When I first raised the point about the ban on reporting U7 and U8 results I was surprised to read people’s comments that this still goes on. Despite it being in the Standard Code of Rules (and therefore something we all must abide by and cannot opt out of), clubs still seem to be flaunting this. Perhaps they don’t know. Perhaps they are a new team, still finding their way and their County FA should be keeping an eye on things and offering advice and a crisp new copy of the Association Rules.
You can therefore imagine the shock I have had by entering “U7 team” in Google and looking at a few of the returns. Far from being an isolated problem for small clubs, I’ve stumbled over Charter Standard Clubs in breach of the rule. In fact I’ve found one Charter Standard Club at Community Level celebrating the success of their U7s team and listing results and goalscorers! Community Club level is meant to be the pinnacle of Charter Standard, beacons in the world of junior football as examples of well run clubs. Surely they, above everyone else, should now this simple rule.
It gets worse. They have an U6 team. With U6 results.
It gets even worse. Every child (including those U8s and U7s) has a picture with their name, appearances and other personal data. The Club Secretary will have had to have been on the FA Child Protection Course and done the WOW (Wefare Officer Workshop) so how has this been allowed to happen? Is it the County FA to blame? Are they not educating people enough? I have been on the above course and it was made very clear about the FA’s stance on player profiles at that age.
It is bringing the Charter Mark’s importance and relevance into question? Is Charter Standard handed out like sweets? That’s another blog post.
So I’ll wrap this post up as I need to compose a few emails to the relevant people at the FA. I may come back and name and shame a few, let’s see what happens. Either way, I’ll keep you all in the loop as to what I hear back.
This is more and more a comment event – I recently saw exactly the same with the club putting individuals names and pictures in a local McDonalds outlet with where and when they train – told FA who spoke to their chairman and the club stated they are not going to stop doing it and who do the FA think they are questioning.
Unfortunately with the standards being put in place we have lost the development of players and work more to the competative win at all cost metality.
It is sorry state of affairs that we have lost football and made it a joke with jokers calling the shots – will be keeping an eye on your development on this ….. thats if you get any.
WAS LOOKING ON MID-STAFFS LEAGUE WEBSITE TO SEE IF I COULD GET ANY MANAGERS CONTACT DETAILS TO ARRANGE FRIENDLIES WHEN I TOO CAME ACCROSS PLAYER NAMES AND DETAILS.BEING A CHILD WELFARE OFFICER AT MY LOCAL CLUB I DECIDED TO CALL A COUPLE OF THEM AND QUESTION HOW THEY WERE ALLOWED BY THEIR RESPECTIVE CLUBS.
I WAS INFORMED THAT THEY ALSO HAD MATCH REPORTS IN THEIR LOCAL PAPER AND THE PARENTS AND PLAYERS LOVED IT.SHOCKING
It’s down to the parents as well. Some parents think all ages of football need to be competitive and kids need to know if they won or lost and by how many. At the end of the day, the kids need to enjoy their football from when they are 5 to when they’re 50 and if we start at u6 teams saying that we have been beat 10-0 all season then they will get disheartened. A couple of teams here in Northern Ireland, not naming any, drill into the kids heads that its all about winning whatever way they can from a very young age. If these kids do not enjoy their football they won’t be playing it when they’re 16. End up losing out on great players and they wonder why?
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