U8 League Football Jan 2021

In the New Year, Sheen Lions F.C. aims to enter three U8s playing squads, Lions, Pride and Hoops, into the Surrey Youth League programme, playing Sunday League football. For this to happen, we needed volunteers to help run these squads. As it stands we have some parents who have shown interest but only from the Lions squad.

We need volunteers for Pride and Hoops if these children are to be given match play. If your child is in one of these squads, and you want to get involved, please come and find me this morning at training, 5th December. Without volunteers the children will not play Sunday league football.

Coaches have been working together to make those all important decisions regarding squad selection. It was important that your child attended training regularly should you want them to be considered for the match squads. The selection process is based on the player’s ability, attitude, and also their attendance record at training. Players not attending training regularly will not be considered. 

Those players that are not offered a place in the playing squads will have a place in our Cubs squad. These players will be registered with the League so that should an opportunity arise to give them match play, they are eligible to play League fixtures. They would be expected to train regularly.

It should be understood that this is Sunday League development football, and as with all the age groups that play development football, U8s – U11s, players can freely move across from squad to squad. This is something the club encourages so that we can assess individual development. Players develop at very different rates so flexibility is all important. To be clear, and as an example, being registered as a Lion player does not necessarily mean that a player will play exclusively for that team. If the player is asked to play for another squad they would be expected to do so. It may be because we want to see them play at a different level or in a different position, or it may simply be availability issues and they are needed to help fulfil a fixture for that squad. We may move players for training purposes too. We trust parents to support this as refusal would be considered against the club’s ethos.

I should emphasise that Sheen Lions is a Sunday League football club. It is not recreational football. Our purpose is to train and prepare players for Sunday League football. Although match play is not guaranteed, players should be available on Sundays and if offered match play are expected to accept. Therefore players attending other activities on Sundays should not register with Sheen Lions or be prepared to forfeit any other activity if offered the chance to play. If a player is offered match play and is unavailable due to other commitments, it will be noted. If a player is unavailable too often then the club will deregister that player.

It is mandatory that the club’s training kit, football boots and shin pads are worn to training. The training kit can be purchased from our shop on our website. Any combination of the garments can be worn.

The club looks forward to running a very successful age group.

Sarah Street
Club Secretary – Sheen Lions F.C.