Falling in love with playing the beautiful game happens to different people for different reasons and at various times of their lives.
For some, it might have been those endless summer evenings playing world cup on the park with your friends. Maybe it was that deflected header which gave you your first ever ‘proper’ goal and the picture of Mum and Dad smiling and clapping that has remained with you ever since. Whatever your first memories are of playing the game, it is these earliest experiences that stay with you forever.
Sadly however society is changing. Gone are the games of ‘three and in’ at the end of the street and playing heads and volleys until after dark. In turn, it’s now the coaches, parents and volunteers who run junior clubs who have the task of developing an environment that allows our youngest players the chance to plant the seeds of a lifelong love affair with the game. That is why we feel so strongly about developing our grassroots clubs and ensuring every child has the opportunity to experience a positive start in the game.
Setting the Standard
The FA’s Charter Standard Award recognises and rewards clubs who are making the experience of playing the game a positive one. Created in February 2001 and open to all clubs up to non-league level, the award is given to club’s that show they are well run and sustainable with safety and child protection paramount.
In today’s society, parents want to know their child is playing football in a safe environment, in the care of adults who are insured, CRB checked and qualified as coaches. Displaying The FA’s Charter Standard Award gives the security that these minimum requirements are in place and that the club has a commitment to player and coach development as well as raising the standards of behaviour across the game. By showing people what a good club should look like the parents, coaches and volunteers who drive the grassroots game have a clear focus in which to channel their endless energy and enthusiasm.
Achieving
With over 50 per cent of all grassroots youth teams having achieved Charter Standard status the award is recognised and supported across the country as a vehicle for improving standards. In order to keep raising these standards we want that figure to eclipse 75 per cent in the next four years.
Any club, regardless of size or number of teams can attain Charter Standard status. The three levels of award club’s can work towards are; Charter Standard Club Youth/Adult, Charter Standard Development Club and Charter Standard Community Club.
Vision
Increasing participation, raising standards of behaviour, developing better players and running the game more effectively are the four key areas central to our newly published vision for improving the game over the next four years. In light of this and with the recent launch of our RESPECT campaign, the existing criteria for achieving the Charter Standard Award will be updated over the next 12 months to ensure we continue to raise the standards across the whole of the grassroots game.
By July 2009, we aim to have all Charter Standard Clubs signed up to the RESPECT campaign. Club Codes of Conduct will need to adhere to the RESPECT guidelines including designated spectator areas at games encouraging parents and spectators to take a step back from the pitch and support the teams in a more responsible manner. Team captains will also have a greater role to play– communicating with the referee and taking responsibility for player’s behaviour.
Developing better players and coaches is also a high priority. Equipping grassroots coaches with age appropriate coaching knowledge developed on our introductory module and Youth awards will be key to developing better players. These courses will ensure that a coach within your club will have a better understanding of ‘how’ to coach children and how the long term player development and 4 corner model can be used to support your player’s development.
Benefits
The benefits of achieving the award, amongst other things include Umbro kit/equipment vouchers, an FA Charter Standard plaque, the use of The FA Crest/logo and continued coaching support by our Regional Coach Development Managers at in-service events. We also have a great partnership with our sponsor McDonald’s, who provide free places on Level One coaching awards to coaches in Charter Standard Clubs.
However it is the ‘hidden’ benefits that are of the greatest benefit to the clubs. In today’s society, parents are looking for the Kitemark award as a badge of reassurance to the suitability of the environment in which to leave their children in. As a result, you become an attractive target for enthusiastic new players and volunteers as well as for funding; not just from the football foundation, but external sponsors who want to be associated with a well run and safe football club.
Seeds of change
The process of achieving the Charter Standard award does involve a number of administrative tasks. But let us not lose sight of why we need codes of conducts and a qualified volunteer workforce. If you know that your club environment is a safe and positive one, where the coaches and parents support and encourage development and learning - you will be safe in the knowledge that all the young people at your club will have the best opportunity to fall in love with the game, improve their skills, forge friendships and remain involved in the game for their whole life.
Sensing the empowerment a young person can experience by simply playing the game - the excitement and escapism they feel when they aren’t under any pressure - is what makes all the hard work of achieving Charter Standard Status worthwhile. It is the duty of all of us in the football family to work together to make this happen for many years to come.
Keep up the good work and let’s keep raising the standards of our game!
Les Howie & Peter Glynn
For more info about The FA's Charter Standard programme, click here, or to learn more on McDonald's coaching programme visit www.mcdonalds.co.uk
