THE SCOTTISH HIGHLAND FOOTBALL LEAGUE YOUTH DEVELOPMENT TERMS OF REFERENCE AND PRINCIPLES TITLE 1. This combination of clubs participating at Under 15 and Under 17 age levels shall be known as The Scottish Highland Football League Youth Development OBJECTS 2. The Objects of the Scottish Highland League Youth Development shall be to:- 2.1 Foster and develop the game of Association Football for talented youngsters at youth level. 2.2 Establish a development structure for the best young players in the Scottish Highland Football League area at Under 15 and Under 17 age levels. 2.3 Provide a series of development matches at these age levels between clubs in membership of The Scottish Highland Football League and invited clubs participating in the Youth Development. 2.4 Establish a properly co-ordinated training and development structure. Control and limit the number of competitive matches played at these age levels with a maximum of 35 games plus any international fixtures and schools matches. 2.5 Provide a good standard of training and playing facilities. MEMBERSHIP 3. Membership of each age level shall be open to the Under 15 and Under 17 youth teams of all the clubs in membership of The Scottish Highland Football League and invited clubs who are members or affiliated members of the Scottish Football Association Ltd in the Aberdeenshire F A and North of Scotland F A areas. CONTROL 4. The Scottish Highland Football League Youth Development shall be governed by the Management Committee of The Scottish Highland Football League who shall have full powers in all matters relating to the Youth Development. The Management Committee shall delegate the administrative affairs of the Youth Development to a Sub-Committee, which shall be appointed by the Scottish Highland Football League Management Committee. These Terms of Reference and Principles shall be subject to the approval of The Scottish Football Association.
SUB-COMMTTTEE 5. The administrative affairs of the Youth Development shall be vested in a Committee hereinafter called the Youth Development Sub-Committee. The Committee shall comprise of seven representatives from competing clubs of which a minimum of five to come from competing Scottish Highland Football League clubs, and be chaired by an Office bearer of the Scottish Highland Football League. Each club participating in the Youth Development can nominate a representative and the Scottish Highland Football League Management Committee will select seven from those nominated. Four members of the Committee together with the Chairman shall form the quorum Each representative shall serve for a period of three years after which they can apply for re election. The election of the members shall be spread over the three year cycle in order to preserve the continuity of the Committee. The cycle shall be two members, three members and three members. The Chairman, who must be an Office Bearer of the Scottish Highland Football League, shall be included in the final group of members. The person representing the clubs must be bona fide Committee member of the club he purports to represent. 6 6.1 Eligibility ELIGIBILITY OF PLAYERS In order to be eligible to participate in the Youth Development, a player will require to be registered for his club under the terms of the Registration Procedures as laid down by the Scottish Football Association for Non-Recreational Football. 6.2 Age Limit To be eligible to participate in the Youth Development, the following criteria will apply:- 6.2.1 Age Level 15 Players must be under 15 years of age on the 1 st January during the playing season. 6.2 2 Age Level 17 Players must be under 17 years of age on the 1 st January during the playing season. 6.3 Registration 6.3.1 As per Clause 2.5.1 of the SFA Registration Procedures a club may only register up to 20 players in each age group at any one time.
6.3.2 A player registered by means of the SFA Registration Procedures shall be subject to the Terms of Reference and Principles of The Scottish Highland Football League Youth Development, the Rules of The Scottish Highland Football League and the Articles of Association of The Scottish Football Association. 6.4 Playing of Players Without Registration No more than three Trialists may be allowed to participate for any club in any Scottish Highland Football League Youth Development match in any season. Each Trialist may be allowed to participate in a maximum of three matches in the Youth Development for any one club providing he is otherwise eligible to do so. Any club wishing to play a player registered for a club in membership of The Scottish Youth Football Association as a Trialist in the Youth Development Initiative must obtain the prior written consent of his club beforehand. 6.5 Teamlines All clubs must supply copies of the official Scottish Highland Football League Youth Development teamlines containing the list of names of all of the players participating to the match referee and their opponents 15 minutes before the scheduled kick-off time. Any player who is a trialist should be clearly marked with the letter T in the box provided on the teamlines. The match referee shall submit their copy of the teamlines to The Scottish Highland Football League within four days after each match. VENUES 7. All matches in The Scottish Highland Football League Youth Development must be played at a ground which has a playing surface and changing accommodation that is of an acceptable standard to The Scottish Highland Football League. Clubs will be permitted to play matches in the Youth Development on artificial grass surfaces. When a match is not played at the registered ground of the home club the alternative venues must be within the boundaries of the home club s home town. DAYS OF MATCHES 8. The Secretary shall have power to arrange matches as deemed necessary. Matches will be scheduled for and will normally be played on a Sunday although they may be played on any other day subject to the mutual agreement of both clubs. In the event of any dispute arising then the matter should be reported to the Secretary. He will then liaise with the Chairman and two other Committee Members who will adjudicate between them and stipulate when the game will be played. Should any match in the Youth Development being postponed or
abandoned, it is not compulsory for the postponed or abandoned match to be replayed. KICK-OFF TIME OF MATCHES 9. Matches played on a Sunday will kick-off at 2.00pm unless it is outwith BST when kick-off time will be 1.00pm. However provided both clubs agree it is permissible to change the kick-off time subject to the approval of the Assistant Secretary. The home club will be responsible for advising the match referee. In the event of a dispute then the matter should be referred to the Secretary. He will then liaise with the Chairman and two other Committee Members who will adjudicate between them and stipulate when the game will be played. MATCH OFFICIALS 10. A match referee shall be appointed by The Scottish Highland Football League for all matches played in the Youth Development from a list provided by The Scottish Football Association. The tariff for referees shall be decided by The Scottish Highland Football League Management Committee. The Home Club shall pay the fees of all referees appointed to officiate at Youth Development matches. Referees will report to the registered ground of the home club no later than 45 minutes prior to the stipulated kick-off time. An official of the home club will then direct them to the venue of their matches if the matches are being played at an alternative ground. At the end of each playing season Member Clubs will submit to the Secretary a statement of all Match Official s expenses for league games only. Average expenses will be calculated and the Clubs charged or reimbursed as appropriate. Referees shall be advised by the Referee Development Department of The Scottish Football Association of the environment of development and education within the Youth Development for both young players and referees alike, and give guidance on the principles of management and discipline expected of referees. RESPONSIBILITY OF HOME CLUBS 11. Any alteration to venue, date and time of kick-off must be notified by the home club to its opponent, The Scottish Highland Football League and match referee. In the event of the home club failing to notify the match officials of any change in the arrangements for the match or its postponement and they travel to the venue they will be entitled to received half of their match fee plus expenses. All Clubs shall be required to appoint a Youth Co-ordinator who will act as the principal point of contact for all administrative matters relating to the youth teams. Additionally Clubs should nominate one person for each age-group as its particular point of contact as an alternative should the Youth Co-ordinator be unavailable.
STATUS OF MATCHES BETWEEN PARTICIPATING CLUBS 12. The games for Under 15 and Under 17 age-groups will be Development Matches. Clubs will be grouped on a geographical basis the composition of which will be determined by the Sub-Committee. The Youth Development matches will be non-competitive and there will be no recording of match results, no league tables issued and no trophies and medals awarded. Accordingly, whilst the duration of matches will normally be 90 minutes, it is mandatory that all Youth Development matches will be split into a maximum of three periods of thirty minutes duration each. At the conclusion of each period of thirty minutes, the coach of each participating club shall be permitted to offer coaching, advice and tuition to the players participating. In addition the match referee and, where applicable, the referee advisor in attendance, shall also be permitted to offer advice on the Laws of the Game and the reasons for decisions that have taken place during the preceding thirty minute period. Each team shall consist of a pool of 16 players. OBLIGATION BY COACHES AND PLAYERS TO ATTEND FORMAL TRAINING COURSES 13. A player who, on being registered as a Youth Development player shall be eligible to undertake formal training courses as jointly provided by The Scottish Football Association and The Scottish Highland Football League. Coaches and players are obliged to participate in any educational and training programmes organised by The Scottish Football Association s Technical Department. It shall be obligatory for clubs and players to attend such courses of training unless granted dispensation by all of the aforementioned bodies. MONITORING OF YOUTH DEVELOPMENT 14. The activities of each club participating in the Youth Development will be monitored by the Youth Development Sub-Committee in conjunction with The Scottish Football Association's Technical Department to ensure that each club is conforming with the Terms of Reference and Principles of the Youth Development and in particular, each club participating is undertaking the Objects contained in Clause 2. COACH QUALIFICATIONS 15. Each club involved in the Youth development Programme must adhere to the criteria laid down by the Scottish Football Association for participation in the Initiative Scheme relevant for their level.
REGISTER OF COACHING STAFF 16. Each club must supply a register of all coaches involved in the Youth Development to The Scottish Football Association and The Scottish Highland Football League. It is the responsibility of every club concerned to update this register. All coaches must complete and submit to The Scottish Football Association, a copy of the Association's self-certification form. Copies of this form will be duly sent to the police for verification. CHILD PROTECTION POLICY 17. Compulsory attendance of coaches is expected at courses organised by The Scottish Football Association's Technical Department on "Child and Coach Protection". In addition, clubs would be expected, with assistance from the appropriate agencies, including The Scottish Football Association, to implement a Child Protection Policy. DISCIPLINE 18. The Scottish Football Association Youth Development Initiative Disciplinary Procedures will apply. A player who incurs three cautions during a season will be suspended for one match, commencing 14 days after the date of the third caution being incurred. A player who is sent off will be suspended automatically for his club s next match in the age group in which he was sent off. Matters of repeated indiscipline by one player or club will be investigated by The Scottish Football Association's Technical Department as part of the ongoing monitoring of the Youth Development and its stated objectives. The Disciplinary Procedures for the Youth Development shall be supplied to participating clubs, and administered by, The Scottish Football Association. Revised : 7 May 2007