiles with pictures and detailed personal information on websites;

3. Use an image for something other than that which it was initially agreed, e.g. published in local press when initially produced for a clubhouse commemorative picture; and

4. Allow images to be recorded in changing rooms, showers or toilets - this includes the use of mobile phones that record images.

Remember

• It’s not an offence to take appropriate photographs in a public place even if asked not to do so;

• No one has the right to decide who can and cannot take images on public land;

• If you have serious concerns about a possible child protection issue relating to the recording of images then call the police, this action should only be taken where you believe that someone may be acting unlawfully or putting a child at risk;

• The land or facility owner can decide whether or not  photography and or videoing at football activities will be permitted when carried out on private land. However you need to make this known before allowing individuals access to the private property. If they do not comply then you may request that they leave; and

• Try not to use images that include individuals wearing jewellery (as wearing jewellery whilst playing is contrary to the Laws of the Game as well as being a health and safety issue).

If you would like to take personal video or photographs, Rotherfield Junior FC has decided to issue an ID card through Anne Harman TW 853080.  This will only confirm your identity and indicate that you are a parent/carer associated with the club and that you will abide by our guidelines above.  Photography rights can still be refused.