Policy on Football

This welcome pack should provide you with everything you need to know about how the club is set-up and managed, and how we expect everyone involved to participate, so that the children can enjoy playing football and can really get something out of it!

We want to make sure that the children of Olney have a fun and safe environment in which to play competitive football. The committee and coaches all put a lot into making the club work successfully – we need to make sure that everyone helps us.

Health & Safety

In order to offer safe facilities for football, and in order to satisfy the Football Club’s requirements for Insurance cover, all colts training and matches need to be supervised by someone recognised by the Colts Committee.

For the purposes of describing the policy, this person will be referred to as the “supervisor”. The supervisor could be a manager, trainer, coach or supervising parent. The following statements represent the safety policy:

The activities covered by the safety policy are recognised as matches and training activities that an informed person would expect in running a football team.
Each team operates with an optimum ratio of 8 players per supervisor for children at under 11’s, and 6 players for all children under 10 years. The decision of the appointed team manager is final in deciding the safe levels of supervision.
The appointed team manager, or their nominated alternate, will assess the area for training or matches in accordance with best practice, to ensure the area is safe for play to start. The decision of the appointed team manager over the fitness of the pitch, surroundings etc. will be final.
Parents are not expected to stay to watch their children play, however a parent or parent’s alternate should be available to collect the child in the unlikely event of suspension due to unruly behaviour, injury or bad weather.
There should be a minimum of 2 supervisors available at each activity

At least one of the supervisors will:

Hold a basic first aid qualification.
Have available when supervising children, in either a training or match situation, contact details for each child under their supervision.
Have available a basic first aid kit.
Have access to the gate key in the event that an Ambulance is required at the Recreation Ground.
Be registered on the Coaches Registration scheme with Milton Keynes Council.
Hold the level 1 Coaching Certificate.
Each supervisor should have been police checked in accordance with the recommended practice.
Each supervisor should be a paid up member of Olney Town Football Club.
From time to time parents will be expected to support the supervision of their child’s team. The Team Manager will give three days notice.
Parents may choose to give their consent for supervisors to transport children to and from matches using their own transport. If this is not acceptable to the parent then they must make their own arrangements for travel. Parents should be available to collect the child in the unlikely event of an injury whilst at an away match.

Breaches in this safety policy should be reported to the Colts Committee as soon as possible. Parents expressing concerns over the safe conduct of activities should report their concerns in writing to the Child Protection/Parental Representative. The Child Protection/Parental Representative, Chairman and Secretary will conduct an investigation and respond to the concern in writing. In the event that the concern is raised against the Chairman or Secretary of the Colts Committee, then the matter should be addressed in writing to the Club Secretary. The concern will then be dealt with in accordance with the Club’s main committee procedures.

Admissions

The Colts Committee shall appoint a Team Manager for each Team each season. The Colts Committee expects that each Team Manager will:

Assess the numbers of players required in order to fulfil those fixtures to which the team is committed.
Assess the amount of supervisory assistance required in order to comply with the safety policy above.
Assess the amount of supervisory assistance required in line with the coaching supervision required by their chosen squad. Inform the Colts Committee where they cannot comply with the safety policy.
Inform the Colts Committee of the likely maximum squad that is required and can be accommodated within the safety policy.

Please note: The leagues in which we play restrict the sizes of squads that we are allowed to register at the beginning of each season. When considering which children will be registered to play, priority will be given to those children who were registered for the previous season.

Where children approach Olney Town Colts wanting to play football, then:

They should ideally be able to play within their designated age group.
No distinction shall be made based on gender.
The Team Manager will assess his/her ability to accommodate the child into their team(s) in accordance with the safety policy.
The Team Manager will assess the child’s ability, attitude and behaviour, prior to accepting their application. The Team Manager may hold trials in order to assess the ability, attitude and behaviour of the child. The trials will not last longer than 4 training sessions. No subscription is payable until the child has been formally accepted by the manager.

The Team Manager may accept the application on the following basis:

The child is registered to play in the league team and friendlies.
The child is accepted to train with the team but may not play in league or cup matches as children already accepted during the season have filled the registered places.
The Team Manager may place the child on a waiting list. The child will then be invited to play, either when another child withdraws from the team, or additional places are made available because additional supervisory help has become available.
The decision of the Team Manager over the size and composition of his/her team squad is final, providing it complies with the safety policy outlined in this document.

The Colts Committee will have a standard letter prepared which:

States the policy of the football club.
Supports the Team Managers in the decision that they make.
Provides the parents with an appeal facility via the Colts Committee.

Fees

Players issued with a full kit (shirt, shorts, socks) at 11-a-side: £80 per season.

Players issued with a full kit (shirt, shorts, socks) playing mini soccer: £70 per season.

Players registered to train: £5 per term.

Players joining during a term will be charged at the manager’s discretion.

Players withdrawing during the season will not be refunded.

Players whose fees remain unpaid for 6 weeks after the due date may be withdrawn from the team or denied access to training.

By accepting the fee Olney Town Colts provide:

Frequent but not weekly training activities. Training is difficult during the winter months due to a shortage of floodlit facilities for evening coaching and matches taking place at weekends, and supervisors work committments.
A full football kit to those registered to play in the league. Occasionally, full football kit may be issued to those not registered, in which case the full subscription rate may be charged. This will include club shirt, shorts and socks. Boots (or trainers) and shin pads must be provided by parents/guardians – if shin pads are not worn, the child will not be allowed to play. Kit may be shared to accommodate those playing in friendly matches. NOTE: A deposit (currently £15) will be required in case kit is not returned at the end of the season.
League fixtures for those registered to play in the league. Friendly fixtures will be arranged wherever possible to ensure that the maximum number of games can be played.

Discipline

The supervisors will ensure that children taking part in the activity conduct themselves in a proper manner. Any behaviour which places the safety of others taking part in the activity will be dealt with by reprimand in the first instance for less serious offences or suspension (either to individuals, or the entire activity) where the risk of injury is unacceptable.

Team Managers have the right to suspend or expel children who continually fail to meet the required standards of behaviour and safe practice. Instances of suspension and expulsion should be reported to the Colts Committee. Appeals against suspension or expulsion should be made in writing to the Colts Committee. The Colts Committee will investigate the suspension or expulsion and respond in writing.

Equality

We as a group aim to treat all members of the community fairly and equally, taking into account any special needs that people might have.

The aim of this statement is to ensure that no member receives less favourable treatment on any grounds.

Child Protection

From time to time we will publicise your child’s team’s achievements through local media, football newsletters and on our new website. This is achieved usually with the use of digital pictures of the teams or match reports.

By signing the club registration form you provide permission for images of the player to be used as stated above.

Olney Town Colts F.C. recognises the need to ensure the welfare and safety of all young people in football. As part of our commitment to ensure the safety of young people we will not permit photographs, video or other images of young people to be taken without the consent of the parents/carers and the young person.

Olney Town Colts F.C will follow the guidance for the use of images of children and young people.

Olney Town Colts F.C will take all steps to ensure these images are used solely for the purpose they are intended which the promotion and celebration of the activities of Olney Town Colts F.C.

If you become aware that these images are being used inappropriately you should inform Olney Town Colts. F.C immediately

The F.A Child protection department has produced the following guidelines on best practice (golden rules) on the use of images of children and young people.

The Ten Golden Rules:

All Children must be appropriately dressed
Photography or recording should focus on the activity, not on a particular young person.
Images should focus on small groups rather than individuals.
Images of a child who is under a court order should never be used.
If a young person is named, avoid using their photograph.
a photograph is used, avoid naming the person or use their first name only. Personal details should never be revealed.
Make sure parents/carers/young person have signed the Club Registration Form before active participation in club activities.
Use photographs that represent the broad range of youngsters participating in football.
All people taking photographs or recording footage should be registered with the Football club and/or have verbal permission from the supervising manager of each event.

All concerns regarding the inappropriate or intrusive photography should be reported to either the Child Protection/Parental Representative, the Chairman, or the Secretary.