Haslemere & Borders Girls Football Club In Association with The Edge & Woolmer Hill School sponsored by 4NF Information Technology

The Football Association's National Facilities Plan identifies the development of women's and girls' (as well as boys') football as priorities. Until the establishment in 2000 of Haslemere and Borders Girls Football Club ("the Club") there was no girls football club in our area - and no early propect of developing women's football. The Club broke that mould and provides an outlet for the physical energies of the girls, an enhancement of their health and fitness and a forum for sheer enjoyment and fun through exercise. It also opens the door to the development in the future of women's football in the district.

The club is fortunate in its partners: Surrey County Football Association, to whom we are affiliated, Haslemere Sports Association, whose facilities at The Edge (its Sports Complex) include an indoor sports surface and CCTV coaching adjunct: Woolmer Hill School, whose grass surfaces are available for our use and whose Head of Physical Education, Neil Morris, is our Club Advisor; and Fulham FC, which, through Michelle Jeffcoat, has been a source of great encouragement to us. To them all, our deep gratitude.

Because we are in our infancy, the Development Plan which follows lacks detail; but it is our intention, progressively over time, to amplify its scope and furnish it with more specifics. We have, as a club made a useful start but we do not intend to stand still.

1. Haslemere & Borders Girls Football Club ("HBG") was formed in May 2000, became operational in October 2000 and currently has 40 members.
2. Its formation was inspired by young people for young people and it seeks to meet the demand for football by girls in the age range 7 -16.
3. The Club has forged links with Haslemere Town Youth FC (the junior section of Haslemere Town FC) and expects to strengthen those links in the context of the current merger of Haslemere Town FC and Shottermill FC. It is affiliated to the Surrey County Football Association.
4. The drive and enthusiasm of the girls who make up the playing members, allied to the support of the boys who assist in managing HBG, is reflected in the unusual- but exhilarating -management structure of the Club.

II. PHLOSOPHY AND MISSION STATEMENT.

For girls, football is a minority sport and HBG seeks to encourage girls

- to participate in the sport
- to use football to develop a range of physical skills (including agility and balance)
- to increase physical fitness and mental awareness.
- to combine, with a proper degree of effort and competitiveness, the virtues of unselfishness, good sportsmanship and courtesy, all -vitally- with enjoyment. Football should be fun (the Club's Mission Statement). In addition, it is, part of HBG's philosophy to encourage / support involvement in football of those (whether girls/boys or women/men) with disabilities.

III. PRESENT FACILITIES.

"The Edge" provides HBG with an excellent indoor facility (for coaching, training and some competition) in the form of the sports hall at Woolmer Hill owned and in the registered charity, Haslemere Sports Association ("HSA"). If it were not already fully subscribed, the existing artificial turf pitch ("ATP") (also owned and managed for HAS at Woolmer Hill) would provide the perfect training complement for HBG's players. In this respect the Club looks forward keenly to the establishment by HSA of a second ATP at Woolmer Hill. A third element -for competition- is provided by the grass pitches at Woolmer Hill School, licensed to the Club by Woolmer Hill School, with which the Club has close links.

IV. EXISTING LEAGUE PARTICIPATION

From its 40 registered playing members HBG currently fields three teams, in the Youth Primary League.

- Under 9
- Under 13
- Under15

V. MANAGEMENT

  (A) SENIOR MANAGEMENT

1. Currently, HBG's Senior Management consists of the following:

- Chairman (who, at present, is also the Treasurer)
- Club Secretary / Senior Coach
- Coach
- Club Advisor.

In addition to this there is a Parent Focus Group which represents the views of playing and (mainly parents) non-playing members.

2. There are regular (at least, monthly) meetings of the Senior Management and there is constant communication with Junior Management ((B) below).

(B) JUNIOR MANAGEMENT

1. Junior Management comprises a mixture of boys and girls and consists of:

- Junior trainee coach
- Advertising and recruitment officer
- Web page advisor
- Trainee referee
- 2 Trainee coaches

The junior managers will have the opportunity to qualify for a National Certificate in Junior Management and Coaching - but to be nominated must have had two years experience of working within a girls club (the Senior Management of HBG believes that the Club's management structure does, in that respect, have a very useful by-product; as well as providing another impetus for development of closer relations between men's and women's football).

2. Although, ultimately, decisions affecting HBG's status, finances, player selection and coaching/training are taken by Senior Management, the establishment of a Junior Management group is considered to be a forward-looking step which accords to that group's personnel responsibility and a recognition of the need for contribution to the administration of the Club. Accordingly, Senior Management is at pains, whenever practicable, to involve Junior Management in the consideration and discussion of Club issues and in the process leading to decisions on those issues. In addition, the members of Junior Management ( e.g. those concerned with advertising and recruitment and with the Club's Web page) can relieve Senior Management of the performance of time-consurning tasks.

3. Senior Management is well aware that the Junior Management experiment needs careful monitoring, but believes that it is already proving beneficial to the Junior Managers and to Club members in general.

4. Senior Management is also well aware that changes in management structure will be required as the Club develops - not least when/if women are incorporated into its membership.

VI. FINANCE

1. The Club's Treasurer (who happens to be its present Chairman) was for several years -indeed, until recently- the Treasurer of Haslemere Town Youth FC; and, in the situation of the newly formed girls club, her experience is particularly relevant.

2. At this stage annual costs can only be estimated. Although the Club's Development Plan is for a five year period (2001-2006), it is difficult to estimate costs for the last two years of the period, because so much will depend on the growth of the Club, whether/when it amalgamates with the merging Shotterrnill FC / Haslemere FC Clubs and whether/when it becomes part of a female (women as well as girls) club.
However, best estimates of the running costs for the first three years are:

2001- 2 £2,000
2002- 3 £5,000
2003- 4 £7,000
The annual increases reflect the additional costs likely to be entailed by the Club's aspiration to gain the F A ' s Charter Standard Club and, subsequently, Charter Standard Development Club awards.

3. Annual subscriptions are currently at a level of £20 per playing member; but it is recognised that these will almost certainly need to rise in order to cover increased running costs of coaching, transport, equipment and, perhaps above all, hire of playing surfaces. Match fees are currently £1 per girl; and, again, are likely to rise.

4. The Club seeks to generate funds by way of

- grants e.g. from local authorities; The Surrey County Playing Fields Association; the Football Foundation; and the Surrey County FA.
- sponsorships
- donations
but recognises that in the longer term, it should not rely for its solvency on these sources but, rather, on subscriptions and match fees.

5. The Club's Bankers are National Westrninster Bank pIc, Haslemere Branch, 24 High Street, Haslemere, Surrey, GU27 2HN .

VII. CATCHMENT AREA

1. The catchment area -as the Club's name intentionally indicates- is not limited to Haslemere alone but embraces also the outlying villages such as Liphook, Grayshott, Headley, Milford and Fernhurst. As the Club becomes better known it is expected that participants will come from even farther afield -particularly when a women's section is established.

2. The catchment area includes that of Haslemere Town Youth FC (the junior section of Haslemere FC) -but in practice will, in the first few years of its development, have its potential for recruitment from the outlying villages less diluted than that section - boys football clubs like Liphook Juniors FC and Camelsdale Juniors FC are recipients of what otherwise would be many more potential recruits to the section.

VIII BROAD AIMS AND SPECIFIC TARGETS.

1. HBG's broad, and avowedly ambitious, aims may be summarised as follows:

- to develop girls football in Haslemere and its environs . - within two years to become a catalyst for the establishment of a women's football team(s) in the area,
- to become a successful girls'/women's football club in the South East of England and a stimulus for a wider dissemination of girls'/women's football in England (great oaks ).
- to assist the process of developing in the Haslemere area, football for the disabled (girls and women, boys and men).
- to maintain the ethos of the Club, as indicated in its Philosophy and Mission Statement.

2. As interim steps towards the achievement of these broad aims, HBG has set itself the following specific targets:

ONE: to ensure that the Club is financially independent,
TWO: to secure success in the local leagues within 3 years.
THREE: to increase recruitment of girls in the Club; establishing one additional team in each year of the Development Plan.
FOUR: to establish a women's section of the Club and to recruit vigorously for it.
FIVE: to build on the Club's relationship with Fulham FC in order to provide direct links with the disabled.
SIX: to create a friendly and enjoyable environment for players, officials, guests and spectators.
SEVEN:to develop and improve generally the efficiency of the Club within the I scope of its ethos,
EIGHT: to seek / support the establishment of additional playing facilities.
NINE: to gain the F A 's Charter Standard Club and Charter Standard Development Club awards .

IX. MEASURES TO ACHIEVE SPECIFIC TARGETS

To achieve the specific targets stated above, the Club will employ the following measures:

TARGET ONE (financial independence):
- regularly review its financial position and adjust accordingly
(Responsibility: Treasurer. Period: ongoing)
- in particular, monitor the relationship of costs to income derived from subscriptions / match fees and adjust accordingly
(Responsibility: Treasurer. Period: ongoing)
- seek vigorously support of parents for donations and, for grant aid, the support of outside authorities e.g. Surrey County F A ( for Mini- Football), Surrey County PFA, Waverley Borough Council, Haslemere Town Council, East Hants District Council.
(Responsibility: Chairman, Treasurer, with designated assistants. Period: ongoing)
-Develop relationship with local and national sponsors
(Responsibility: Chairman, Treasurer, with designated assistants. Period: ongoing)

TARGET TWO (success in local league)
- develop personal and team skills and fitness by coaching and practice. The Club is I committed to the Surrey Youth Action Plan and the commitment is endorsed by Surrey County Council.
- increase the number and quality of "level 1 " and "level 2" coaches annually (including by provision of coaching courses). One "level l " per annum; one "level 2" every two years. This progression will be through involvement of the Active Sports Programme and will be supported by Fulham FC. It is noteworthy that Michelle Jeffcoate is also the Surrey Football Development Officer for girls.
(Responsibility: Senior Coach. Period: ongoing)

TARGET THREE (increased recruitment into the Club):
- publicise in local media
- seek assistance of "partners" (such as HSA at The Edge)
- personal contact ( communication by players to their contemporaries, and by parents to other parents, etc. )
(Responsibility: Advertising and Recruitment Officer, Web page advisor Period: ongoing)

TARGET FOUR (establishment of women's section):
- consult Surrey County F A and others with relevant experience
- prepare appropriate Constitution
- publicise by all practicable methods
- recruit vigorously
(Responsibility: Chairman and Club Secretary. Period: commence 2002 and continue)

TARGET FIVE ( establish/ strengthen links with disabled):
- if desired by the disabled group(s), establish disabled section of the Club
- provide or procure coaching and referees for disabled football
- negotiate bookings (on favourable terms) with facility providers
- ensure regular communication (by newsletter or word of mouth) with the managements of organisations for the disabled.
(Responsibility: Chairman, Senior Coach, Club Advisor. Period: ongoing)

TARGET SIX (provide sociable environment):
- ensure all guests (opponents and their families, other guests and referees) are treated hospitably before and after - matches and with courtesy at all times
- ensure sportsmanship by players
- involve players and parents in Club social activities
(Responsibility: Chairman, Club Coaches, Parent Focus Group. Period: ongoing)

TARGET SEVEN (develop and improve management of the Club):
- always in accordance with the Club's ethos as set out in its Philosophy and Mission Statement ( contained in II above), regularly review and, as necessary, revise the Club's constitution, management structure and individual managerial responsibilities in order to increase the Club's efficiency and facilitate the implementation of its broad aims and specific targets.
(Responsibility: Chairman, Club Secretary and designated assistants. Period: ongoing)

TARGET EIGHT (seek / support the establishment of additional playing facilities):
- seek from local authorities licences to use additional grass pitches, at favourable rates.
- support, by endorsement and, where practicable, by pledges of use, the development of additional facilities (such as the much needed second ATP at Woolmer Hill)
(Responsibility: Chairman, Club Secretary, Treasurer, Senior Coach. Period: ongoing)

TARGET NINE (gain F A's Charter Standard Club and Charter Standard Development Club awards):
- pursue through measures involved in achieving TARGETS ONE -EIGHT above.
(Responsibility: Chairman and others designated in seeking such achievements. Period: ongoing)

The Club regards TARGET EIGHT as crucial for its own development -both for its girls and for the women whom it proposes to recruit -and, indeed, for the development of girls' / women's football as a whole within the South East of England.

X. CHILD PROTECTION

HBG is fully sensitive to the potential risks of child abuse and has sought the guidance of Surrey's Youth Development Unit. The guidelines provided will be formally implemented in full by the start of the next football season, in September 2001.

COMMUNITY BENEFITS

1. The benefits to the community to be expected from the implementation of the broad aims and specific targets set out in this Development Plan are largely encapsulated in the Club's Philosophy and Mission Statement (section II above): participation; physical fitness and development; mental development; and unselfish and sociable behaviour -in a significant portion of the local population. These are benefits both to the girls themselves and to the society in which they dwell.

2. These developments, and concomitant benefits, will extend to another significant portion of local society viz. young women.

3. Finally, community benefits flow from the socially cohesive nature of the Club. A children's club becomes very much a family affair and creates social bonds between the families of the respective players. The benefits of this (spreading as the Club's members increase) need no elaboration.

If you would like more information, or to register please Email: Mary Foryszewski

Home Page	Awards Evening	Diary

Grayswood Computer Services

and

Keats Harding

© Copyright Grayswood Computer Services UK