JOIN US
Welcome!
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If your child is currently in Reception/year 1 please note that our dribblers program will start on Saturday 17th September and there is only a few spaces let.
If you like to enquire a space in our Dribblers program please complete this form:
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For any other dribblers queries: dribblers@hsmfc.co.uk
The club would like to take this opportunity to welcome you as players and parents to Horsforth St Margaret’s Football Club, either as a new member or one renewing their membership. We hope that during your time with us you will all enjoy your football and make many new friends in the process. On this page there should be all the information you need to help you understand how the club works.
The Club was founded in 1986 to provide opportunities for local children to access football, develop their skills, to help develop their self-awareness, confidence and general social skills. More than 30 years on we are FA Charter Standard club providing football for over 900 children through approximately 75 teams throughout the football season. We now have a brand new purpose built clubhouse on King George fields and we encourage you, your family and friends to use it as much as possible.
We want to provide a nurturing, friendly and safe environment for your child during their time with us. Most of all, we want them to have fun! We have excellent coaches and officials throughout the club to support you through your journey with us. We also want you to get involved if you can. The club would not exist without volunteers, so if you think you could help with coaching, administration or even running a tuck shop to pay the referee, get in touch with a member of the committee.
If you ever have any questions or concerns, please remember that the Committee are only a phone call, email, text or tweet away.
Our DNA
In conjunction with the West Riding County FA we developed a “Club DNA” in the summer of 2017. Out is available in full on this website (link), but in summary it is simply an attempt to outline what the club philosophy. They key commitments within the document are as follows:
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The balanced aim of developing strong football teams who display sporting behaviour
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We do not trial players. All players, regardless of ability, are welcome
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Wherever possible the younger age groups (U11/U12 and below) will be given equal game time
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An emphasis of enjoyment and performance over results
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The desire to develop players who are comfortable and creative on the ball
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The importance of children not specialising in any one position too early
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Developing a loose framework in relation to how we coach children to play in and out of possession of the football
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The aim to help children develop of good tactical understanding of the game
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The expectations placed upon club coaches with regards to qualifications
Our Coaches
Here at HSMJFC we value our coaches and we hope you will too. All of our coaches are volunteers. This isn’t their profession. We don’t pay them. They give their time and effort to ensure local children have access to organised football and we are grateful to them all. However, this isn’t to say that we don’t have expectations of them; namely:
Qualifications
The club are legally required to ensure that all coaches have the appropriate clearances:
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All of our coaches will have been cleared by the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) before working with your child
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We also aim to guarantee that all of our coaches are currently working towards or hold the FA Level 1 Qualification in Coaching. To achieve this qualification coaches will be DBS cleared, have attended first aid and child safeguarding courses, in addition to a 30-hour football coaching course
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Your child’s coach should possess either a West Riding County FA (WRCFA) ID card or, having secured their Level 1 qualification, an FA License Coaches Club (LCC) ID card
*It is your right to ask your child’s coach to show you their ID card*.
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Environment & Behaviour
We expect our coaches to create a safe and enjoyable environment for all players, in which they can develop to achieve their potential. In line with the FA’s Respect initiative, we expect our coaches to:
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Place the well-being, safety and enjoyment of each player above everything, including winning
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Explain exactly what is expected of players and what they can expect from you
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Ensure all parents/carers of all players under the age of 18 understand these expectations
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Never engage in or tolerate any form of bullying
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Develop mutual trust and respect with every player to build their self esteem
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Encourage each player to accept responsibility for their own behaviour and performance
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Ensure all activities I organise are appropriate for the players’ ability level, age and maturity
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Co-operate fully with others in football (e.g. of officials, doctors, physiotherapists, welfare of officers) for each player’s best interests
Codes of Conduct
The club expects certain standards of behaviour from volunteers, players and spectators and operate codes of conduct for in line with the FA’s Respect Programme.
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Players
Things we expect of our players:
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Always play to the best of my ability
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Play fairly – I won’t cheat, complain or waste time
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Respect my team-mates, the other team, the referee or my coach/manager
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Play by the rules, as directed by the referee
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Shake hands with the other team and referee at the end of the game
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Listen and respond to what my coach/ team manager tells me
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Talk to someone I trust or the Club Welfare Officer if I’m unhappy about anything at my club
Parents
Things we expect of our parents:
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Remember that children play for FUN
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Applaud effort and good play as well as success
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Always respect the match officials’ decisions
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Remain outside the field of play and within the Designated Spectators’ Area (where provided)
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Let the coach do their job and not confuse the players by telling them what to do
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Encourage the players to respect the opposition, referee and match of officials
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Avoid criticising a player for making a mistake – mistakes are part of learning
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Never engage in, or tolerate, offensive, insulting, or abusive language or behaviour
Membership and Season Fees
Horsforth St Margaret's Football Club is a not-for-profit registered charity. The costs of operating a grassroots football club the size of HSMJFC are substantial. As an example the club spends a huge amount for pitch and training facility hire. An non-exhaustive list of costs include:
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Playing kit
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Equipment (goals, balls, cones, bibs, first aid kits, corner flags, respect barriers etc)
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Matchday and training facility hire
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Coaching qualifications and clearances
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League and cup entry fees
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Player registration fees
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Insurance
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End of season trophies
In order to enable the club to continue to fund football activities for all of our players, we charge an annual subscription fee to help cover some of these costs. Every year the club work hard to keep the fee at a reasonable and affordable level. The fee is payable each summer before a deadline of 31 August and is subject to review each year.
The club will calculate a pro-rata fee if a player joins part-way through the season. There are reduced costs for siblings.
The club are keen to ensure that all local children have access to football and understand that for some families, money can be tight. If any parents believe they are likely to have difficulties meeting the full subscription fee, they can approach their child’s coach or a committee member in confidence to discuss the matter.
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Kit and Equipment
The club are committed to ensuring that all of our players and coaches have access to the required kit and equipment. Each coach is provided with a “starter pack” at the start of each season, which includes balls, cones, bibs and a first aid kit.
Due to the cost involved in buying over 900 children a new playing kit each year, we encourage coaches to try and find sponsors, with the guarantee that the club will purchase new kits where this hasn’t been possible. Whilst we understand that accidents sometimes happen and things go missing, we encourage you to look after your child’s kit as far possible, by following the washing and drying instructions.
As parents we would ask you to think about whether your place of work or family or friends might be interested in sponsoring your child’s team. Sponsoring a HSMJFC brings several benefits both in terms of
local exposure and in demonstrating support for a our local grassroots organisation.
Safeguarding our players
Horsforth St Margaret's Football Club acknowledges its responsibility to safeguard the welfare of every child and young person who has been entrusted to its care and is committed to working to provide a safe
environment for all members. Adherence to the policy is overseen by our Child Welfare Officer. Full details on the policy and the appropriate reporting forms can be found using this link, but our key principles are as follows:
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The child’s welfare is, and must always be, the paramount consideration
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All children and young people have a right to be protected from abuse regardless of their age, gender, disability, race, sexual orientation, faith or belief
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All suspicions and allegations of abuse will be taken seriously and responded to swiftly and appropriately
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Working in partnership with other organisations, children and young people and their parents/carers is essential
If you have any concerns or questions with regards to safeguarding issues, please contact our Child Welfare Officer in the first instance.
The Clubhouse
The Clubhouse was opened in May 2016 following several years of planning and fundraising, providing a modern new home for HSMJFC and Horsforth Cricket Club. Since the opening Horsforth Harriers Running Club have become associate members. The club house is operated by the umbrella organisation Horsforth Sports Club (HSC).
We would encourage you, your family and friends to help us make the clubhouse a focal point for the club and local community by using it as much as possible throughout the year.