WLAYFC Letters Page 2008-09
From Duncan McIntyre GoSoccer International 06-06-09
Hello,
Please allow me to introduce myself. My name is Duncan McIntyre,
some of you may already know me through my involvement with existing Tournaments / Festivals which I already organize or ones I am currently involved with ie:-
9th Scotland Cup May Day Festival –
Ayr 32nd Ayr International Youth Football Tournament – Scotland Cup - Ayr Scotland Cup Edinburgh Soccer 7’s Festival - Edinburgh Scotland Cup Edinburgh International Youth Football Festival - Edinburgh 18th Scotland Cup Land O’ Burns Festival - Ayr Or through my company GoSoccer International Many years ago before I was made redundant and decided to set up my own business I was like your goodselves a volunteer heavily involved in youth football with Ayr Boswell Boys Club, serving on various committees with the Ayr & District League now the West of Scotland YFL, Ayrshire Amateur Youth League the Scottish Amateur Youth FA prior to it becoming the Scottish Youth Football Association. So I have been a round the block a few times!! Why am I telling you this? To highlight to you the fact I am not out to capitalize on youth football at the expense of the teams, but to work with the teams and the various leagues to give them the opportunity to participate in well organized value for money Festivals throughout Scotland during the major holiday times at Easter, May Day, Whitsun and Summer. At the same time the youngsters get the opportunity to play against teams from different areas (in some cases different countries) whilst helping to raise funds for our nominated charity CLIC Sargent and helping youngsters who are less fortunate than themselves. Our Next Festival is the Edinburgh Soccer Sevens Festival on the weekend of 27th & 28th June and I have attached a flyer which I would ask if you can circulate the information and let your members know and to encourage them to participate particularly those from surrounding areas who can travel on a daily basis. As you can see we charge a team entry fee of £50, every team plays six worthwhile matches of 2 x 15 minute halves and all players receive a Festival Medal and each team receives a Friendship Trophy. The entry fee covers the costs of Pitches, Medals and Friendship Trophies. eg A team with a pool of ten players = less than 84pence per play per game, I am sure you will agree real value for money. At each Festival we take a collect for the charity CLIC sergeant. I am also interested in setting up similar types of Festivals in Inverness, Aberdeen, Dundee, Perth, St Andrews, Dumfries and the Borders plus any other areas where there is sufficient interest and would ask the Leagues / Associations in these regions to please contact me. I would like to get to the stage where the Festivals can reach the point whereby they can make a financial contribution (following the deduction of all costs) to the funds of the Leagues / Associations involved. I thank you for taking the time to read my email and hope to hear back from you and would welcome any feedback, comments which you may have. Many thanks Yours in sport, Duncan McIntyre GoSoccer International Tel: + 44 (0) 1292 477818 Mobile: 0777 621 3707 Email: Duncan@gosoc.co.uk Website: www.gosoc.co.uk
From Stuart Finalyson 19-02-09
I apologise for contacting you out of the blue like this but i feel you are just the person to help me. My name is Stuart Finlayson and i run a Goalkeeper Academy in the Edinburgh area called Just4Keepers. We are always looking to encourage youngsters to try out goalkeeping but the distinct lack of proper coaching is very visible throughout the country. We at J4K are looking to hold some free sessions in your area with the view to getting budding shot stoppers on the right track.
I know you are involved with the west lothian association of youth football clubs and would be grateful if you could inform your members about this fantastic opportunity. Equally you could forward this message on as i will include my contact details.
Please remember this introductory sessions will be completely free of charge!!
Thanks Again
Stuart Finalyson
0131-664-0812
07950876750
just4keepers_edinburgh@hotmail.com
www.just4keepers.com
From David Little National Secretary Scottish Youth FA 04-02-09
Hi
In order to clarify the current position with Scottish Cup ties
All round 4 ties will take place as listed or seven days after the listed
date if cancelled
All round 5 ties will take place as listed or seven days after the listed
date if cancelled
All quarter final ties will be played seven days after the round 5 tie has
been decided however dependant on circumstances that may change.
All replays will be seven days
Any decisions to reverse ties will be taken when required by the Scottish
Cup Committee.
No further relief of fixture will be granted for either round 4, 5 or
quarter finals, this includes Celtic V Rangers on the weekend of 14 / 15
February 2009
Please ensure that all clubs from your league or region are made aware of
this.
I hope this helps
Regards
David
David Little
National Secretary
Scottish Youth FA
Hampden Park
Glasgow G42 9BF
0141.620.4590
www.scottishyouthfa.co.uk
From David Little National Secretary Scottish Youth FA 04-02-09
Hi
We are currently undertaking a major exercise to review all fundraising
activities in order to bring much needed financial support to our level
of the game.
As you know from your involvement in grassroots football money is always
tight and with the current economic problems facing the country it is
going to be more difficult to assist our member leagues and clubs.
To this end we are preparing some literature that may assist this
process. As part of our paperwork we would like to include quotes that
will high light the good work being carried out by SYFA and its members
at grassroots level. If you have a quote please forward to myself and
hopefully we can be successful in obtaining new funding streams. When
e-mailing your reply make the subject SYFA Quotes
Thanks in anticipation of your assistance in this matter
Regards
David
David Little
National Secretary
Scottish Youth FA
Hampden Park
Glasgow G42 9BF
0141.620.4590
www.scottishyouthfa.co.uk
From Ian Mackay Evening news Journalist 27-01-09
Regarding the story about the national campaign to tackle the problem of professional clubs signing kids on forms that may or may not be legal, the person who is mounting the campaign, Wullie Smith, from Hillwood Boys Club in Paisley, is coming through to Edinburgh to speak to me next week. If anyone is considering following up this story, I could let you know where and when the meeting will take place. He appears to have done considrable research in to the matter. Scott Robertson, from Musselburgh Windsor and his colleague, Douglas Hall, have also been to the Scottish Parliament to meet Justice Ministe, Kenny MacAskill and the Sports Minister, Stewart Maxwell, to discuss this problem that has a serious affect on youth football clubs. Scott is involved in the current campaign. Two other people, John Frame, from Newbattle High School, and West Lothian Schools FA secretary, Ronnie Dempster, are currently involved in separate and ongoing attempts to stop what they consider amounts to a form of child abuse. There are many, many others who also have strong opinions and objections about the way senior clubs lure kids away from school and youth club football. Hundreds of kids are dumped each year and there is no fall-back scheme to protect their interests. Some kids are so damaged in their own self-esteem, they never play football again. The kids are used to fill jerseys to allow professional clubs to play 11-a-side games. Once used, the vast majority are dumped! Why this has never been addressed by politicians and others, is a matter of concern. From Ian Mackay.
From Ian Mackay Evening news Journalist 27-01-09
I appeal to everyone who reads the Local Heroes website www.localheroesltd.co.uk to support SFA South East Manager, Mark Munro's current campaign aimed at adults who cause problems at kids games by shouting at the youngsters. This campaign also takes in every aspect of bad behaviour in games at minor-grade level. I ask everyone who truly loves the game of football and all that it means to thousands of young people who play throughout the year to help promote Mark Munro's initiative and help clean up the game for everyone to enjoy. I have seen and heard things already this season at a minority of games that are disgraceful - swearing, aggression, personal abuse and shocking off-the-ball incidents that have no place in minor-grade football. Football pitches should not be seen as battlefields by a minority of players. Those who contribute to the positive image of football as the best team game in the world are being dragged down by the minority. Thousands of leaflets listing what is acceptable have been printed and these will be handed out to parents and others at kids games in the weeks ahead. I will support this campaign and I will highlight bad behaviour at every game I cover in my work. I keep praising all that is good in football, now I have to go even further and publicise all that is bad.
From Ian Mackay Evening news Journalist 01/09/08
(Please read the preceding letter dated 30/08 first as this is an answer to the letter below)
I am following this with interest....both personally and professionally. From a personal point of view, my eldest son played in the performance league with a pro club up until last season. He loved his football....but loved rugby equally...and played rugby for his school as rugby is not covered in the SFA rules .Some of his fellow team members in the football club dearly wanted to play football for their schools but weren't allowed...or did it behind thier coaches backs !! This was at under 14 and Under 15 level ! I think we need a full-on national debate on this. I have witnessed several young people play for a pro team , then be dumped, and then never play football again.....where playing for their school or local club would be just fine ! At least my son had another sport on which to fall back on !! And we live in an age when we are trying to encourage young people to get active and stay active ! Football can put so many off this for life !!
From Ian Mackay Evening news Journalist 30/08/08
SFA's position regarding young footballers and the way some kids are banned from taking part in school and youth club football
"The rules re professional clubs are straight forward, if the professional club participates in the performance league the players are not eligible to play for their school all other clubs who participate in the youth initiative their players are eligible to play for their school. All players at primary school level can play for their school.
If anyone has a problem with any SYFA member club they should send me a signed letter and I will investigate. I hope this helps, regards, David Little, secretary of Scottish Youth FA."
Meggetland and the setting out of pitches for games
At the Edinburgh v Mid/East Lothian under-15 Scottish Schools FA section tie on Monday night, the goals and corner flags were not in position for the start of the game. This is the answer to a question I put to Stephanie-Anne Harris regarding the situation at Meggetland, including the use of floodlights. The lights were put on for a coaching session that took place in the astroturf area, but not for the Scottish Schools tie and it was quite dark and very wet at the finish of the game. The heavy goals were put in place by both players and volunteers at the game. The answer is from Shirley Bowman of Edinburgh Leisure:
"We do not set up goals or corner flags for football, nor do we dress the pitches for rugby. We do not have the staffing levels to do this for every game. In the beginning we tried to set up goals but it proved impossible to do with the limited number of staff we have; often we had 3 or 4 sets of sevens goals (ie. 6 or 8 individual goals), to move on the astroturf, goals to set up on the lower pitches, plus 11's goals . . . with two, and sometimes only one member of staff it was not possible, so early on we took the decision to operate in the same way as all our other venues where goals and flags are set up by the teams. All our customers are aware of this, we have explained the reasons to them and they have been doing this literally since the start. There has been no adverse reaction or complaints. The large goals are deliberately turned around to face the fence and are padlocked to the fence. The smaller goals are inside the large goals. The reason we do this is because every morning staff were coming on duty to find the goals moved, at times a significant distance, and even moved to the lower pitches. There are lots of goals and they were scattered all over the pitches. If they were on duty on their own they could not move them back. Even if two staff are on shift, they should not be leaving the building unattended. In addition it prevents casual play on the prestige pitch...the only goals they could use are the astro goals which is where we want to direct casual play in the first place. The situation with the floodlights is not acceptable and we should have put them on. I do not expect our customers to have to come and ask to have the lights switched on, we should be aware of conditions and put them on, particularly as the lights were on on the astroturf. I'll raise this with the staff on duty at the time. I hope this explains and answers Ian's comments. Shirley Bowman.
I have now asked this further question relating to the handling of heavy goals:
Are people insured to move these goals? I remember a case in England where a set of goals fell on kids when they were carrying them! If I remember correctly, the boy's parents sued for the injuries to their son. I am sure I read that the only people covered by insurance are council employees. I know the set of goals I helped with at Meggetland were very heavy indeed.
West Lothian Council
NEWS RELEASE 19/09/08
New signings for midnight football Midnight football has returned to West Lothian with two brand new signings. Linlithgow and East Calder have been added to the line-up of towns for the 2008 midnight football season kicking off from 3 October, with Armadale, Blackburn, Broxburn, Bathgate and Livingston all re-signed for the new term. Midnight football is a free national five a side football community scheme, aimed at keeping young people off the streets and reducing anti-social behaviour. It is open to both boys and girls aged between 12 and 17, and players can comes along to take part in the leagues as either individuals or teams. The expanded project, which is run by West Lothian Council’s sport and recreation team and partners, is now one of the largest schemes of its type in Scotland. Executive Councillor for Culture and Leisure, Jim Walker, said: “Midnight football has proved a huge success in West Lothian, and has a part to play in ensuring young people don’t get involved in anti-social behaviour due to lack of opportunities or entertainment. “The project has really grown since the pilot in just two years, and last year saw over 450 young people take part in a combined total of almost 5000 hours of free sporting activity. “The midnight football leagues also aims to build community spirit and give the young people involved a sense of pride and ownership of the leagues in which they are taking part.” West Lothian Leisure are also supporting the popular scheme by hosting five of the seven leagues on the high quality third generation synthetic pitches at their Xcite centres. Other key partners include Lothian and Borders Police, the West Lothian Youth Action Project, the West Lothian Drug and Alcohol Service and West Lothian Council’s Neighbour Response Teams (NRT). Midnight football is a nationally recognised initiative, which is used by the Scottish Football Association (SFA) to demonstrate good practice. Funding has come from the Scottish Government’s Cashback for Communities scheme through the SFA as well as Halifax Bank of Scotland, the Coalfields Regeneration Trust, BAA Edinburgh and Sportscotland. Times/dates/venues Armadale Community Centre Bathgate Sports Centre Broxburn Sports Centre Blackburn Community Centre Craigswood Sports Centre East Calder Sports Centre Linlithgow Leisure Centre For more information, contact sports development assistant Scott Murray on 01506 776184 or 01506 776295, fax 01506 776186 or email scott.murray2@westlothian.gov.uk Issued by media and communications officer Ewen McNamee. Tel: 01506 773812. Media@westlothian.gov.uk |
From Jen White Physical Activity Co-ordinator Strathbrock Partnership Centre 29/07/08
For health benefits we should all be aiming to accumulate 30 minutes of moderate intensity physical activity on most, if not all, days of the week.
Moderate intensity physical activity involves raising your heart rate and feeling a little warmer e.g. brisk walking.
We hope you can join us for our first ever West Lothian Walking Week from 15th - 21st September
- Please contact Laura Dunkel, 01506 775626 or via email at: laura.dunkel@westlothian.gov.uk to book a place and receive a programme
- All walks are free and will be guided by trained staff
Download Programme - Download Poster
Jen White
Physical Activity Co-ordinator
Strathbrock Partnership Centre
189a West Main Street
Broxburn
EH52 5LH
01506 771792
07909 892081