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Team Updates/Split

Thursday 24th February 2011

You may have noticed that we have been experimenting with splitting our 40-odd players into two groups, based on age. This is partly because there is more scope for the older players to be playing semi-competitive games against other clubs (friendlies whose results are not recorded by the League) which is not appropriate for many of our younger players. It is also partly in anticipation of next season, when the older players will become next year's U8s and play in the Harrogate and Wharfedale friendly league.

This has been working well, and also means that our oldest players are not a hazard to our youngest players. We will therefore be splitting into two teams that still gives us two fairly even sized groups of roughly 20 players each.

U7s - If players were born before Sep 1st, 2004 they will be in the U7s (this means pretty much anyone in Yr 2 at school)
U6s - If children were born on or after Sept 1st, 2004, they will play in the U6s (anyone in Reception or Yr 1 at school)

We will still all continue to train together this season and the U6s will continue to play occasional competitive games also, but only against other U6s. Coaches may float, especially on days when games against other Clubs are scheduled.

U6s - Neil Knox (newly qualified FA Level 1 Coach- well done Neil) and I will stay with the U6s this year, and plan to take them through as U7s next year.
U7s - James Summersall (FA Level 1 qualified), James Featherstone and John Normand will take the U7s this year through as U8s next year.

Where we need your help:

1.      You will see that there is an imbalance, and we really need at least one more parent to help with coaching the U6s. This can be informal, or the Club will pay for you to take a qualification.

2.      We will need also someone else to take over the comms for the U7s when they transition to U8 team. The sooner this happens, the easier it will be when the teams split.

3.      Finally, we will be asking parents to referee at inter-Club matches- each Club needs to provide one referee per team playing, and we really need to be coaching the players rather than ref'ing. This is not difficult (keep it fun, keep it fair, no off-side rule) and I can pass on my limited know-how, or again there are courses available.

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