Team Management & Coaching Guidelines

Team Management & Coaching Guidelines

 

The coaching guidelines have been established to provide the best possible football experience for junior footballers and are in line with the requirements of the controlling body AFL Victoria.

 

Templestowe Junior Football Club (TJFC) appoints AFCA trained coaches who are skilled in balancing personal and team development goals. Where a coach is appointed prior to obtaining AFCA accreditation, YJFL rules and regulations stipulate that all coaches must be accredited at the earliest possible opportunity.

 

Unless otherwise advised by the Executive Committee all coaching positions are conducted on voluntary and honorary basis.

 

Coaching Appointments:

TJFC aims to have coaching appointments made for 2 years, with the option of the third at the discretion of the Executive Committee, Head of Coaching and incumbent Coach.

 

All coaching positions are declared vacant at the cessation of each season.

 

This does not preclude the Coach applying for that team at a future date for a future season.

 

For a coach to be eligible to apply for a third consecutive year with the same age group of players;

 

The Executive Committee & Head of Coaching is to consider the following:

• The coach has not been placed with another team.
• A suitable candidate has not applied.
• Considerable effort has been made to find a suitable applicant.

 

TJFC encourages Assistant Coaches to develop throughout the two year appointment of coaches as a coaching pathway within the club. The second season appointment of a coach can then serve as a handover to a suitably accredited and experienced assistant coach.

 

TJFC Coaching Application Process:

1. Nominate for coaching position using supplied form.
2. Submit application for position to Football Director.
3. All applications to be reviewed by Football Director and Head of Coaching.
4. Recommended appointments submitted to Executive Committee for approval by Football Director.
5. Executive Committee approval and/or review.
6. Football Director offers positions to approved applicants.

 

Dates for this process will vary by year however the objective of the club is to have all coaching appointments finalized by the end of February for the forthcoming season.

 

Team Management Appointments:

 

TJFC welcomes all expressions of interest from parents willing to assist in the management of teams. In practice the proactive involvement of parents, either in an official or unofficial capacity, benefits the club, the families and the players.

 

Team Management appointments are declared vacant at the cessation of each season.

 

TJFC encourages involvement from all families within the club. It is the preference of the club that Team Managers and Coaches are from separate families to encourage wider involvement of parents. TJFC encourages both parents and a pair of parents from separate families to manage teams.

 

TJFC aims to have team management appointments in place for 2 years, with the option of the third at the discretion of the Executive Committee. The club encourages parallel appointments of Team Managers and Coaches.

 

Team Managers, and other interested parties, must nominate for the position for the following season using the appropriate application forms and process.

 

TJFC Team Management Application Process:

1. Nominate for TM position using supplied form.
2. Submit application for position to Football Director.
3. All applications to be reviewed by Football Director and Head of Coaching.
4. Recommended appointments submitted to Executive Committee for approval by Football Director.
5. Executive Committee approval and/or review.
6. Football Director offers positions to approved applicants.

 

Dates for this process will vary by year however the objective of the club is to have all TM appointments finalized by the end of February for the forthcoming season.

 

Coaching Qualifications

 

Coaching applications made to the Football Manager will be assessed by the Executive Committee who will make recommendations on coaching appointments to the General Committee.

 

The Executive Committee reserves the right to reject any applicant without suitable qualifications or a suitable application.

 

TJFC Executive Committee, in conjunction with the Head of Coaching & Football Manager will make the final decision on all coaching appointments.

 

All coaches in the Templestowe Junior Football Club meet the following requirements:

 

Have obtained or in the process of obtaining AFCA accreditation to at least level 1. This ensures that all coaches have undergone the following:

• Adherence to the AFL coaches code of conduct.
• Police checks including certification for working with children.
• Appropriate training on football skills, player development, injury management and coaching behaviour
• Financial member of an appropriate and approved coaching association.
• TJFC will reimburse financial outlays for AFCA membership of active coaches and AFCA accreditation costs for new coaches
• Are encouraged to maintain a coaching diary
• Agree to the all to all club policies & guidelines for player selection and match participation
• Support all TJFC policies and constitution

 

Player Rotations and Ground Time

 

The aim of the TJFC is to maximize ground time for all registered players.

 

The following policies are designed to meet the TJFC objectives and the controlling body’s rules.

 

TJFC supports participation and playing of the game in the correct spirit. The club aims to field competitive teams at all times for the benefit of all players and families and caters for players of varying abilities and background.

 

The following guidelines reflect the need to ensure a balance between competitiveness and participation. The objective is to eliminate the opportunity for underplaying or overplaying players in a team regardless of ability.

 

Minimum game time Home and Away Season:

 

Bench time should be managed in a fair manner and to ensure player participation and safety.

• Under 8 to Under 13 – minimum three quarters per game
• Under 14 – Under 15 – minimum two quarters per game
• Colts at the coach’s discretion, but should regularly get 3 quarters and will get a minimum of 2 quarters a game most weeks.

 

With a full bench of six players, every player should have bench time during a match

 

Player Selection Home and Away Season:

 

On occasions where there are more than 24 players available for selection players will need to be rostered off as follows:

 

Under 8’s to Under 13’s

• Every player should be rostered off during the season.
• Players rostered off are required to attend the match and can be selected when there is a late change due to illness amongst the playing group. Players that are rostered off are asked to attend games and participate in supporting the team through duties such carrying water and boundary umpiring where appropriate.
• Rostering off should occur evenly across all players with no player being rostered off a second time before all other players being rostered off at least once.

 

Under 14’s to Under 15’s

• Every player should be rostered off during the season.
• Players rostered off are required to attend the match and can be selected when there is a late change due to illness amongst the playing group. Players that are rostered off are asked to attend games and participate in supporting the team through duties such carrying water and boundary umpiring where appropriate.
• Rostering off should occur so that all players are rostered off once. After all players have been rostered off; the remaining roster is solely at the discretion of the coach but fairly distributed amongst the playing group.

 

Roster’s Colts

• Rostering is at the coach’s discretion. However, common sense should be used to maintain team balance and harmony.
• TJFC suggests that all Team Rosters are done in conjunction with the Team Manager taking into account the following:
  • Aligning team management parent rosters & player rosters
  • Player Milestones
  • Individual player and family requests.

 

Player Selection Finals:

All listed players who meet the controlling body’s eligibility criteria are able to play during finals.

This means all players will be selected by the TJFC meaning the coach will manage an extended bench.

 

Minimum Ground Time Finals

 

Bench time in finals is dependent on the number of players on the bench. Where there are 5 or fewer players on the bench, ground time should be managed in the same manner as the home and away season. Where there are more than 5 players ground time should be managed in a fair manner and to ensure player participation and safety.

• Under 10 to Under 13’s to be a minimum of a two quarters per game
• Under 14 – Under 15 at the coach’s discretion, but should be reasonably expected to be a minimum 1 quarter a game
• Colts at the coach’s discretion, but it is expected that all players will get some ground time.

 

Any player or family requests are managed at the discretion of the Team Manager and Coach

 

Positional Rotations Early Years (Under 8, Under 9, Under 10, Under 11)

 

The key consideration for TJFC is “positional rotations”. As a result the TJFC have developed a set of coaching guidelines for positional rotations.

 

The coaching guidelines for the early football years:

1. All players are to be given the opportunity to play in each positional line:
   • Backline
   • Centres/On-Ball
   • Forward line
   • Bench
2. Players must not play in the same position for more than 40% of the season ground time.
3. Players must be given fair ground time (See Player Rotations)

 

Positional Rotations Middle Years (Under 12, Under 13, Under 14)

 

The key consideration for TJFC is “positional rotations”. As a result the TJFC have developed a set of coaching guidelines for positional rotations.

 

The coaching guidelines for the middle football years:

1. All players are to be given the opportunity to play in positions best suited to their long term development needs notwithstanding the team requirement for competitiveness:
   • Backline
   • Centres/On-Ball
   • Forward line
   • Bench
2. Players must not play in the same position for more than 50% of the season ground time.
3. Players must be given fair ground time (See Player Rotations)

 

Positional Rotations Final Years (Under 15, Colts)

 

The key considerations are safety and development. The coaching guidelines for the final football years:

1. All players are to be given the opportunity to play in positions best suited to their skill and development needs notwithstanding the team requirement for competitiveness:
   • Backline
   • Centres/On-Ball
   • Forward line
   • Bench
2. Players may be played in a set position.
3. Players must be given fair ground time (See Player Rotations)

 

If you have any questions in regard to these policies please discuss with your Team Manager and/or Coach