We are not going to kid anyone in this statement, we love to win, our players love to win, our parents love to win and our spectators love to win, but its not win at all costs.

It’s the job of the managers and coaches to ensure that the primary job of this football club is to develop players so they can reach there full football potential by tailoring the coaching around the player first and the result second. Put simply we don’t encourage the lump it and chase it mentality, prevalent in so many levels of English football, the short term gain of that approach has a long term pain by failing to equip the player in the basic fundamentals of control and technique.

The ages of 7-11 are referred to the golden age of learning, its something we want to take advantage of by coaching our players in an environment where their not afraid to try something new for fear of making a mistake, where they can learn the value of a good first touch and the joy of pulling off that piece of skill they saw their hero do on the TV. We will endeavour to make our coaching sessions like a child’s shoes; that it fits and it’s comfortable, that every player has a ball each with as many touches as is possible to learn that mastery of the ball is the key to all great footballers.

Along side the learning of skill and technique we will show our young players the value good mobility and quick feet, but we won’t run them to the top of the hill just to run them down again, children have enough energy and don’t need fitness training they just need to have their energy channelled correctly for the needs of football.

Over their time playing mini-soccer we hope that, with those basic fundamentals taking hold they will gain awareness for the game. Our young players will discover this by making their own decisions free from the fear of failure and with some guidance from us, so hopefully they can go on to the challenges 11 a-side football confident in their own ability.
 

Players should:-

• Promote good sportsmanship at all times and avoid all forms of gamesmanship and time wasting.

• Accept referee’s decision whether right or wrong, without question or comment.

• Not use inappropriate language or become involved in fighting or spitting. Any incidents could lead to disciplinary action by the club.

• Know and abide by the laws of the game.

• Treat all other players; including opponents, with due respect at all times, avoiding violence and any rough play.

• Assist if requested by their coach with the setting up and taking down of all training equipment.

• Make every effort to attend training and develop their own abilities in terms of skill, tactics and stamina.

• Conduct themselves at all times in a manner which contributes to the enjoyment of football for their own and their opponents teams.

• If players do not attend the training sessions they may not be able to start in the match and may only be allowed to play as a substitute.

Managers/coaches must always put the safety and wellbeing of their players as their first priority by:

• Ensuring all sessions are appropriate for the age, maturity, experience and ability of the players involved.

• Making sure that each player has the correct kit, shin pads, boots etc.

• That all equipment used is in good repair and that the area to be used is free of debris and is fit for purpose.

• A player should never physically or mentally be pushed beyond their capabilities or allowed or encouraged to play with an injury.

• Any injured player must receive attention straight away.

• A first aid kit and mobile phone must be kept in a designated safe area in close proximity to the playing area in case of minor or major injury problems.

Managers/coaches must set a positive example to the players’, parents and spectators by:

• Not smoking or drinking alcohol during a training session or match.

• Displaying high standards of behaviour, appearance and punctuality at all times.

• Never using or tolerating inappropriate language.

• Accepting the decisions of match officials without protest.

• Avoiding all forms of gamesmanship.

• Promoting ethical principles and respecting the integrity of the game.

• By never condoning or encouraging violations of the laws or spirit of the game.

• Showing due respect to due respect to the players, coaches, supporters and officials of their own or opposing team.

Managers/coaches must also:

• Read and understand their responsibilities as laid down in the Surrey Youth League handbook.

• Actively promote the clubs code of conduct.

• Make sure they understand the laws of the game and to keep themselves abreast of any changes to the laws including mini-soccer.

Tooting and Mitcham Utd. Stripes also fully except the code of conduct as set down by F.A.C.A. and treat it as one and the same with our own internal code of conduct. We also expect all our coaches to constantly be seeking to enhance their knowledge of the game through consultation with other coaches at the club, through membership of F.A.C.A. or by F.A.courses.
 

• Under no circumstances are you to coach a child during training or a match (unless directed to do so by the Manager/Coach)

• Do not force an unwilling Child to participate in football.

• Children are involved for their enjoyment, not yours.

• Never ridicule or scold a child for making a mistake during the game

• Read the Laws of the Game to better understand what you are looking at, and commenting on.

• Encourage players to play to the Laws of the Game and not to argue with match official’s decisions.

• Children learn best by example. Applaud all good play by your team and the opposition

• Show respect for your team’s opponents

• Be on your best behaviour. Do not use profane language or harass, physically or verbally, players, managers/coaches or match officials.

• Support all efforts to remove verbal and physical abuse from children’s football.

• Condemn the use of violence and verbal abuse.

• Recognize the value and importance of managers/coaches many of whom are volunteers. They give their time and resources to provide organized football for your children.

• Promote good sportsmanship at all times

• Do not enter the field of play at any time during the play. (Unless directed so by a team manager).

Tooting & Mitcham Utd. Stripes Football Club - Child Protection Policy

1 Tooting & Mitcham Utd. Stripes Football Club acknowledges its responsibility to safeguard the welfare of every child and young person who has been entrusted to its care and is committed to working to provide a safe environment for all members. A child or young person is anyone under the age of 18 engaged in any club football activity. We subscribe to The Football Association’s child protection and best practice policy and procedures and endorse and adopt the policy statement contained in that document.

2 The key principles of The FA child protection policy are that:

• The child’s welfare is, and must always be, the paramount consideration

• All children and young people have a right to be protected from abuse regardless of their age, gender, disability, culture, language, racial origin, religious beliefs or sexual orientation

• All suspicions and allegations of abuse will be taken seriously and responded to swiftly and appropriately

• Working in partnership with other organisations, children and young people and their parents or carers is essential. We acknowledge that every child or young person who plays or participates in football should be able to take part in an enjoyable and safe environment and be protected from poor practice and abuse. Tooting & Mitcham Utd. Stripes Football Club recognises that this is the responsibility of every adult involved in our club.

3 Tooting & Mitcham Utd. Stripes Football Club has a role to play in safeguarding the welfare of all children and young people by protecting them from physical, sexual or emotional harm and from neglect or bullying. It is noted and accepted that The Football Association’s child protection regulation (see The FA Handbook) applies to everyone in football whether in a paid or voluntary capacity. This includes those who are a volunteer, match official, helper on club tours, football coach, club official or medical staff.

4 We endorse and adopt The FA’s child protection and best practice guidelines for recruiting volunteers and will:

• Develop a role profile

• Request identification documents

•  As a minimum meet and chat with the applicant(s) and where possible conduct interviews before appointing

• Request and follow up with two references before appointing

• Require an FA CRB Unit Enhanced Disclosure where appropriate in line with FA guidelines.

All current Tooting & Mitcham Utd. Stripes Football Club members with direct access to children and young people will be required to complete a CRB Enhanced Disclosure via The FA CRB Unit. If there are concerns regarding the appropriateness of an individual who is already involved or who has approached us to become part of Tooting & Mitcham Utd. Stripes Football Club guidance will be sought from The Football Association. It is noted and accepted that The FA will consider the relevance and significance of the information obtained via The FA CRB Unit Enhanced CRB Disclosure and that all decisions will be made in the best interests of children and young people.

It is accepted that The FA aims to prevent people with a history of relevant and significant offending from having contact with children or young people and the opportunity to influence policies or practice with children or young people. This is to prevent direct sexual or physical harm to children and to minimise the risk of ‘grooming’ within football.

5 Tooting & Mitcham Utd. Stripes Football Club supports The FA’s whistle blowing policy. Any adult or young person with concerns about a colleague can ‘whistle blow’ by contacting The FA Child Protection Manager on 0207 745 4771, by writing to The FA Case Manager at The Football Association, 25 Soho Square, London W1 D 4FA or by going direct to the police, social services or the NSPCC. Tooting & Mitcham Utd. Stripes Football Club encourages everyone to know about it and utilise it if necessary.

6 Tooting & Mitcham Utd. Stripes Football Club has appointed a Club Welfare Officer (CWO) in line with The FA’s role profile and required completion of the child protection and best practice workshop. The post holder will be involved with designated person’s training provided by The FA. The CWO is the first point of contact for all club members and parents or guardians regarding concerns for the welfare of any child or young person. They will liaise directly with the CFA CPO and will be familiar with the procedures for referring any concerns. They will also play a proactive role in increasing an awareness of poor practice and abuse amongst club members.

7 We acknowledge and endorse The FA’s identification of bullying as a category of abuse. Bullying of any kind is not acceptable at our club. If bullying does occur, all players, parents or guardians should be able to tell and know that incidents will be dealt with promptly. Incidents need to be reported to the CWO, a member of the committee or, in cases of serious bullying contact the CFA CPO.

8 Codes of conduct for players, parents or spectators, officials and coaches have been implemented by Tooting & Mitcham Utd. Stripes Football Club. In order to validate these codes of conduct the club has clear sanctions to deal with any misconduct at club level and acknowledges the possibility of potential sanctions which may be implemented by leagues or the CFA in more serious circumstances. All prospective members will be informed of these codes.

9 Further advice on child protection matters can be obtained from:

• The County Football Association’s Child Protection Officer, whose details can be found in the County Handbook

• The Football Association/NSPCC Child Protection

• 24-Hour Helpline 0808 800 5000

• www.TheFA.com/Goal

• The FA child protection team 0207 745 4649.

1. The club will be known as Tooting and Mitcham United Stripes Football Club.

2. The club will aim to promote and further the aims of Tooting and Mitcham United Football Club, which should always remain its parent club.

3. Any member of Tooting and Mitcham Utd Stripes must be a member of Tooting and Mitcham Utd (see rules 4)

4. A member will be deemed to be: any one parent/guardian of one child under 17 years of age, or a player aged at least 17 years, currently training or playing for the club, or supporter (who has paid the same amount as any participant of the group he/she is attached to), who have fully paid all subscriptions due for the current season, on or before 14 days previous to any annual or extra-ordinary meeting of the club ( as detailed in rules 20,21 and 22). Also any persons selected to manage, assistant manage, coach or assistant coach, any of the teams within the group, so long as they have been selected to do so, by the elected committee.

5. The club will provide a quality, safe football environment for any child or youth who wishes to participate.

6. The club will aim to raise the standard of play of every participant, thus enabling the player to participate more fully in their team, gain increased enjoyment from their football and appreciate that football is part of an education process.

7. The club should be open to any one who fulfils the criteria as specified in rules 2,3,5 and 16 regardless of race, colour, cultural background, religion, economic circumstances (see rule 5), any disability and gender. Each participant should be treated equally irrespective of these factors.

8. Attempts should be made to recognise the economic, social and cultural circumstances of potential participants, and endeavour to make provision, where possible, for them to become members.

9. The club should be non-elitist, aim to provide the highest possible standards for anyone, regardless of ability, within the whole of the Tooting and Mitcham Utd and Hub.

10. The club will be based within the Merton, Wandsworth and Lambeth London Borough districts (in the tradition of Tooting and Mitcham United Football Club), but will be open to anyone regardless of address.

11. The club will be members of The Football Association, by virtue of it’s affiliation with The London and/or Surrey F.A.(s) and be bound by their rules thereof.

12. The club will provide the highest qualified staff available, to achieve the aims as specified in rule 2. This will mean attempting to provide a coach qualified to UEFA “B” license standard for all groups. In doing so this will ensure that all coaches will have been F.A. CRB checked.

13. All team managers should have attended the relevant team managers courses, or be qualified at a Football Association recognized coaching level.

14. All football matters will be at the sole discretion of the manager and coach (and assistants) of a group. This should be recognised and respected by all parents and supporters.

15. The club will attempt to provide a ball per participant at all training sessions, and all equipment for a high quality coaching session, as specified by the Football Association.

16. The club will attempt to educate their players in the latest sport science ideas, thus improving health, fitness and well-being.

17. The club should aim to run football teams at all age groups, where practical, in as high standard as possible.

18. The club will insist on good discipline of all members. Racist, anti-social, threatening or violent behaviour will not be tolerated. All members should attend (within reason) at least one training session a week as playing in matches.
See rule 3.

19. All disciplinary measures are at the sole discretion of the committee. Any behaviour deemed by the committee, as contrary to the actuality or spirit of this constitution, would lead to a personal meeting between a representative of the club, and the player (and parent if appropriate) concerned, and an appropriate punishment would be applied should the club representative feel that the behaviour warranted it.

20. Any punishment could be appealed against to the secretary of chair of the club.

21. The club should be non-profit making, with all monies redeployed for the benefit of the club. As such, subscriptions should be kept to as low a level as possible, with sponsorships and grants sought, and fund raising events organised.

22. The committee should aim to consist of Chairperson, Vice Chairperson, Treasurer, Secretary and a Football and Resources Manager (club manager).

23. The committee will hold office for one year, running from June 1st – May 31st. All committee positions will be open for election for the following year, from a quorum of at least 10% of all members, at the annual meeting (or see rule 19) of the group. All positions will be filled by way of voting, for most popular applicant for that role. If the quorum is not met, all committee members are automatically re-elected, and the constitution remains unchanged. Any committee vacancy will be filled, by any person who is nominated by at least 5% of the membership, and as long as no other person advises a committee member of their intention to seek election, within fourteen days. If more than one person advises a committee member of their intention to seek a position on the committee, after the annual meeting, an extra-ordinary meeting will have to be convened, as per rule 25.

24. The annual meeting should be notified to all members of the chair, at least 14 days before the event, detailing date, start time and venue.

25. The AGM will be called between the months of May and September every year, and organizational meetings would be held as and when deemed necessary.

26. Extra-ordinary meetings can be called at any time, when at least 10% of the members express a desire to change the constitution, or the committee, or to discuss a matter of extreme importance to the club. The same criteria for rule changes and the calling of the meeting, as in rules 20 and 21 will be observed. Up to a maximum of 2 such meetings can be held in any one year from June 1st – May 31st.

27. Any constitution rule can be changed at an annual or extra-ordinary meeting by at least 67% of the full-membership voting for a change.

28. Bank (building society) accounts should be held by the Treasurer of the club.. These accounts for each team should be made available, by 31st May each year, to any applicant from the membership.

29. Public liability insurance should be obtained from a company recommended by the county and national F.A., and should cover the actions of all club individuals involved in, travelling to and from the club activities.

30. All constitution rule changes as agreed at an annual or extra-ordinary meeting should be notified to all members.

31. Should the club fold, once all debts have been met, any surplus resources owned by the club, should be disbursed to a local club, whose constitution is closest to that of this constitution. The decision should be taken by the elected committee, after discussion with members, sponsors and grantees.

32. Separate child protection and code of conduct documents have been produced, and are considered central to this club, and are part-documents of this constitution. All members when joining the club will have deemed to have read these documents and agreed to adhere to them.

33. Any member who joins the club will have deemed to have read and agreed to this constitution.