I just wanted to provide you all with an update on where we are as a club and how we are planning to go into next season whilst we still have the uncertainty of COVID 19 surrounding us.
One thing that I need to make clear to everyone involved in the club is that as a committee we are doing our utmost to make sure that we, and you, in turn, are fully informed and up to date with both the Government and the Football Associations stance/guidelines on youth football.
I just wanted to remind everyone that at present, we are unable to hold any 1-to-1 coaching or group training sessions at all or social gatherings. This is in line with the following Government guidelines on football activities that are not permitted: –
“Coaching a child (under 18) from a different household one to one. In order to comply with our safeguarding policy, a child must have a parent/carer with them, which doesn’t comply with Government social distancing requirements.”
We, as much as you and your children want things to return to normal, but this is going to take time and patience. As a committee we will look to support our members as fully as possible along the way, taking into account the economic environment where possible as well, and foremost, the health and safety of all of our members, whether that be the players, their parents, their grandparents or any teams that visit Lancing to play against Colts.
Previously, we have issued some guidance and changes around our signing on the process and how we are looking to amend this in line with COVID 19. We have reviewed this continually over the past 9 weeks as lockdown continues and can now advise as follows: –
- The Sussex County FA are working on a “business as usual basis” at present and are preparing to open the affiliation process for all clubs at the end of May 2020. This means that we must affiliate all our individual teams and link them to the leagues that they wish to play in after this date.
- This also means that affiliation costs to the FA, insurance costs (public liability and player insurance), as well as the individual league costs, will also become due shortly after this point in time.
- The Sussex County FA are also looking at ways in which they can reduce / subsidize some of the fees that they charge which we will, in turn, pass directly on to our members.
As a club, we believe that this is the fairest way to try and assist our members without putting the club at risk and we hope that this is seen as a positive way forward for the majority of people.
As always, if there are any questions, or you would like to speak to me directly on this then please do not hesitate to contact me via email using g.souter@sky.com
Finally, please remember that this is currently a moving feast and things can change quickly therefore we may need to provide you with further updates during this unprecedented time. Thank you for your patience, for supporting the club and for understanding that we are trying to be fair, as well as being as clear and as transparent as possible within all our communications with you.