Grading Policy
The information below is an abridged version of the Club’s Grading and Coaching Policy. Its purpose is to provide a brief understanding to players, coaches, members and parents of the expectations and processes the Club plans to adopt in order to distribute players where multiple teams are registered in competitive grades. The basic purpose for this policy is to ensure that the best players play in the strongest available team.
APPLICATION: This policy will apply to all grades except for the following
- Under 6’s – Under 8s inclusive
- Under 20’s, Open Men’s Teams
- Touch football teams
GRADING PROCESS: A grading committee for relevant grades/years will be formed in accordance with the Grading Policy, appointed by the Executive Committee of the Club. The Coaching Director will sit across all grading decisions, however grading committee members will be responsible for grading as follows:
- Grading Members 1 and 2 review Under 9’s and 10’s
- Grading Members 3 and 4 review Under 11’s and 12’s
- Grading Members 5 and 6 review Under 13’s and 14’s
- Grading Members 7 and 8 review Under 15’s and 16’s
- Grading Members 9 and 10 will review other grades as required.
It may not be necessary for competitive teams to be graded, depending on player registrations and depending on number of teams to be registered.
- Where possible, coaches from previous years, rate known players (in preparation for the following year) into Yes, No and Maybe – in relation to their potential to play in the highest possible grade.
- Where possible one provisional (or head coach), appointed by the Coaching Director, will oversee initial training for that grade, i.e. under 14’s, will occur together, with assistance available from the nominated coach and assistant coaches of the second or third team
- During training and trial matches, Grading committee members, the coaching director and nominated coaches will discuss the attributes/skills of all players. Notes need to be taken for further discussion.
- During trial matches, all players must have an equal amount of time on the field to demonstrate their skills. Coaches must develop rosters to ensure this happens.
- At completion of the grading period, the provisional coach and other coaches will prepare a list to nominate their top team and subsequent teams. The grading committee (made up of 2 independent members plus the Coaching director) will either endorse or amend the team, as required. The grading committee will then forward that team for endorsement to the Club Executive for endorsement.
WHAT THE GRADING PROCESS MEANS: Players who register to play at this Club do so knowing that they may not be able to play with their mates, but rather will be placed into a team reflective of their abilities. Coaches must not make any representation to any player that they will be in a particular team (should they register with the Club). Coaches do not make the final decision on the makeup of a team, the grading committee does.
WHAT WE ASK OF PLAYERS, COACHES AND PARENTS: To respect the decisions of the Grading Committee (decisions will be made in the best interests of the players – not the parents). To understand that any selection of a team where there are more than enough players is difficult and that people may feel disappointed if not selected in the top grade. Players transferring from another Club who played at a higher level, must play in the highest available level (every effort will be made to make that as fair as possible – particularly if a team has largely been established).
To accept that not being graded in the top side is not the end of the World.
Coaches will not formally be appointed to a role until grading has been completed. This is so that situations do not occur where the provisional coach is not able to coach his own son/daughter in situations where the player is not graded in their team.
COACHING POLICY: A provisional coach will be appointed for each grade and will ‘control’ the entire grade during the initial training and grading period. During grading wherever possible, teams will train together. Applications to coach in the following year, will close on 31 October of each year. In situations where more than one application is received, the Club Executive in conjunction with the Coaching Director will ultimately determine which coach is appointed to which grade.
All coaches must undergo and obtain a Grade 1 Coaching Certificate. Coaches are employees of the Club (albeit voluntarily) and as such are subject to the Club’s Code of Conduct. In junior competitive grades, it is expected that wherever possible, players play in at least two different positions throughout the season.
In normal fixture rounds in junior competitive grades, all players will play for a minimum of one half of a game every week. Coaches are expected to roster players to ensure this happens, irrespective of who the ‘core’ players are. ‘Core’ players relate to identified players from within a grade who are unable to play in a lower division. It will be the coaches responsibility to identify their core players once grading has been completed.
In semi- finals and finals, coaches can select their best available team. However all players are expected to at least get on the field for some time (U20 and Open’s Mens are excluded).
EXPECTATIONS OF PLAYERS AND PARENTS: Players will attend training and will contact the coach or manager if unable to attend nominated training sessions. Parents and players accept that if a player does not attend training, coaches are entitled to limit game time.