Youth football system would be envy of many jurisdictions

Saturday 24th October 2009, 2:59PM BST.

From Jon Welsh, Junior League chairman, Jersey Football Combination.
IN response to previously published articles and letters over recent weeks I feel compelled to inform readers of the amount of tremendous work being carried out within junior football by our member clubs.

It is the responsibility of the Jersey Football Combination Junior League to run youth football (not the JFA as quoted in some of the correspondence) and we work with many partners to ensure that best practice is encouraged at all times.

Over 1,000 boys play regular football, a majority at a competitive level, on first-class facilities under the guidance of qualified coaches.

The large majority of clubs running junior teams are FA Charter Standard, which is the kite mark of good practice.

At the time of writing we are working with the JFA and Local Football Partnership (which comprises of representatives from ESC, JFA, referees, schools and the FA) and other partners to review the structure of our leagues.

We hope after full consultation with our member clubs and partners above to present a comprehensive league plan early in the New Year.

It is always our objective to offer competitive football in a safe environment to assist the development of our young players and we will continue to work with our partners to achieve this.

Finally I would like to pay tribute to the many managers, coaches and helpers who give their time to enable us to give so many youngsters the chance to play football in an environment which would be the envy of many jurisdictions.

1
Beckford

October 24, 2009 at 11:27 pm

Sport in Jersey will never reach any sort of international standard (let alone be comparable to the levels of “county” clubs).

It is results that matter – not self-congratulatory puffery.

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2
Big Bean

October 26, 2009 at 12:21 pm

I have always loved football and been very passionate when watching and playing. A couple of years ago I tried to get my lad involved in football training with some of the clubs around the island.

Unfortunately, the attitudes of some of the coaches, and some of the parents involved I encountered was, to be perfect honest appalling.

I don’t know whether this was because my lad wasn’t quite as good as some of the other players, or because we weren’t part of that ‘footie clicque’ but I have never seen a boy turned off by something so quick as he was to football.

He now plays rugby at the Jersey Rugby Club where he is flying on all levels. Sunday mornings he is up at the crack of dawn and he can’t wait to get there and get stuck in.

The rugby club is an extremely professionally well run organisation. Every boy is treated with the same enthusiasm from all the coaches. My lad trains in a group of about 25 boys in his age group and there are at least 5 coaches every week.

There are 10 different age groups, so that could equal around 250 boys and 50 coaches who turn out every Sunday. The instruction and dedication to all boys regardless of their ability from every coach is amazing.

No wonder so many kids I hear about are being turned off football and wanting to play rugby instead. I would thoroughly recommend rugby to any parent who wishes their son (or daughter) to participate in a team sport where discipline, competition, commitment, passion and dedication are common place, as well as, above all repect!

Oh, and they really enjoy it too!

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