Chairman’s annual letter to all Parents & Players
January 2010
Season is well under way across the seventeen teams in the Club we have seen some great matches in varying weather conditions (probably the worst we have ever seen) as well as the frustrating days when things have not gone our way. Overall though we can be proud of the fact that through the efforts of many in the Club we have provided competitive football to over 220 boys. Fantastic teamwork.
Specific Thanks go to the Committee which is made up of the Managers & Head Coaches for each age group, twenty in number, and whom meet regularly to make decisions on the current and future plans for the Club, as well as other specific meetings with the Senior Club, the League and our landlords at Spring Lane, the Colchester Institute. When taking into account match days and training sessions the task is very time consuming but the hard work is very rewarding.
We continue to be recognised as a FA Charter Standard Club, making us one of only a handful of Clubs in the District to have this status. If you wish to find out more then please check out www.thefa.com/GrassrootsNew/CharterStandard/Club
Respect programme is the Football Association’s direct response to a clear message from research undertaken within the grassroots game :
“we must improve standards of behaviour – on and off the field”
Behaviour was – and still is – the biggest concern and reason why young players and young officials dropped out of the game. The Colchester & District Youth League and our Club have signed into the Respect code of conduct. Your team Manager’s will shortly receive a pack with more information. Please embrace.
Spring Lane is showing the wear and tear of the weekly matches with pitches cutting up on wet days along with car park often at capacity. Please take care to not train on the pitches unless directed to by the Club coaches. Aim to preserve the goalmouths for matches only and just treat all the facilities with respect.
We have earned a great deal of respect from the Colchester Institute and grounds-man over the past year by showing a lot more responsibility and ownership. Your help with this is much appreciated. Great stuff.
For those of you not aware, the Institute use the clubhouse as a classroom Monday – Friday 9am-5pm as well as the grounds for various sport activity.
Our Home ground has been enhanced considerably with the opening of the new clubhouse and additional parking to the left and right of the entrance.
New signage will be put up by the landlord soon stating a No boots policy in the Clubhouse and a No Dogs policy for the whole ground. Please take heed of the rules and if you see people breaking them, then politely remind them. As a SRYFC club member take responsibility to keep the Clubhouse and ground clean and tidy to ensure we retain our tenancy. Please take ownership.
That also goes for any boys hanging on goals, leaving litter, kicking balls against the Clubhouse veranda, using mini soccer goals without them being pegged down.
Future plans are to expand the Club with additional age groups and teams. Expansion comes with more administration and capacity issues and costs. We will almost certainly have to take additional permanent space at another location.
Already we are using Mile End pitches as an overflow for 11-a-side and this will happen more and more. All teams will take their turn with allocation of fixture location and kick off times over the season. Please be understanding.
Alliance League aspiration This league is regionalised and is a step up from the Colchester & District Youth League. We will receive assistance from our senior club with the aim that we become a true feeder club. The risks are that we disenfranchise some of our less talented player’s; however we are aiming to have teams entered in both Leagues. The administration burden will escalate and the club infrastructure we are building now must be robust enough to sustain such growth. More news on this will follow next year.
Awards Evening for the end of the season is also being planned now. We are hoping to improve this event on previous years as well as use it as a fund raiser for the Club.
And Finally Let’s hope the weather holds up and we don’t get too many more postponements. The business end of the season will not be far away and I hope you get what you want from the venture.
Like any voluntary organisations we rely heavily on the goodwill of the members in making sure everything is in place to achieve our objectives.
As a Club our aims are to improve the players through training and matches with the target of winning silverware in our Leagues and Cups. We are not elitist but do strive for excellence. Progress is important to this Club.
If you need to contact any of the committee members our contact details are on our web site along with a lot of other interesting information about the Club.
Thanks for listening
Gary
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