Yatton Junior Football Club

Founded 1969

New Members Booklet 2012/2013 Introduction

The aim of the Club is to foster a spirit of friendship, sportsmanship and loyalty, and to provide enjoyment from Junior Soccer.

The Club, which is proud of its playing and sportsmanship record, was formed in 1969. During its infancy, the Club was known as Yatton Athletic and fielded teams in the Cheddar Valley and Weston-Super-Mare Junior Football League. Due to the number of boys in the village wishing to play football, two Clubs were formed in 1986/87, Yatton Athletic and Yatton Rangers. This season, Yatton Athletic has teams at age groups, Under 11, 12, 13, 14 and 16, which play in the Woodspring Junior League. Yatton Rangers will field a team at the U11 age range only. This season we have also entered an U18 team in the Bristol Combination league. The Under 9 will play friendlies against other local clubs

In February 2003 the Club obtained the FA Charter Standard Award, in recognition of all the training undertaken by its members and of all the hard work and effort put in by everyone involved in the day to day running of the Club. This was successfully renewed in 2009.

Playing Times

Under 6/7 Training and Practice Saturday morning (Mini Football) 9.15-10.30am Under 8 Training and Practice Saturday morning (Mini Football) 10.30 - 12.00am Under 9 Friendly games Saturday morning (Mini Football) KO 10.30am Under 10 Friendly games Saturday morning (Mini Football) KO 10.30am Under 11 Athletic/Rangers Woodspring Junior League Saturday morning 9 v 9 KO 10.30am Under 12 Athletic Woodspring Junior League Sunday morning 11 v 11 KO 10.30am Under 13 Athletic Woodspring Junior League Sunday morning 11 v 11 KO 10.30am Under 14 Athletic Woodspring Junior League Sunday morning 11 v 11 KO 10.30am Under 16 Athletic Woodspring Junior League Sunday afternoon 11 v 11 KO 2.30pm Under 18 Athletic Bristol Combination league Sunday afternoon KO 2.30pm Pitches

With the assistance of Yatton Parish Council, the Club has sole use of two football pitches and changing facilities at Rock Road Playing Fields, Yatton.

The Club carries out general maintenance of the field, repairs to the building, pitch marking and erection and putting away of goal posts each match, for which volunteers are always gratefully welcomed.

The Club also has use of a pitch at Hangstones Playing Field to accommodate fixture clashes. Two Mini Soccer pitches are also available at Hangstones and special portable goalposts are used which require assembling and putting away after each match.

The club has recently developed Rock Road with an enclosed floodlight state of the art 40 x 40m 3G artificial grass pitch (AGP) training pitch. This is available for all club members

Finance

The Club is self-supporting and raises funds from two main sources.

Firstly, there is an annual registration fee plus a match fee paid by each player. The current registration fee is £70 plus £2 per match (£1 per match for Mini Soccer). These fees are reviewed annually at the Club AGM. These fees cover the essentials, such as the purchase of footballs, kit, facilities maintenance, referees expenses and trophies for every player at the end of season Presentation Evening. It covers a personalised rain top renewable every 2 years and use for training of the new 3G AGP facility at Rock Road.

The second source of income is from fundraising. This takes several forms:

 Functions organised by the Social Committee  Sponsorship of kit by firms  Sponsorship of teams in our annual 6 a side tournament  Fundraising events organised by the Social Committee

Managers

An adult who has volunteered to look after the children runs each team. The job is a rewarding one, but it does require a considerable degree of commitment to ensure that things run smoothly. Basically, a manager’s job consists of team training, team selection, arranging transport for away matches, organising kit washing, pitch marking, putting up and taking down the goals and general administrative duties. In addition, each team manager is a member of the Club’s Management Committee and expected to play a full part in the Club as a whole. Without a volunteer manager, the Club cannot field a team at a particular age group.

We aim to identify a potential manager during the initial weeks of the season where the Under 6s train with the Under 7 year so that he, or she, can progressively take responsibility for the Team ready for assuming full responsibility when the Team

3 during the year, leading it towards League entry at Under 9. If you feel you are prepared to undertake this role, please contact one of the Club Officers (details can be found on page 8) who will be happy to advise you of exactly what is involved.

Adult Help

The Manager/co-coordinator of the Team needs help in many ways, some of which are:  Volunteers to assist with training  Volunteers to link with the Social Committee and assist in the arranging of social events  Volunteers to wash the football kit  Volunteers to run the line during matches  Help at home matches to mark pitches, erect and take down goals  Transport to away matches  Volunteers to sell refreshments at home matches  Collection of match fees

The Club is aware of its legal obligations under the Children Act (1989) and the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (1974); managers and all adult helpers who have contact with the children are subject to the screening process. Details of this process are available from the Child Welfare Officer or the Club Secretary. The Club’s Child Welfare Policy Statement is included towards the back of this Booklet.

This is divided into what the Club provides and what the players are expected to provide.

Club ~ for matches, the club provides shirts, shorts and socks.

Players ~ at all times, players provide football boots, shin pads (compulsory as per FA rule) and tie-ups to stop socks from falling down. For training, players need to provide their own shirts, shorts and socks along with the boots and shin-pads. Tracksuits can be worn to keep warm in the cold weather. If the weather is wet, then a change of clothing is necessary to change into after practice or matches. A towel to dry off is also useful. If training is done on the hard surface, trainers or plimsolls are needed. Each player needs to bring a bag in which to keep his/her belongings, to try to avoid items being mislaid or lost.

Footballs

The Club provides footballs for use in matches and during training.

Health

Each team has a first aid kit, in case of minor injury, and training in the treatment of sports injuries is available to managers. It is important however, that all players have

4 up to date tetanus injections. If players need to wear glasses please ensure they have plastic lenses. Club Shop

The Club Shop did not run over last season due to the lack of volunteer help. If you are interested in becoming involved please contact Jacqueline Starr (01275 463347) or any other Club Officer.

Yatton Junior Football Club Web site

The Club Web site contains useful and up to date information about the Club. Why not pay us a visit. Address http://www.pitchero.com/clubs/yattonjuniorfootballclub/

We require a volunteer to help maintain this website – its not as difficult as it sounds. Again contact a Club Officer if you are interested – good for the CV! Club Honours 2011/12 Woodspring League Under 12 - WJFL Cup Finalists, WJFL U11 Div 1 Runners up Under 13 – WJFL Glyn Vaughan Memorial Sportsman

Code of Conduct

This code of conduct is designed to outline the roles and standards of behaviour of those involved in youth football.

The role of the player:

 Always play to the best of your ability and within the spirit and laws of the game  Respect the opposition, officials and manager at all times  Maintain a high level of commitment including reliability and punctuality  Players must refrain from using foul, abusive or racist language at all times  Be prepared to learn, improve and enjoy the game  Accept defeat and winning in the same manner

The role of the manager:

 Encourage sportsmanship and be a positive role model to players, parents and spectators alike  Promote a disciplined enthusiasm for the game and for fostering and maintaining high standards of honesty and integrity  Provide players with an opportunity to develop their skills in a structured and secure environment

The role of adults, parents, spectators:

 Support the players, team, manager and club in a positive manner  Show respect to the manager, officials and opposition  Be a positive role models in terms of language, attitude, restraint and sportsmanship

5  Use positive comments only – encourage rather than discourage

Unacceptable involvement of adults, parents, spectators:

 Verbal abuse  Negative comments  Entering the field of play  Obscene or discriminatory language  Arguing with officials or the opposition’s supporters  Supporting bad behaviour by players  Interfering with the Manager’s role  Racism

Mini Soccer

In May 1998, the Newsletter of the Football Association Technical Department said:

“Throughout England and Europe, it is widely accepted that the Football Association and all other providers of football have a duty and responsibility to provide the best possible introduction to football for the youngest players (boys and girls). The emphasis should be on greater skill, rather than just on physical strength. It is felt that small-sided games (mini soccer), rather than eleven a side, do this by fitting the needs of the game to the children. In doing so, young players would benefit from:

 More touches of the ball, more participation, more enjoyment  Fewer players on the pitch, simpler decisions, better understanding  Smaller pitches, greater concentration, more interest  More individual success, more children playing, sustained participation levels beyond 10 years old  The greatest possible impetus to children’s participation in football

In September 1997, an Extraordinary General Meeting of the Football Association deemed it necessary and appropriate to change its Rules so that small sided football be mandatory for children at all levels up to and including Under 10s (Academic Year 5). This will encourage a 4 year structure of Mini Soccer from Under 7 age, the intention being to provide a more enjoyable and lasting introduction to football for hundreds of thousands of youngsters.

The Somerset County Football Association, to which the Yatton Junior Football Clubs are affiliated, has decreed that Mini Soccer be mandatory up to and including Under 10 age.

6 Major changes have taken place and our Club, following its principal of “good practice”, has adopted Mini Soccer from U6 up to and including U10. The club has made a major commitment of time and money to increase and improve its knowledge, facilities and equipment, to give the best possible opportunities for its youngest members to have fun and enjoyment learning the skills involved in playing soccer.

All Yatton Athletic managers and helpers will have attended FA Coaching Courses. Two pitches have been marked out on an area at Hangstones and the Club has invested in goalposts for Mini Soccer, and the necessary kit and equipment to cater for around 100 children on Saturday mornings. Additional parents and other helpers will also be needed. Experience shows that children learn quicker in small groups. If any parents, friends, “senior” or ex Yatton Junior Football Club players feel they would like to help, and join in the fun, please speak to one of the Club Officers about it as soon as possible. There are some simple formalities for volunteers to go through as part of our commitment to child-safety and to meet our obligations under the Children Act (1989).

7 Training for all age groups Under 8

Training for all age groups Under 8 is held on Saturday mornings at will be at the 3G facility at Rock Road. This ensures that we have uninterrupted sessions on the best possible football surface and we do not interfere with other teams.

Training for U6/7 will start at 9.15am. Please be there by at least 9.05am and assemble outside the 3G surface so that we can start on time. Training will finish for U6/7 at 10.30. U8 will start at 10.30 and finish at 12.00.

Although things are very well organised, please do not think that we do not need extra help. We have to be organised to maximise the training in the short time available, but we still need parental help. At this age, small groups of players with a large number of helpers are vital if the players are to make good progress. We do hope some parents will volunteer to get involved. It is good fun and we will readily explain what is involved.

Although we are always willing to talk to you about anything connected with the Club, the boys/girls or the training, please try to confine the talking to outside of training times. We only have a short time with the squad and we want to make full use of it. Bev Woodman, the Child Welfare Officer, will, if necessary, be available during training to talk to you and to pass on information. If particular problems arise do please bring them to my attention.

Age groups up to Under 8 have their own special equipment for training. We use various coloured bibs that need washing from time to time and volunteers are needed to assist with this.

Valuables should not be brought to practice or matches if at all possible. If, however, they are brought, this is at your own risk and they should be given to the Team Manager and not left in the building.

Each player must complete a Club Registration Form and a Medical Form. Please complete and return these as soon as possible, with the appropriate fee of £70. Cheques should be made payable to Yatton Junior Football Club.

The Club expects all its members to adopt a high standard of behaviour, not only when taking part in Club activities, but also during their life in the local community. The Club will not associate itself with anyone who is not a good citizen, and reserves the right to refuse, or cancel, the membership of anyone who does not meet its standards of behaviour.

If there are any problems or points that you would like clarified, please contact me on 01275 463279.

Peter Matley Chairman

8 Yatton Junior Football Club Management Committee Members 2012/13

OFFICERS

Chairman Peter Matley 01275 463279 42 Dark Lane, Backwell

Secretary Jacqueline Starr 01275 463347 5 Hilldale Road, Backwell

Treasurer Dave Mortimer 01934 838515 40 Cleeve Drive, Cleeve

Social Committee Tina Prewitt-Martin Chair Person

Child Protection Bev Collings Officer

OTHER MEMBERS – YATTON ATHLETIC

Under 6 Manager Peter Matley 01275 463279

Under7 Manager Peter Matley 01275 463279

Under 8 Manager Colin Chandler 01934 838856

Under 9 Manager Mark Hutchings 01934 832649

Under 10 Manager Mark Francis 01934 838128

Under 11 Manager Stuart Gentry 01934 877441

Under 12Manager Mike Ferris 07760 736834

Under 13Manager Matt Bushell 07980 257322

Under 14 Manager Dan Guthrie 01934 835097

Under 16 Manager Nick Jones 01934 833661

Under 18 Manager Ken Brown 01934 832191 / 07786570455

Club President John Oldham 01934 832902

Registration Secretary Alison Langman 01934 877499

Results Secretary Matt Bushell 07980 257322

9 Yatton Junior Football Club

Child Welfare Policy Statement

Yatton Junior Football Club is committed to creating and maintaining the safest possible environment for children and young people to practise Association Football.

We do this by:

 Recognising that all children have the right to freedom from abuse.

 Ensuring that all our volunteers are carefully selected and accept responsibility for helping to prevent the abuse of children in their care.

 Responding swiftly and appropriately to all suspicions or allegations of abuse, and providing parents and children with the opportunity to voice any concerns they may have.

 Appointing a Child Welfare Officer who will take specific responsibility for child safety and act as the main point of contact for parents, children and outside agencies.

 Ensuring access to confidential information is restricted to the Child Welfare Officer or the appropriate external authorities

 Keeping up to date with the changes in FA Child Welfare Policy and reviewing the effectiveness of our Child Welfare Policy and activities each year.

Our Child Welfare Officer, Bev Collings, can be contacted through me at the address below:

Jacqueline Starr Secretary 5 Hilldale Road Backwell 01275 463347 A copy of the Club’s Child Welfare Procedures and Practices Handbook is available on request from me.

10 Child Welfare ~ Code of Conduct

Do respect the rights, dignity and worth of each and every person and treat them equally.

Do provide an example you wish others to follow.

Do plan activities, which involve more than one other person being present, or at least which are within sight or hearing of others.

Do respect a child’s or young person’s right to personal privacy.

Do provide access for young people to talk to others about any concerns they may have.

Do encourage young people and adults to feel comfortable and caring enough to point out attitudes or behaviour they do not like.

Do maintain a healthy lifestyle.

Do remember that someone else might mis-interpret your actions, no matter how well intentioned.

Do recognise that caution is required even in sensitive moments of counselling, such as when dealing with bullying, bereavement or abuse.

Do NOT permit abusive peer activities (e.g. initiation ceremonies, ridiculing or bullying).

Do NOT have any inappropriate physical or verbal contact with others.

Do NOT jump to conclusions about others without checking the facts.

Do NOT allow yourself to be drawn into inappropriate attention seeking behaviour such as tantrums or crushes.

Do NOT exaggerate or trivialise child abuse issues.

Do NOT show favouritism to any individual.

Do NOT make suggestive remarks or gestures.

Do NOT rely on just your good name to protect you.

Do NOT believe “it could never happen to me”.