Subject: Team Placing in Divisions U12 - U17

MEADOWRIDGE

ASSOCIATION FOOTBALL CLUB

Est. 1965

PO BOX 419 Bergvliet 7864

Fax:0862080735

5th January2015

To: The Secretary

CTTFA

PO Box 66

Mutual Park

7451

SUBJECT: TEAM PLACING IN DIVISIONS U12 - U17.

Dear members of CTTFA,

On behalf of Meadowridge Football Club, Mr. Peter Stingl has been tasked with discussing this proposal with relevant clubs and bringing together support for this proposal to be tasked.

The following proposal has been seconded by Rygersdal Football Club EXCO & Chairman, Justin Asher, who will assist Mr Stingl in putting this proposal forward and gaining support.

Contents

THE PROBLEM

THE NEED FOR A SOLUTION

INHERITANCE FOR U12

THE ACHIEVEMENT SYSTEM FOR U13-U17 [PROPOSED]

IMPORTANT EXAMPLES

DIVISION STRUCTURE IN 2015

CLUBS PLAYING FOR THE FIRST TIME IN AN AGE GROUP

HOW THE FUTURE WOULD LOOK IF THE PROPOSAL IS ADOPTED

WHO SUPPORTS THIS PROPOSAL

WHO MIGHT SUPPORT THIS PROPOSAL

WHO DOES NOT SUPPORTS THIS PROPOSAL

PROPOSAL SUMMARY

THE PROBLEM

CTTFA uses an “inheritance system” to decide which team – per junior age group – plays in which division. This, simply put, means that a team moving into a certain age group will play in the division determined by the result of the previous team playing in this age group.

If you implement this “inherence system” for the age groups U13 – U17 you will find placings which don’t appear to be fair purely based on the skill levels of the players coming up through the age-groups.

During discussions with several clubs it was learned that the policy suggested herein was also the proposed structure when CTTFA changed the playing structure and added the age groups U12 & U14.

From what has been learned; this proposal was put on hold two years ago as some clubs where not sure whether they would be able to field additional teams in the additional age groups.

THE NEED FOR A SOLUTION

To create equally strong groups of teams which in turn will lead to highly contested matches and in consequence to an advanced development of the players.

Clubs in support of this opinion that this proposed division placing policy (herein) is the most logical and merit driven structure ask you for it to be discussed and decided in the upcoming SGM and/or the Junior Indaba.

INHERITANCE FOR U12

The implementation of this system makes perfect sense for U12 as they haven’t played in a league format which would allow the placing of the team.

Placing U12 would be a challenge because there is no way to decipher their skill level without looking at results from U11.

Clubs should leave this decision to the CTTFA Fixtures Director and trust that he/she will do the right thing in applying correct “inheritance” logic to the U12 structures.

THE ACHIEVEMENT SYSTEM FOR U13-U17 [PROPOSED]

The placing policy from U13-17 should be changed to an “achievement system”.

This means the teams should be positioned according to the result they achieved in the previous season.

For example:

a)The team who finishes in the relegation zone (last two in the log) will start in a division lower the following season

b)The team who finishes in the promotion zone (first two in the log) will play in the division it played in (if the highest league) or will move one division up.

This proposal would be beneficial for all teams because:

(a)The placing policy in the divisions would help to lift the league onto an even higher level.

(b)Divisions are filled with teams which are playing on a similar level which would help to prevent unequal results.

(c)An “achievement instead of an inherence structure” would create more competition, higher standards of play and therefore lift the overall skill level of the players.

(d)We will reach our goals and objectives for Junior football by developing skilled players in a competitive environment whereby they’re partaking in strength vs strength activities.

(e)A similar system is implemented in junior football e.g. in Germany and Spain.

IMPORTANT EXAMPLES

The two log leader in this year’s U12 premier league (Sunningdale Meadowridge) would play next season in the promotion division due to the respective results of this year’s U13 team.

a)On the other hand Premier League teams of Northpine United (last place), Kensington (9th place), Holy Cross (6th place) and Grass Boots (4th place) would play in Premier League.

b)Camps Bay (8th place) and Rygersdal (7th place) will potentially even play in the U13 super league due to the current regulation.

Two more examples in the U13 & U14 age groups show the dilemma in other age groups as well.

a)U13: Wynberg St. Johns finished last this season (4 points) in the U12 Super League but will play in the U13 Super League next season.

b)U14: Wynberg St. Johns finished second in Premier League but would play in Division 1 due to the result of their U15 team in 2015.

DIVISION STRUCTURE IN 2015

During 2015 the divisions were structured:

(a)5 divisions in the age groups U12, 13, 15 & 17 and these divisions were mostly filled.

(b)Only the U14 age group had 3 divisions which is also one more division than in the previous year which means that this gap is starting to be filled.

This situation shows that in all age groups most of the clubs are presented.

It is believed by those proposing this change that it is the right time to change the division placing policy to a system that will create a system whereby:

(a)The performance of the individual team determines their position.

(b)The structure creates a “strength versus strength” competition in the relevant divisions.

CLUBS PLAYING FOR THE FIRST TIME IN AN AGE GROUP

In case a club decides to play a team in a relevant age group for the first time; the placing modus could also have an option to use the “historic” modus, at the discretion of the Fixtures Director, so they would not have to start in the bottom division.

Further discussion on this matter could be held during the implementation process.

HOW THE FUTURE WOULD LOOK IF THE PROPOSAL IS ADOPTED

Attached you will find a log sheet with the results for U12-15 (super to promotion) showing the potential placing of the teams according to the current and the proposed policy which also shows the inequalities of the current system in comparison to the proposed system.

WHO SUPPORTS THIS PROPOSAL

The following clubs have issued their support for this proposal to be passed:

WHO MIGHT SUPPORT THIS PROPOSAL

The following clubs have issued their support pending EXCO discussions:

WHO DOES NOT SUPPORTS THIS PROPOSAL

The following clubs have issued their non-support for this proposal to be passed:

PROPOSAL SUMMARY

The proposal is summarised by requesting the below substantiated through the merits, explanations and examples above:

(a)The following leagues adopt an “inheritance” placing policy

1. Under 12

(b)The following leagues adopt an “achievement” placing policy

1. Under 13
2. Under 14
3. Under 15
4. Under 16
5. Under 17

We ask that you issue your support for this proposal to be implemented for the 2016 upcoming CTTFA season.

Should we succeed in implementing this proposal, we will return our leagues to strength vs strength – the way they should be – and we will continue to develop our players into capable players more than able to hold their own at Senior level.

Finally, we acknowledge that this proposal was indeed tabled when the new league format (odd age-groups) were brought into the fold. However; at the time this proposal was not conducive. It is now and we call on all clubs to support it going forward.

As you can see, in this proposal, there are some winners and there are some losers – in terms of league positions and league status; but we believe that this proposal will result in our players being the biggest winners at the end of the day and hope that enough support can be obtained for this proposal to make it through by the start of the 2016 campaign.

Yours in Football,

Peter Stingl (Meadowridge AFC)

Yours Sincerely

(S. DRUMMOND)

MEADOWRIDGE ASSOCIATION FOOTBALL CLUB CHAIRPERSON: MR