Policies

Parent sideline behaviour

Wallsend Swans JAFC welcomes and encourages parental support for their children’s efforts, but we are aware that in some cases a few parents go beyond acceptable support. We believe that the best way to teach good sportsmanship is by positive parental role models.

If there are umpiring issues or mistakes during games, appeal mechanism’s and umpire reviews are available to coaches. Please remember that umpires and officials are also volunteers, many are still learning the complex rules which apply for different age groups, and most umpires are teenagers. They are doing a difficult job and mostly such mistakes are not going to have serious consequences. As our regional president emphasises regularly ‘ This is junior sport, we are not playing for sheep stations’, so please show the same tolerance of their mistakes that you would like others to show to your child’s errors. Officials should also be thanked and applauded at the conclusion of a good game. If necessary, we will remove any parent who is abusive towards players, coaches, umpires or game officials.

Our club believes that playing for fun is the best way to enjoy junior sport. Within junior teams learning teamwork, developing skills and personal fitness are better measures of success than any game’s final score. Accordingly our club rewards a wide range of individual and team improvements both on and off the field.

Non-Smoking Areas

Smoking is not permitted anywhere in the amenities block, including the toilets and dressing sheds. This is Newcastle City Council and NJAFL policy, and will not be amended. It is not permitted anywhere on the playing field. We encourage parents and other spectators not to smoke within the vicinity of any children.

Alcohol consumption

Alcohol will not be sold at any Bill Elliot Oval canteen, whilst a junior game of any code is in progress. Moderate alcohol consumption by spectators is permitted but anti-social behaviour during games will not be tolerated. Any other forms of drug use will be reported to the police.

Player behaviour

Wallsend Swans JAFC expects our players to demonstrate good sportsmanship at all times. Our players will respect the rules of the game, the officials and their opposition. Any player who will not comply with these expectations may be removed from the team by the team coach or a majority decision of the club committee.

Talented Player Development and Representative Opportunities

Each year up to 3 players from each team will be selected by the coaching committee to represent our club in the regional team trials. If selected to represent the region, these players receive extra training to play against the Central Coast Teams and may be considered for State selection.

Wallsend Swans supports the talented player development program and coaches may recommend identified players for the development program, which is run in Sydney.

Child Protection

Wallsend District Swans JAFC complies with, and supports, government legislation and AFL policy in relation to child protection. The club’s Child Protection Officer is Jason Drane and any parent who has concerns or complaints in regard to child protection should contact him directly.

Documentation

All club volunteers are required to sign the designated Child Protection consent forms. Committee members are required to complete Child Protection training.

Club Initiatives

Parents are encouraged to supervise their children when they use either the dressing sheds or toilet facilities.

Parents are encouraged to stay, watch and participate in training sessions. Our coaches appreciate parent involvement and support. A strong parent presence ensures your children’s safety, as coaches cannot escort single children to the amenities during sessions. Parents or an appropriate adult must collect all children, unless they have written parental permission to make their own way home.

During home games, the ladies toilets are to be kept locked with the key available on request at the canteen. This unusual measure is taken because of these toilets are excluded from the game spectator’s line of vision and are easily accessed by the general public.

Spectator safety

Our home ground is adjacent to a large storm water canal. We ask parents to be particularly careful in regard to younger children and their proximity to the canal during games and training sessions.

No child is to enter the canal under any circumstances. The stormwater and surrounding foliage may pose a health hazard. A football retrieval net is available in the storeroom and should be used if a ball is kicked into this area.

Uniforms

The Swan’s Guernsey is provided free of charge to players. It must be worn without any alteration or amendment, with black football shorts, club socks and football boots. Socks will be on sale in the canteen from the commencement of pre-season training in February.

Boys should wear an alternate shirt to and from games. The coach will distribute guernseys at each game. Due to the limited changing facilities at some grounds, girls will be given a guernsey for the season. Parents must launder this after each game and ensure that it is returned at the end of the season.

Zone armbands will be provided for some teams and must be returned at the end of each game.

Please note that junior players are not permitted to wear boots with metal studs. Umpires may excluded players with inappropriate boots. Please check with your team coach if you are not sure your boots are acceptable.

Mouthguards are required for all matches and strongly recommended for training sessions. The canteen will have some junior mouthguards available for sale