Kings Cliffe Juniors & Youth FC
Players, Parents and Spectators Handbook
2015/16 Season
Introduction
Welcome to Kings Cliffe Juniors & Youth Football Club.
The aim of this handbook is to provide guidance to players, parents and spectators, to ensure the smooth running of the Club, and to ensure that the Club continues to provide a safe and enjoyable environment for the youngsters.
Club Vision
The Club Vision is
• To establish a structured, safe and enjoyable learning environment to promote football for the youngsters of KCJFC and the surrounding area; an environment that provides development opportunities for all, promoting a policy of fair and positive play.
• To integrate with the local community to create a high profile organization which the growing population of KCJFC can be proud of.
Club contacts
Juniors Chairman (U12 Asst Man): Martyn Hodgson
Treasurer (U12 Manager):Bevis Swales
Fixtures Secretary (U8/9 Man):James Willimont
Welfare Officer:Janine Buck
Secretary:Elaine Chesterman
Publicity:Deborah Clancy
U15 Manager:Anthony Rigby
FA Respect
The Club has embraced the FA Respect campaign, and as such all managers and coaches, and all players, parents and spectators, must understand and abide by the FA Respect guidelines. The FA Respect Codes of Conduct for Players, Parents and Spectators must be adhered to at all times.
FA Respect is a national campaign to ensure that the behaviour of managers, players, parents and spectators meets the standard expected in an environment such as a junior football club. Grassroots football is also where young referees, some as young as 14, start their refereeing. During matches parents and spectators are encouraged to show positive support to players, but must refrain from any negative comments towards players or the referees.
So please take a few moments to read the Codes of Conduct (back of this booklet), and pass to other regular spectators such as aunts, uncles, grandparents etc. This will help us all to maintain a safe and enjoyable environment, and allow the young players to develop attributes such as self esteem and confidence, in addition to the traditional football skills and techniques.
We also ask that parents and spectators, particularly those not familiar with FA Respect, visit ‘FA RESPECT Guide for Parents and Carers’, where they can complete a free short online FA course and receive a certificate.
DBS Clearance
The Club requires that all managers, coaches and assistants (and anyone else who may have ‘regular unsupervised access to children’) must have FA Enhanced CRB clearance.
Coaching Qualifications
The Club requires that the manager, coach or assistant* must hold at least the FA Level 1 coaching qualification.
*At least one of the roles must have this qualification.
Safeguarding Children & Emergency First Aid
The holder of the FA Level 1 will also have completed both the ‘Safeguarding Children’ and ‘Emergency First Aid’ modules, and the Club requires that these are renewed at intervals not exceeding three years.
Kit
All kit (ie. shirts/shorts/socks) is financed through company sponsorship. It is normally the responsibility of the manager/coach to seek sponsorship through local organisations. Any parent or spectator that knows of local organisations that may be prepared to sponsor kit, please let the team manager know.
It is normal nowadays for kit to be taken home and washed by the player/parent, but it must be remembered that all kit remains the property of the Club, and not the individuals. Any player transferring to another club or deregistering must return his/her kit in full before any paperwork is signed.
In some circumstances, additional items of kit (for example worn socks, or kit for new players when the squad size increases) may be requested from Club funds (without the need for further sponsorship).
Training
The team manager/coach will base training sessions on concepts gained from his/her FA Level 1 coaching course.
The course provides candidates with the fundamental skills required to coach youngsters, and they learn how to:
• safely organise and supervise football activities
• promote and establish working relationships and high standards between players, coaches, parents and officials
• understand different aspects of coaching children
• identify and adapt football activities and sessions for a variety of different age groups
The theory element includes football club administration, player and coach development, soccer parent, laws of the game, and the ‘Long Term Player Development Model’.
The practical element includes warm up/cool down activities, passing and control, turning with the ball, dribbling, shooting, heading, goalkeeping, individual attacking, individual defending and small sided games.
Note that the warm up and cool down elements of each training session and match are very important at all ages, so please try and ensure that the player arrives promptly for all sessions and matches.
It is a mandatory requirement for all players to wear shinpads, and to remove all jewellery, for training and matches.
Basic training equipment will be provided for training sessions, including footballs, bibs and marker discs. A first aid kit must also be available.
Player Registration (Club)
During the summer prior to each season, at the request of the team manager, each player/parent must complete a KCJFC Player Registration Form.
A player is only covered by the Club’s insurance if he/she has completed a registration form.
The registration form is used to record players’ details, including contact numbers for routine and emergency use. It is also used to record any medical conditions that the team manager should be aware of.
All data will be stored securely, and will not be made available to third parties (except for official League or Hunts FA business).
Player Registration (League)
Each league will also require its own Player Registration Form for every player. Some leagues are especially particular about the standard of these forms, so please take care to follow instructions carefully. For example, photos that are not passport size and quality will be rejected by the leagues. So the background of the photo must be plain (eg. not in the garden!) and players must not be wearing hats. Blank forms will be made available to team managers during the summer. There can also be strict deadlines for submitting completed forms, so please try to get them back to the team manager within the requested timescales!
Player Subscriptions
Subscriptions are required from players and/or parents to cover expenditure including pitch fees, referees fees, trophies, training equipment, affiliation fees, league registration fees, mandatory coach education, DBS applications, player insurance, public liability insurance, utility bills, etc. etc.
Each player is required to pay a £10 fee for registration each season.
Subs cost £5 per week (covering Training & Matches) during the season.
Off season is pay per play at £2.50 Training and £2.50 Matches, you only pay if you attend. These are subject to change but all players and parents will be notifiedbefore any changes take affect.
Fundraising
The subscriptions provide very good value compared to other clubs, but subscriptions alone do not cover all expenditure. Therefore it is very important that players and parents support fundraising events that are organised from time to time, and of course volunteer organisers are always welcome!
League Rules
Each league will issue a rule book and directory at the start of each season.
Leagues impose fines on clubs for non-compliance, even for minor paperwork errors. This can prove very costly, so please help your team manager where you can. Requirements will include the team manager contacting the opposition manager during the week before the match to confirm match details, so for example you can help by responding promptly to texts to advise player availability etc.
There are strict FA rules governing transfers and approaching opposition’s players- at ALL age groups. The general rule is- a team manager should not approach an opposition player or parent directly or indirectly to invite the player to join the team without checking with the club secretary first.
If a player receives a caution (ie. a red or yellow card) then the Club is requested to pay an administration fee to Hunts FA. The player is expected to reimburse the Club with this amount, plus any associated fines.
Fixtures
Fixtures are co-ordinated by our Club Fixtures Secretary, who liaises with team managers and the relevant leagues.
This is a difficult role, especially when there are lots of matches or periods of bad weather, so parents are requested to respond promptly to all requests relating to fixtures, and to advise the team manager at the earliest opportunity if there are school trips, family holidays, etc. Leagues normally only allow fixture changes in exceptional circumstances, and can impose heavy fines and even points deductions if fixtures are not fulfilled.
Matches
On home matchdays, the team manager’s responsibilities include:
- Checking the safety of the pitch surface (even though the referee may also check the pitch)
- Putting the goals or nets up, and checking they are safe
- Corner flags
- Providing the match balls
- Opening up the changing rooms and toilets
- Completing paperwork relevant to the league
- Ensuring an effective warm-up and cool-down for the players
- Paying the referee his/her fees
- Ensuring that all management, players and parents abide by the FA Respect Codes of Conduct, and informing the Club Welfare Officer immediately of any related incidents
- Ensuring that the pitch area and changing rooms are left tidy
- Reporting the result through to the league fixtures secretary
- Writing the match report
This is in addition to contacting the players/parents, referee and opposition beforehand. So as you can see, the team manager has a lot to do so any offers of help are normally very much appreciated!
Presentation Ceremony
The annual presentation ceremony takes place each June, and the team manager, assistant and players are required to take to the stage. The team manager will present various awards. All players will also receive an individual trophy.
Tournaments
Teams may wish to enter a number of summer tournaments. The Club covers the cost of entering the tournaments.
Players, parents and spectators are reminded that the FA Respect requirements apply to all tournaments in addition to matches during the season.
Publicity
Please note Child Welfare requirements do not allow us to put ‘names to faces’ when submitting photos of the younger age groups on our website. It is OK to submit photos, and names, but best practice is to use a phrase such as “players’ names, in no particular order, are...”. We have attached an FA Guidance to this booklet for your information and signature.
Managers are encouraged to keep their team pages onthe Club Website to date with results and match reports. Parents and players are encouraged to regularly visit the website, and please remember that your team manager may welcome offers of assistance to maintain the team pages!
There is a growing Child Welfare concern from the FA and leagues about comments on social networks such as Facebook. Inappropriate comments posted by managers, players or parents will inevitably find their way to the public domain- with possible serious consequences. This is a real and growing concern, and inappropriate comments on social media relating to Kings Cliffe Juniors FC matches, players, spectators or officials will not be tolerated by the Club, Leagues, or the FA.
Club Welfare Officer
Kings Cliffe Juniors FC has an appointed Club Welfare Officer, who has attended the FA Welfare Officer Workshop courses.
Any child welfare issues may be brought to the attention of the Club Welfare Officer, either directly or via your team manager.
Club Welfare Officer (subject to change at AGM) is:
Mrs Janine Buck
01780784544
07918633185
And Finally....
After reading this, you probably have a good understanding of the amount of work that goes on behind the scenes to give the youngsters a game of football. And it can only work with a strong team of dedicated volunteers.
So if you are able to give up some of your time to either help your team manager in some capacity, or to assist the Club in other ways such as fundraising or committee work, please let your team manager know.
Good luck for the new season,
from all at Kings Cliffe Juniors FC.
FA Linked mandated forms to read and sign for having understood (club electronic copies located on ):
- Safe Guarding Children.
- Equality Policy.
- Anti-Bullying Policy.
- Celebrating Football Photographs and Video.
- Medical Consent Form (attached to this booklet).
- Spectator / Parents Code of Code (Respect).
Your completed club registration includes a declaration that you have read and understood this booklet and the FA mandated material (1-6 above). It is important that you read these before returning the signed form.
All information gathered during the registration process will be held securely by the Club, and will not be made available to 3rd parties except for official League or FA business.
Kings Cliffe Junior Football Club - Registration Form
(Affiliated to Northants FA for Boys and Girls)
Please complete a form for each child:
Child’s Name:
/Date of Birth:
Home Address:
Email (PLEASE PRINT):
Phone Number:
/Mobile:
Emergency No.:
/Willing to Help:
/Yes / No / Maybe
The following information isas a precaution against an accident occurring when parents cannot be contacted & will be treated in total confidence.
Child’s Doctor:
Surgery Address:
Phone Number:
Please indicate any medical condition/allergies (inc previous injuries if applicable):
Kings Cliffe Junior Football Club’s official web site can be found at & contains important information about the running of the Club. Please inform organisers in writing if you do not want your child’s picture to be used on the web site. Please Note – Individual names are not put against photos used.
Kings Cliffe Junior Football Club permits official photographs with names to appear in the press in accordance with FA guidelines. Videoing of games or players is not permitted.
Kings Cliffe Junior Football Club cannot be held responsible should accidents occur when members are travelling to matches/tournaments/training etc. We strongly advise drivers to have a comprehensive motor insurance policy and comply with the seat belts laws introduced in September 2006.
I understand that the Club organisers cannot be held responsible should an accident occur.
I have read and understood this club booklet and all the FA mandated material (Docs 1-6 on pg 12).
Signed
/Date
(Parent or Guardian)
Data will be managed in accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998
Please email the Club Chairman “In confidence” if you have any queries: