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Back in May Maia started asking you for your old boots and now her collection for this year is ready to start its journey.

The FANTASTIC news is that you have kindly donated 178 pairs of boots, easily beating last year’s 130 which was pretty good anyway. Thanks to all of you that took the trouble to sort out your boots and pass them on, they will be greatly appreciated in their next life.

It is harder work than it should be collecting in the match shirts at the end of the season but it is worth it. Sarah has been able to donate 21 sets of shirts and other equipment to KITS4causes.

Hopefully in a few months we will get some photos and see where our kit has gone.

All, just a short note to wish all the teams the best of luck for the season, it’s hard to believe we are starting all over again. I would just like to mention a few things before the matches start.

Every year at this time I remind you all of the need to get on top of your admin tasks, and every year the fines seem to go up. I can assure you we don’t actually want your money we would rather it be spent on equipment or kits or coaching courses etc. This season please try and keep your admin in good order, simple things like notifying opponents in time, swapping cards
on match day & sending in results on time all are pointless fines and can easily be avoided by being organised. You also need to have spectator lines or an exemption form the league, please e-mail to apply for this, common fines are also for no corner posts and not telling us the name of the match referee.

I would urge you all to save your money as with 750 teams we really will be on top of club admin this year, we need everyone to work with us to help the league officers deliver football to you all.

Whilst discipline has got better over the years there is still room for improvement, it seems that a few individuals struggle to keep control of themselves on matchday and ruin the experience for the children and everybody else. The league will take a zero tolerance approach to poor behaviour this season. If clubs have individuals who cannot behave responsibly then the onus is on the club to deal with them, even remove them if necessary.

Lastly can we all please try and remember that the league organises football for “children & young people” and that adults are mainly transport and finance providers. Their key function is to support the children and to help the coaches provide a safe fun environment in which they can enjoy their football. It’s their game and we should all strive to as far as possible let them enjoy it. Whilst a competitive league no doubt, the committee often see managers, coaches & parents behaving like every game is a world cup final. There is often far too much emphasis on winning, yes its important but so is the nature & spirit of how they play the game and develop as footballers and children & young people. Some managers and coaches need to remember it’s not about them it’s about the children.

I apologise for the negative tone of this message but the committee all too often find themselves focusing too much and wasting valuable time on the small percentage of individuals who ruin things for the majority of clubs and teams in this league who do a fantastic job. I do hope that this will be the last occasion the I feel the need for such a message.

On behalf of the management committee I wish you all a very successful season and I hope that whatever you set out to achieve becomes a reality, remember football is fun, enjoy, best regards, FT

Frank Thompson
General Secretary
Surrey Youth League
Tel: 07747764349
E-mail: frank.thompson@wsyl.org.uk

Please note message below.

Sarah does schedule games to allow time on Sunday for the seniors to referee mini games before they play. It is useful to the Club, good on your c.v. and you earn some money!

The league are pleased to announce that league development officer Steve Worsley has arranged a Mini Soccer referee workshop for the league on Thursday 19th September 2013 at, Metropolitan Police Sports Club, Imber

Court (conference room, 1st Floor) from 7pm to 9.30pm.

The cost of the course will be £5 which will include a Surrey Youth League ID Card depicting the holder as a Mini Soccer Referee. PARTICIPANTS MUST BE AT LEAST 14 YEARS OLD.

The workshop covers the role of the Referee in mini-soccer and the Laws of mini-soccer. It is held over one session with no examination. Candidates will receive an attendance certificate which will be valid for two years.

To apply please send an e-mail to league secretary Frank Thompson frank.thompson@wsyl.org.uk with the candidates name(s) and club to which they are attached. Places are limited and will be allocated on a first come first served basis. We must point out that should the candidate fail to turn up for the course without good reason the club to which he is attached will be charged the full price of the course of £25. Clubs will be invoiced via Prawnsandwich.

Candidates must bring a passport sized photo with them on the night. A form will be e-mailed to those successful applicants for this purpose.

THE LEAGUE WOULD STRONGLY URGE CLUBS TO TAKE UP THIS GREAT OFFER AS WE NEED TO HAVE MORE MINI SOCCER REFEREES TO COPE WITH THE GROWING NUMBER OF TEAMS AND THE MORE WE CAN HAVE TRAINED THE BETTER THE STANDARD OF THOSE OFFICIATING WILL BE.

I am delighted to announce that Jackie Hopwood has accepted the role as our Sheen Lions School Liaison Officer.

Jackie’s role will be to build contacts with local schools to help enable us to source new players as and when we need to recruit.

More information will follow as to how she can help team managers with recruitment.

Sarah