President’s Message: Round 6

Hi All Sharks

It’s hard to believe we are already up to Round 7 this week. Nearly halfway through the season yet it feels as though we’ve just got underway. 

Congratulations to all our Milestone players over the last few weeks. The banners have been booked solid for 50 & 100 games milestones for quite a few players. This is a great indication of the family atmosphere our club offers whilst receiving loyalty from our players. Our playing list is certainly a tight knit group of young men,  with friendships that will last forever. Every year we lose a few players for a variety of reasons, however we seem to attract new players to join us or return to us, even up to the Colts as evidenced again this year.

At the Sharks we base our younger players into friendship group’s teams and then adjust once they start high school with team selection. This allows for children to initially learn the basic skills of football then as bodies start to mature we take the welfare of the players into account. With team selection mostly we get it right, mostly the players feel it’s right and mostly parents feel it’s right. Whilst not an exact science, a lot of time and effort is inputted to help our players grow from U8’s through to Colts. Now we have a pathway for Colts to U19’s to seniors with the P.O.F.C.

Over the next 6 months we will be embarking in creating a pathway for Youth Girls. How I love this Club and the committee involved in being able to accept challenges and see the excitement of turning dreams into reality, worries into problem and then solutions, whilst decisions are based on history, knowledge, and policy, we are trying to be proactive rather than reactive going forward.

Therefore from time to time we will challenge various parts of policy and what we do to see if we can improve areas within our Club. At the end of the day it is about our players enjoying the game of football, bonding with team mates and being part of a healthy environment.

GO SHARKS!

Conduct

The previous weekend has seen an escalation of poor conduct by a large number of clubs. Some comments have been directed at players and some at umpires. As previously mentions we, at the Sharks, pride ourselves on enthusiastic yet restrained support.

Whilst a number of incidents occurred by our opposition, we have not been squeaky clean ourselves. The clubs’ Director of Football and myself have been called to a compulsory meeting at YJFL Headquarters the week. The subject is to be addressed on the Leagues requirements of regard to the behaviour of coaches/officials and parental behaviour.

Comments have been made by parents and even our coaches. Please ensure your comments are made in a positive manner and show respect, in particular to umpires (they are trying their best, most young ones are still learning). If you see something you don’t like or disagree with, please report it to your Team Manager or the Ground Manager.

Umpires are to be treated without approach or comment. Our club has a Zero Tolerance Policy towards victimisation of umpires.

At times I know I’m loud and yell out to my sons to take up various positions or to man up. We all do. Please let’s set the bar for the league in how we conduct ourselves. Out club is known for its respect towards the YJFL, its representatives and our opposition teams. Let’s keep it that way and not denigrate ourselves to other’s levels.

Please enjoy watching and supporting your children as they happily go about playing the game of ‘Aussie Rules’. At the end of the day, it’s all about their desire to play and enjoying being on the Park each week with their team mates participating.

Sharkwiz – Trivia Night! 80 tickets sold! Come on Sharks, get on board! 80 tickets to go!!

Sharkwiz 2016 is almost here… Saturday 4th of June (folks, less than 2 weeks away) @ 7.00pm at Domeney Reserve. The Sharkwiz organising committee are seeking auction items for the Sharkwiz.

For ease of booking, a new online system has been adopted. You can book online here, or use Team App on your smartphone.

For information please contact Michael Newton – Events Coordinator – on mobile 0421 049 904 or via email; events@sharksjfc.org.au 

Youth Girls Program

Members of the committee have now met with the core group of ladies who will move forward this year creating youth girls teams for 2017.

Our recruitment channels are now open. To all young ladies – the opportunity is now there for you to be a part of it. Come on, give footy a go and be part of the biggest growth sport in Australia.

The Club will be opening Sharks registration later this year.

Sponsors

Our club is able to compete each week due to the various sponsors we have on board. We encourage all our Sharks family to please support our sponsors. Major Sponsors are:

  • Melbcon Commercial Building Contractors
  • Club Ringwood
  • Riccioni Greenwood Northfield Lawyers
  • Insite contracting
  • Rebel sports
  • Earthlink Contractors
  • Bedigo Bank – Warrandyte
  • McDonald’s – Croydon and Ringwood

For the full list, please see the sponsors section on our website

Round 7 – Indigenous Round – Night Football

A great new concept is being trialled this weekend between Fitzroy Colts 1 and P.O.N.R.P.J.F.C Colts R. The match will be played from 7.30pm at Victoria Park, Lulie Street, Abbotsford – Collingwood’s VFL ground. A Youth Girls Curtain Raiser will commence at 5.30pm followed by the official welcome ‘Welcome to the Country’ at 7pm. As this is a fixtured YJFL match no alcohol is allowed. I encourage as many supporters to please attend and get behind our Colts players for this initiative.

Summary

Looking forward to Round 7 for our Juniors. If at any stage you have any queries then please don’t hesitate to contact myself.

Go Sharks!

Ritchie Appleby
President, Sharks JFC
president@sharksjfc.org.au
0408 367 444