English Schools' Football Association

ESFA Newsletter - Monday 30 August 2004

Message from the Chairman Mr. Steve Abson

Welcome to the first year of the new century!

As you will know, The English Schools Football Association celebrated its centenary last season. What a memorable year! The Centenary Invitation International at Villa Park was a tremendous occasion. I take this opportunity to pay tribute to my predecessor, Phil Harding, who led the Association through truly wonderful celebrations. Also, I hope you have had the opportunity to read the Centenary book "A History of The English Schools Football Association" by Colm Kerrigan - copies are still available from the office in Stafford. Don't miss out!

Now we must look to the future and in particular the season ahead. Firstly a thank you! Thank you for the time, dedication commitment and enthusiasm that you and your colleagues put into schools football. This is very much appreciated. You are, no doubt, on the starting blocks with the first training session or match already in the diary for early September. Probably you have got the first committee meeting already arranged. The diary seems to fill all too quickly.

I hope, however, that you will find the time to spread the word about schools football (and to mention The English Schools F.A.) and to encourage more schools to join in the family via a local association. Perhaps you could introduce a new colleague at your school to your local schools football association. New blood is always welcome.

We move into the new season with an even greater sponsorship portfolio. In addition to our friends from "Sainsbury's", "The Premier League" and "Coca Cola", we welcome "Nutella" as sponsors for the u12 indoor competition, "4 Aces" for the u14 Individual Schools Cup and the "Royal Air Force." as sponsors for both the boys and girls u16 Individual Schools competitions. I hope you will take every opportunity to welcome these new sponsors. I offer my thanks to all of our sponsors for their interest, enthusiasm and support for schools football.

Have you had the opportunity to visit our website www.esfa.co.uk? Well worth a visit! The website was developed last season and has provided a useful link from which you can find the latest news and details of funding opportunities. You can even buy on-line from the ESFA shop.

Communication will continue, of course, via the General Newsletter. It is intended to produce two per term. Communication is, of course, two-way. Our excellent staff in the office at Stafford will be always pleased to help. I am very happy for you to contact me direct on any matters (well, almost any!) by phone or fax (0116)243 2280 or e-mail s.abson@btopenworld.com

At the end of August our Finance Officer, Alison Miller, will be leaving the Association after three years employment. I take this opportunity to thank Alison for her hard work and wish her well in the future.

Finally, looking back again. Have you had the opportunity to visit The National Football Museum in Preston? A "Schools Football" display is being arranged under the guidance of former Council Member Dave Price. Well worth a visit.

With best wishes for the season ahead

STEVE ABSON

CHIEF EXECUTIVE'S COMMENTS

A truly warm welcome and good wishes to our new Chairman. Steve has taken early retirement in order to fulfil his responsibilities as Chairman of the largest Schools' Sports organisation in the world (nearly the oldest, only pipped by the Scottish Schools' FA by one year!). His commitment to the appointment is welcomed by me and the staff in the office at Stafford and we all look forward to working for him and pushing on successfully into our second century.

May I take this opportunity to thank Mrs Alison Miller for all her hard work and dedication over the past three years as our Finance Officer. Alison has worked for us in some of our worst ever periods of financial scrutiny, but has always attended work in a happy and enthusiastic way. She moves on to a higher accounting position and we all wish her well.

I must also take this opportunity to thank Dave Price, who has just retired as the Council Member for Area B. Dave has been a stalwart of the organisation over many years and his work at local and national level has been outstanding. However, he remains in the fold as he is still performing two very important national tasks for the association. He has taken over the responsibility of disability football from me and has also accepted the role of 'watchdog' for our input at the National Football Museum at Preston (A role that I am sure David Willacy [avid Preston supporter] would have loved to do if it were not for the fact that he lives nearer the Thames than the Mersey)

In saying goodbye to Dave we must now welcome Rick Brown from Greater Manchester who will take over Dave's role in Area B and work alongside Nigel Brown (don't get confused they are not related).

As someone who is from Area F I am somewhat disappointed that we cannot attract anyone from the area to come onto Council. It is with some relief that I welcome David Lailey and Stuart Inger back onto Council as co-opted members for the area. The Council Member role is a vital one within the national organization, and as the Chairman has already stated, it is imperative that we bring in new, younger blood. If you are reading this in Berkshire, Dorset, Hampshire or Oxfordshire and have a teaching appointment in one of those counties please contact me so that I can explain the role and commitment required. Talking to some of you I know that you are reluctant to take on another commitment, but with good management and delegation the job should be prestigious and not onerous.

MATTERS FOR THE NEW SEASON AND THE 2004 A.G.M.

The AGM, organised by the Walsall Schools' FA in their own Centenary Year, was very much a disappointment in that the numbers attending once again dropped. In a year when the national organisation had at last fulfilled its financial promise (albeit in small measures) to the County and District Associations, I would have liked to think that the members would have supported the national cause in greater numbers.

For those attending your comments re the structure of the AGM have been noted for next year, but for those who were unable to attend please let me know the reasons so that they can be discussed at Council and more appropriate plans made if felt necessary. Any suggestions would be gratefully received. It has been suggested that perhaps schools within Districts might be invited to send a representative to the AGM, limited to 3 school representatives per District. Schools with their devolved budgets may be interested and more importantly be in a position to financially support their delegate. Certainly some of the Specialist Colleges have stated that

Adults other than Teachers in schools football

Following agreement at the AGM, the rule regarding the control of teams includes:

A person who has the direct approval in writing from the local or county schools football association who

1. is a member of FACA (giving a first aid and coaching qualification)
2. has undergone a Criminal Records Bureau check - any payment associated with this shall be the responsibility of the school or local / county schools football association

This information must be registered with ESFA on the appropriate form and the Criminal Records Bureau Certificate must be attached to the form. This registration is to be done on an annual basis. Approval may be withdrawn by the local or county schools association or ESFA at any time.

Life Membership

In addition to the existing rule:

Nominations for life membership may also be submitted by member associations in respect of a person who has given outstanding service at local, county and/or regional level leading to national level.

Any submission must be received by the Chief Executive on or before 31st January in any playing season for consideration by Council at its next meeting.

Competitions

1. a Golden Goal. This has been removed from all ESFA competition rules as it is now against FA regulations. Similarly, the golden goal rule should be removed from the rules of any of your local competitions.
2. c U11 small-sided competitions. As announced in the spring, there will now be four competitions for this age group. The existing "Sainsbury's Soccer Sixes" and "Sainsbury's Seven-a-side for Association Teams" continue largely unchanged. The two new competitions are (i) "Sainsbury's Seven-a-side competition for boys", and (ii) "Sainsbury's Six-a-side competition for girls." These two new competitions replace the Sainsbury's (mixed) six-a-side competition that ran until last year.
3. d One important qualifying rule agreed at the AGM says that "the u11 girls competition apart, a school may only enter one of the u11 Individual Schools competitions"

NOTICE BOARD

1. Long Service Awards. A reminder that competed nomination forms must be returned to the office by 31st January 2005
2. Funding Opportunities for schools and associations (kit etc.). This is available via The Football Foundation at www.footballfoundation.org.uk
3. Funding Opportunities for large projects e.g. improving changing rooms, drainage work etc. is available via your Local Football Partnership group at your County F.A.
4. ESFA Business Plan Funding. Application forms will be issued in early September.
5. 2005 Annual General Meeting will be on Saturday 2nd July in Loughborough.
6. The Under 16 Individual Cups, sponsored by the Royal Air Force will be launched at RAF Cranwell on Monday 27 September 2004. It is hoped that the two winning schools from 2003-2004 will be in attendance and that Sir Trevor Brooking will be the main. More details can be obtained by telephone or email to the Chief Executive.
7. The Under 14 Individual Schools Cup now sponsored by the 4 Aces football publication will have Lawrie McMenemie and Graham Le Saux as the front men.
8. ESFA has joined forces with UK Deaf Association and will be setting up a pilot interschool competition in the very near future
9. There is an inter-schools' girls Under 16 Football Festival being hosted by the Football Association of Ireland during the 2005 Easter Holidays. More information can be gained through the office in Stafford.

NOTES

As requested at the AGM a copy of the Business Plan will be available from the office after the 6 monthly update on 16 September 2004. Members wishing to receive a copy should email the Chief Executive on john.read@schoolsfa.com who will return a copy to you electronically.