A true grassroots club for all ages and abilities
Woodvale FC Code of Conduct
Standards and expected behaviour of everyone involved with Woodvale FC – administrators, coaches, players, parents and spectators.
Players
Play by the rules.
Arrive prepared for all games and training sessions with the proper mental attitude and wearing proper game and training gear.
Learn to obey the laws of the game, the team and the club.
Never argue with an official. If you disagree, have your captain, coach or manager approach the official during a break or after the game.
Control your temper. Verbal abuse of officials and sledging other players, deliberately distracting or provoking an opponent or using foul language are not acceptable or permitted behaviors.
Work equally hard for yourself and/or your team. Your team’s performance will benefit and so will you.
Be a good sport. Only give positive encouragement to fellow teammates. Treat all participants in your sport as you like to be treated. Do not bully or take unfair advantage of another competitor.
Cooperate with your coach, teammates and opponents. Without them there would be no competition.
Participate for your own enjoyment and benefit, not just to please parents and coaches.
Respect the rights, dignity and worth of all participants, regardless of their gender, ability, cultural background or religion. This extends to social media and the responsible mature use of such communication.
Coaches & Managers
Remember that young people participate for pleasure and that winning is only part of the fun. Never ridicule or yell at a player for making a mistake or not winning.
Be reasonable in your demands on players’ time, energy and enthusiasm.
Operate within the rules and spirit of your sport and teach your players to do the same.
Ensure that the time players spend with you is a positive experience. All young people are deserving of equal attention and opportunities.
Give all players equal playing time.
Ensure that equipment and facilities meet safety standards and are appropriate to the age and ability of all players.
Display control, respect and professionalism to all involved with the sport. This includes opponents, coaches, officials, administrators, parents and spectators. Encourage players to do the same.
Show concern and caution toward sick and injured players. Follow the advice of a physician when determining whether an injured player is ready to recommence training or competition.
Obtain appropriate qualifications and keep up to date with the latest coaching practices and the principles of growth and development of young people.
Be organized. Plan your training sessions, keep them flowing and add variety.
Ensure that equipment and facilities meet safety standards and are appropriate to the age maturity and ability of all players.
Any physical contact with a young person should be appropriate to the situation and necessary for the player’s skill development. Respect the rights, dignity and worth of every young person regardless of their gender, ability, cultural background or religion.
Remember that young people participate for their enjoyment and benefit. Do not over emphasize awards.
Help coaches and officials highlight appropriate behavior and skills development and help improve the standards of coaching and officiating.
Parents & Spectators
Remember that young people participate in sport for their enjoyment and benefit, not yours.
Praise good performance and efforts from all individuals and teams. Congratulate all participants on their performance regardless of the game’s outcome.
Respect the decisions of officials and teach young people to do the same.
Never ridicule or scold a young player for making a mistake. Positive comments are motivational. Condemn the use of violence in any form, whether it is by spectators, coaches, officials or players. Show respect for your team’s opponents. Without them there would be no game.
Encourage players to follow the rules and the officials’ decisions. Do not use foul language, sledge or harass players, coaches or officials.
Respect the rights, dignity and worth of every young person regardless of their gender, ability, cultural background or religion.
Woodvale FC Officials
Ensure that everyone involved in junior football emphasizes fair play, not winning at all costs.
Provide a code of behavior sheet to spectators, officials, parents, coaches and players and encourage them to follow it.
Remember, you set an example. Your behavior and comments should be positive and supportive. Make it clear that abusing young people in any way is unacceptable and will result in disciplinary action.
Respect the rights, dignity and worth of every young person regardless of their gender, ability, cultural background or religion.
Woodvale FC President, January 2023
Woodvale FC Club Policies
Smoking
Woodvale FC is committed to promoting healthy lifestyle choices. As such, and in recognition of the need to minimize the effects of involuntary inhalation of tobacco smoke, please refrain from smoking on grassed areas at all Woodvale FC venues and its surrounds.
Woodvale FC venues are under full control of the council and the council have no authority to ban smoking at any of its outdoor venues. Therefore, the Woodvale FC committee has formulated this statement and it applies to all persons on all Woodvale FC venues during its football programs.
Alcohol
Woodvale FC will promote a friendly, safe and enjoyable environment for sport and the responsible use of alcohol at any adult social events.
We will promote the responsible adult/parent use of alcohol by:
Prohibiting any person taking alcoholic beverages near the playing surfaces.
Discouraging spectators and parents from drinking alcoholic beverages while sports are being played.
Other Drugs
Woodvale FC takes the following position regarding drugs and medication:
We discourage the use of medications in respect of injury/recovery that would enable participants to compete where they would not otherwise have been able.
The use of illicit drugs and performance enhancing drugs is not permitted by any Woodvale FC members or patrons.
We will adopt and be guided by the Sports Medicine Australia policy on the administration of medications by non-medical personnel.
Sun Protection
Woodvale FC will take reasonable steps to address sun safe practices by, where possible:
Scheduling summer activities outside the hours of 10.00am to 3.00pm where possible.
Following the Cancer Foundation of Western Australia guidelines for Sun Smart clothing, use of sunscreen and wearing of hats where practical.
Sport Safety
The safety of all members is our primary concern. Woodvale FC will actively seek to promote, encourage and support sport safe strategies for all training and games at all levels throughout the Club. Woodvale FC will encourage all members to adopt practices that seek to prevent injury by:
Encouraging warm-up, cool-down and stretching as an important component of playing and training.
Promoting the use of protective equipment including shin guards, suitable clothing and footwear.
Providing safe playing surfaces, first aid equipment and accredited First Aiders/Sports Trainers at training sessions and competition matches.
Subsidies for Coaches to attend courses in the correct supervision of the sport for juniors & the environment they participate in.
Encouraging all players with a prior or current injury to seek professional advice from a sports medicine professional and be fully rehabilitated before returning to play.
Encourage senior players, coaches, officials and parents to be sports safety role models and to be aware of their roles and responsibilities.
Advise players to replace fluids before, during and after training and competition sessions, and to have their own water bottle.
Encourage any player who has an illness or serious injury to seek a medical clearance before returning to training and competition.
Ensure adequate public liability and player insurance for all members.
Player Registration
Players must register with the Club by completing online registration and paying the designated fees.
Any moneys paid will be refunded if players are not selected to play for the Club.
Once the Club has lodged player registrations with the FFA and Football West, no refund requests will be accepted.
If planning a long-term holiday or unable to attend for an extended period, players/parents must advise the Coach or Team Manager prior to the start of the Season.
Team Selection
The Club’s policies relating to team selection and game time have been developed from the Club’s philosophy that football should be based on the principles of fun and enjoyment, fair play, good sportsmanship, and skills and fitness development.
Trials and assessment of players are conducted during pre-season training. Maximum squad sizes apply– these differ by age groups. Selection will be at the sole discretion of the Club and its coaches, based on many aspects, including skills, suitability for a particular position, attitude and commitment to training and performance.
All players will play in their own age group unless deemed otherwise by the Club
If there is more than one team in a specific age group ,players will be grouped in accordance with ability and level of competition.
If a player is deemed by the Club to be advanced for his/her age group and ready for a tougher challenge, he/she may be moved up to a higher age group with the parents’ consent.
Prior to any player being moved above their age for any significant period, the Club will consider both the benefits to the individual in question balanced with the impact on the player’s current team. The ultimate decision will rest with the Club’s committee.
From time to time coaches from the higher age teams may ask for assistance from younger interested players if there are vacancies due to injury, illness etc. This will be a one off or short term move only.
Playing Time
The Club’s policy is that all players are given roughly equal time on the pitch during
games, subject to the Coach’s discretion.
The Coach has discretion where:
a player does not attend training/games without reasonable explanation
a player is obviously injured or struggling in a game
a player is disrespectful towards the coach, teammates or opposition players
Coaching
The Club adopts the guidelines and policies set out by the FFA. These guidelines are in place to ensure a high standard of coaching is practiced. It is essential that coaches are educated, skilled and updated in rule changes, risk management and responsibilities(duty of care to their players).
The Club strives to ensure coaches hold a current Coaching License and Working with Children
Check.
Committee Meetings
The Club holds a monthly committee meeting on the first Monday of each month. The committee is elected at the AGM and consists of both executive and non-executive roles.
The committee presides over all financial and non-financial decisions made during the day to day running of the club.
Included amongst its many responsibilities are:
Developing and implementing the Club’s policies.
Improving the standard of football at the Club.
Guiding the Club in the right direction.
Ensuring a pathway exists between Juniors and Seniors.
Selecting and appointing coaches at the Club.
Resolving complaints and disputes.
Arbitrating on breaches of the Code of Conduct.
Woodvale FC President, January 2023