WHITLEY BAY SPORTING CLUB CLUB HANDBOOK SEASON 2020/21 CONTENTS WELCOME Welcome to the Whitley Bay Sporting Club family, one of the largest sporting clubs in the North East. As we navigate through the unforgettable year that 2020 has been, with all the interruptions not only to football, but to all our lives, we’re hopeful that 2021 will see us return to normality and hope that football will be back for good. Welcome ........................................................................................................................................................ 3 We’ve created this handbook to provide you with an overview of the club, including how we operate, as Covid-19 ......................................................................................................................................................... 6 well as useful information about everything we do. Our Philosophy ............................................................................................................................................... 7 This season is a special one for our club - as well as it being our fifth year as a sporting club, it’s also our 60th year operating as a club. Policies & Procedures .................................................................................................................................... 8 Starting off under the name Whitley Bay Boys’ Club in 1960, the club changed its status in 2015 to ‘Sporting Club Structure ................................................................................................................................................ 10 Club’, now providing football and other opportunities for over 700 players, with over 100 volunteers currently active in the running of the club. Club Membership .......................................................................................................................................... 12 A registered charity, FA Charter Standard Club and Nike Partner Club, we’re hoping to move towards Club Finances ................................................................................................................................................ 13 community status in the near future. All of this means that, as a club, we operate to the highest possible standards the Football Association have set for football clubs, building a reputation that we’re extremely WBSC Online .................................................................................................................................................. 14 proud of. Development Centre ................................................................................................................................... 18 This season, we have 59 teams in total, including boys/mixed teams and girls teams, ranging from Under 7 all the way through to our adult first team, who gained promotion to Division 1 of the Northern Alliance league. Girls Football .................................................................................................................................................. 20 Last season also saw the formation of our adults’ reserve team (A Team), thus providing a pathway from junior into senior football. Mini Soccer .................................................................................................................................................... 22 Beyond football, we offer our players a number of exciting opportunities - including Junior Football ............................................................................................................................................... 24 Muay Thai boxing and strength and conditioning classes; junior sports leader courses for our U15 and U16 squads; help towards refereeing qualifications and more. Adult Football ............................................................................................................................................... 26 We’ve built a relationship with North Shields based Atomic Skills, where our players can attend workshops to develop life and career skills; and recently announced Club Training .................................................................................................................................................. 28 a new partnership with John Robinson Soccer USA, to help pave the way for college soccer scholarships in the USA. Club Kit .......................................................................................................................................................... 32 None of the above would even be possible, were it not for our army of loyal Boot Exchange .............................................................................................................................................. 33 and brillant volunteers. The attitude and willingness to support the club shown by our volunteers is possibly best captured by our club motto and philosophy Sponsorship Info ............................................................................................................................................. 36 “Nulli Secundus - Second to None”. There really is a genuine family feel to this club and, personally, I feel very proud to be a part of it. Club Partnerships .......................................................................................................................................... 38 Even through the Covid-19 pandemic and lockdowns, you could see Educational Opportunities .......................................................................................................................... 40 how special the club is by the way our members kept their camaraderie and spirits up, through online quizzes, FIFA Coaching & Development .......................................................................................................................... 42 tournaments, online challenges and messages of support for each other. Collaborations ............................................................................................................................................... 44 Hopefully, football will be back for good, and this season will Events ............................................................................................................................................................. 46 see the club carry on its amazing journey. As always, I’d like to personally thank you all for your continued support for Gallery ........................................................................................................................................................... 48 Whitley Bay Sporting Club. Sponsor Index ................................................................................................................................................ 50 Thanks. Rob Rob Nixon (Club Chairman) ABOUT THE CLUB IN THIS SECTION: • COVID-19: information on what we’re doing • OUR PHILOSOPHY: what we’re trying to achieve • POLICIES & PROCEDURES: how we protect players & members • CLUB STRUCTURE: how we operate DEVELOPING THE PLAYERS • CLUB MEMBERSHIP: our membership information OF TOMORROW, TODAY • CLUB FINANCES: where the money goes • WBSC ONLINE: where to find us online COVID-19 OUR PHILOSOPHY Covid-19 Information Page Developing the players of tomorrow, today We’re fully aware that the impact from Covid-19 will continue to be felt for the months ahead. With At Whitley Bay Sporting Club, our focus is on player development. We want to provide the best possible constantly changing legislation and information, the club have appointed two dedicated Covid Officers experience for our players and their families. We’re extremely proud of our club, our reputation within - Ayesha Foster and Phil Welton - to ensure the club is up-to-date with all the relevant information. the community, and what we’ve achieved so far. Please be assured that we are prepared for this and take this responsibility very seriously; and all the Having a clear club philosophy allows us: necessary risk assessments, PPE requirements and up-to-date information remain a priority. The club • to have clear principles to inform our practice & decisions have given all coaches and volunteers free club branded face coverings. • to ensure a consistent offering to all players • to build a recognized & renowned club identify Coaches and club officials are regularly briefed on any updates and all our information can be found on our website - www.whitleybaysportingclub.co.uk - under our Covid-19 section. Our aim is to develop the players of tomorrow, today by: • instilling a lifelong love of football in our children Please refer to this page if you have any queries regarding how the club are dealing with anything • help our children become better people Covid related. • help our children become better players We achieve these 3 aims across our junior football provision by following three key principles: Coaching the person Create learning environments based on core values of respect, effort, fun, and use the power of football to help our children become better people. Development-focussed & Player-centered Prioritise the development of every individual player over the result of the game. Encourage and embrace mistakes as learning opportunities, promote the “power of practice”, and empower children to make their own decisions. Games-based practices Use a games-based approach to practice design to help our children become better players. We encourage all players (and supporters) to support