CBHS Football Club Policies

• Senior Players Playing for Clubs
• Player Code of Conduct (Policy to be posted 1 June 08)
• Coaches Code of Conduct (Policy to be posted 1 June 08)
• Parents/Supporters Code of Conduct (Policy to be posted 1 June 08)

If you wish to make comment on any of the policies listed below please email master@cbhsfootball.co.nz

Senior Players playing for Clubs - policy statement April 2008

Each year there are several students at school that choose to play for senior men's club teams in preference to playing at school. There are often different reasons for this. Some boys prefer not to play for school because the like the separation between their school lives and lives outside of school. Some choose to play for senior men's teams because they are looking to play at the highest level possible. It is these boys that this proposal is aimed at.

Recent changes to the Premiere League mean that opportunities for young players (under 17 which most school students fall into) are fewer and farther between. As a result the type of boy we are discussing is likely to be the athletic exception, rather than the rule. These types of boys will be candidates for national teams and will be encouraged by national selectors/coaches to play at the highest possible local level, often not the level our school teams are playing at.

The Proposal
That students of CBHS who have played for the school regularly and during their senior years (12-13) are regular first team members of senior Federation Premiere League Clubs be released to play first team football for their club on Saturdays and still be considered for selection for CBHS First Eleven for interschool fixtures and National Tournament. These students are required to train at least once per week with the school first eleven and must adhere to any discipline and attendance policies imposed on other first eleven players.

Benefits to the Student
- Able to play at the highest local level to fulfil personal and, in some cases, national ambitions.
- Able to continue to play for the school's first eleven in inter schools and tournament.
- The student is not forced to make a difficult choice between club and school.

Benefits to the Clubs
- Able to include talented school players in the club.
- Able to use school's first eleven as a feeder club into their first teams without displacing other senior men from second teams.
- Also able to use school first eleven for post-injury rehabilitation and match fitness.

Benefits to the School
- Able to field the strongest possible team in inter school fixtures and national tournament.
- Able to expose a greater range of players to higher levels of competition.
- Reduce the conflict between schools and clubs and create a model of effective co-operation.
- Send a clear message to students that if they play for a club during their junior years they risk not being considered for the first eleven.

Potential Difficulties

Some club coaches will be adamant that fringe first team players must play for the club's second team to be considered for first team selection. The School's role will be to liaise with those coaches and clearly articulate our policy. Some allowance may be given during pre-season tournaments but once the season proper starts the policy must be rigidly applied. Players at that point will need to make a decision as the policy does not allow for other than regular first team players.

In the past we have had the experience of one coach who told me a student was playing in the first team on a Saturday and then played him in the second team. Where deliberate deception occurs on the part of the club coach the School will follow up with the club coach and failing any satisfactory resolution the player will be clearly reminded of the policy and asked to make a decision.

There have also been a number of boys that have indicated that if not selected for the first team they will be playing for club teams. Should these boys later on make their club first teams and then seek to have this policy applied so they can play school first eleven football, this policy will not apply to them as they have not shown the commitment necessary to the school's football programme.
This is to help encourage boys to show a long term commitment to the school's junior and lower grade senior teams until they advance to the first eleven.

CBHS Football is also actively seeking opportunities to support our players at the highest level with senior clubs, with Mainland and through a well organized player and coach development programme made available to our Academy players as they work through our Club system

CBHS Football April 2008