Hello everybody and welcome to the new league season here at HAFC Juniors. Being the club chairman, I just wanted to let you know about a few things here at the club.

Facilities
Here at HAFC we have what I regard to be the best facilities available, whether you play in the Calderdale Junior League or Huddersfield Junior League. The pitches are the best in the area and we also have use of the clubhouse too. I don’t know if you are aware, but all managers have a set of keys for the clubhouse, so that when we play at home, the facilities (i.e., toilets) can be used by everyone.

Also, going forward, it would be fantastic if we could offer cups of tea / coffee and even the odd bacon or sausage sandwich too. If anyone has any desire to do this or knows someone who would, please put them in contact with the manager of the age group who your son or daughter plays for and they in turn will point them in my direction.

Annual Subscriptions
The annual ‘subs’ amount paid by you the parents varies depending whether your child plays Mini Soccer or 11 a side football but I am not too sure if you are aware of what this money is spent on?

As we are a privately run club, we have to cover all aspects of the running of the club ourselves. We have to pay an annual contribution to the senior committee to help pay the wages of the groundsman who I am sure you will agree keeps the pitches in excellent condition.

We then have to pay an annual subscription (per registered team) the West Riding County FA, The Calderdale Junior League & The Huddersfield Junior League so we can take part in the League and Cup competitions that they offer.

Being a FA Charter Standard Club, we ensure that everyone who assists at the club has a Criminal Record Bureau (CRB) check done & these cost £12.50pp. Each manager has to attend a Safeguarding Children Workshop at £20pp and also a First Aid Training course costing £15pp. Also, as part of our continued development we try to ensure that our coaches are at least FA Level One trained and these courses now cost £90.00pp.

Kit upgrades each season cost a considerable sum as replacing shirts, socks and socks doesn’t come cheap, and this season, we have spent over £1000 on footballs and other training equipment that needed replacing……and on top of all that, we spend anything up to £1500 on trophies for the presentation nights too!!

As you can see, running football teams doesn’t come cheap these days and with a total of 11 teams playing each week we have to ensure we have the funds to cover all the costs. Please bear that in mind and pay the subscriptions within the timescales advised to you by your age group manager.
Please also remember, that we don’t even charge anything for the time, effort and commitment that the managers (and there assistants if they have one) put in to try and develop players of all age groups. This itself works out at an average of 62 sessions (whether it is training on a Saturday or matches on a Sunday) during the course of the season so I am sure you will agree works out at good value for money.

Foul Play & Fines
The referees have been told that they have to be far stricter this season when dealing with foul play, professional fouls & indiscipline.

Should a yellow card be shown, this will incur a fine of £8. Should a red card be shown this will incur a larger fine & depending on what the offence was the amount will differ. There will also be a suspension too, the length of which is also determined by the offence that has taken place.

The cost of the fines ranges from £15 to £75 & the length of the bans range from 7days to 112days. Therefore, if your son or daughter receives a caution or is sent off, please don’t be offended if the club asks you to cover the costs incurred for this.

And Finally……
……as the season has already got underway, it is my understanding that a lot of our teams are already having some good successes on the pitch. I have also been advised that those that are not being as successful are playing the game in the proper manner and are still as enthusiastic as ever to participate which is fantastic and long may it continue.

There will be trails and tribulations in all teams this season, & there will be a lot of frustration shown too, but I ask that everyone respects the codes of conduct that they have signed and agreed to, to show the other teams within our respective divisions that we are a respectful club not just on the field but off it aswell.

Here to a successful season for all.

Enjoy your football.

Simon Berry
Simon Berry
Chairman – HAFC Juniors