OTTERY ST MARY YOUTH FC Newsletter Autumn 2017 Washbrook Meadows, Butts Road, Ottery St Mary In this issue New under 7 team and coaches. Respect The Youth sections very own on-line shop Coaching qualifications and training year, yes there are areas we could improve on, and we aspire to make 2017/18 an even better year. We are very proud of the fact that more and more children are choosing Ottery St Mary FC Youth section as the place they want to there play their football and we fully expect numbers to continue to rise in years to come. Safeguarding Grass cutting Fundraising and Sponsorship The committee Main club news Wow mid-october already, the nights are drawing in and Tar Barrels is just around the corner. Nevertheless, a warm but belated welcome back to all players, new and old, and their families and friends. Hopefully we are going to have a season of good football, great excitement and fun. 2017/18 The last few months have been extremely busy down at Washbrook Meadows in preparation for the new season. Players have had to be registered, fees collected, new balls, kit and equipment purchased and set up, finances reviewed, pitches allocated and prepared, insurance and affiliation fees paid, transfers sorted, training and courses organised for coaches and committee members, I could go on! It is quite a relief when the season kicks off and we get through the first few weeks without any major difficulties. As a club we believe that 2016/17 was a very good The New Under 7 team. It is always particularly exciting to see the youngest members of the club begin their footballing careers. If only you could bottle all that energy and enthusiasm! This year is particularly exciting as we have a larger than normal group. Thanks to Ali, Louise and Megan for taking up the challenge of coaching and running this team, they are doing a great job. Big thanks also to Craig Allen and Marc Gethin for running the initial coaching sessions that provided the launchpad for the team. Respect Hopefully you will have noticed several new notices and banners around the club. These are designed to remind everyone of the standards of behaviour expected at youth football matches. In line with the Football Associations Respect campaign we have codes of conduct that spectators, coaches and players are expected to follow. As a club we aim to create a safe and enjoyable environment in which football can be played.
Referees should be allowed to officiate and young players to participate without being subject to or experiencing abuse. On-line shop. In the next few weeks we should see the launch of our very own on-line club shop. This will offer players and supporters a range of exciting customised scarves, jackets, shirts and a variety of other items. Thanks to Marc Gethin and Mark Gleeson for their work on this. Coaching Qualifications and Training. All our coaches must be DBS checked and should be working towards or have their FA level 1 Coaching Certificates. They should also have an in-date Safeguarding Children Certificate and FA Emergency Aid Certificate. They are also required to undertake extra training every year to maintain their FA coaching certificate. Under 13 s David Jackson Under 15 s Declan McGowan Under 16 s Craig Allen Safeguarding Ottery St Mary Youth FC takes its responsibility to provide a safe environment for children to play football very seriously. All our coaches and officials have undertaken an enhanced Criminal Records Check through the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) All our coaches have attended a FA Safeguarding workshop which is revisited every 3 years All our coaches have a valid FA emergency First Aid Certificate We have a Welfare Officer who has undertaken FA training We have policies in place which we adhere to in recruitment and day to day coaching If you have any concerns, our club Chairman Craig Allen is our designated welfare officer and should you need to speak to anyone outside of the club, Devon FA has a welfare officer and the NSPCC a helpline. Coaches for 2017/18 Under 7 s Ali, Louise and Megan. Under 8 s Clint Hornsby Under 9 s Simon Harris Under 10 s - Marc Gethin and Andrew Dickason Under 12 s Adam Carpenter Our Safeguarding Policy can be read on: https://otterystmaryyouthfc.files.wordpress.com/20 16/11/ottery-st-mary-youth-football-clubsafeguarding-children-policy.pdf Grass cutting and grounds maintenance Unfortunately, all this lovely mild but wet weather means that the grass keeps growing at a phenomenal rate. Consequently, this means that it must be cut even more often than normal and line markings repainted again and again and again! Hopefully some 2
cold dry weather is just around the corner. On behalf of everyone at the club we must say a massive thank you to a few people firstly Sid, our 81-year-old groundsman, who voluntarily gives up many hours during the week to cut the grass and prepare the youth pitches. Thanks must also go to Mark Gleeson and Craig Allen. Mark spends a lot of time at the club cutting and maintaining the pitch across the lane to a very high standard. Craig measured and marked out the youth pitches at the front and back at the beginning of the season. If you know anyone who might be interested in helping maintain the club pitches and fantastic facilities we have in Ottery St Mary please let your coach know. In the meantime, it is important that individual teams ensure that lines are repainted and not lost. Sponsorship A big thanks to Greg Vooght and West Exe Forklifts for sponsoring the under 10 s kit and training jackets, they look amazing. Should you be interested in sponsoring the youth or main section of the club, or know anyone who may be, please speak to your coach. Aujen Limited for sponsoring our Under 8s Thanks also to JJ Tree surgery for helping with the clearance of shrubs and over hanging branches around the site. Fundraising We are in the process of setting up a fundraising committee in the youth section of the club, so if grass cutting is not your thing, this might well be. There is the possibility that Stilletto may play at the club on the 18 th November and plans are being made to sell bacon butties from the Coleridge Playgroup Building on Tar Barrels night. CM Hill Construction for sponsoring our Under 7s At present the Adult Section of the football club uses the front training pitches for car parking on tar barrels. We are in desperate need for parents / grandparents / friends to get involved with the car parking operation on the other side of town. If you can spare an hour or two to help raise valuable funds for the youth section and the carnival committee it would be greatly appreciated. 3
The Committee The Committee is a small group of people responsible for the smooth running of the youth section of the football club. The Committee members are all volunteers, many of us are also coaches, and feepaying members. We are always on the lookout for, and increasingly in need of, more people to help in a variety of ways. If you can spare some time marking lines, selling teas and coffees, fundraising or are interested in the overall running of the club please speak to your young person s coach. Many hands make light work. We want to be able to further develop the youth section of the club and provide an enjoyable footballing experience for as many children as possible but to do this we need your help. Main Club News The Adult Section is currently running two teams the men s first team and a Ladies eleven. The men will be playing in Division 3 of the Devon and Exeter League after three successive promotions. The team combines some experienced players with some younger players from recent youth teams. Managed by Dave Fairweather, the team aim to play good, quick passing football and have their eye fixed firmly on developing the team over the next few years. Matches take place at 2.00 pm or 3.00pm on a Saturday and spectators are always welcome, with the bar open and hot drinks always available. The Ladies are ready to enter their second season, and is made up largely of former youth players. The team play in Division One of the Devon Women s League. Home matches take place on a Sunday at 2.00pm. Come on down and support our local ladies. Club House and Bar We would just like to remind you that as part of your child s subscription you have family membership of the club and are welcome to come down and use the facilities. As well as our Big Screen TV, showing major sporting events, we offer Pool and Darts, as well as a skittle alley. Opening Times Thursday 18.00 to Late Friday 18.00 to Late Saturday 12.00 to Late Sunday 12.00 to 18.00 The club is also available for hire for private functions for any enquiry email info@otterystmaryafc.co.uk Extra news in brief. The main club pitch can now be used by Devon Air Ambulance, including at night when the floodlights can be turned on remotely. Work is presently taking place to create more storage / changing facilities. Upcoming Events 4
Live Music Stiletto Saturday 18 th November 2017 Contact us: Craig Allen Chairman, craig.allen@otterystmaryafc.co.uk Tel: 07490 372288 Or call in at the club Washbrook Meadows Butts Road Ottery St Mary EX11 1EL Or check out our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/osmyfc/ Comedy Night 25 th of November 2017 Tickets 8.00 advance, 10 on the door 5