PLAYER GUIDE

Playing

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Our footballers are the most important element of our club. Training, coaching and managing young players, to help them become better footballers, is why Walton MK FC was created. However, when you become a footballer at our club, we expect you to do your best whenever you train or play.

The following are some of the key behaviours and attitudes that we hope to see all of our players demonstrate;

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Play fairly and always keep to the rules of the game. No-one likes a cheat.

Work hard and be the best footballer that you can be. Managers love to see players putting plenty of effort in;

Always respect your coach or manager and listen when they are talking. They are trying to help you improve as a footballer;

Make sure you behave well in training sessions and at games. If not, you might not get picked for the next game;

Never argue with the referee or the assistant referees about a decision. They never change their minds;

Don’t lose your cool if the game is not going well. Just work hard to change the score;

Support and encourage your team mates at all times. They might need your help;

Keep watching and learning about football when you’re not training. The more you know, the better you will play.

Always let you’re coach know if you see any bullying. We can then help stop it happening.

There are lots of other things that you can do to be a better footballer, like eating the right things and getting plenty of exercise, but if you focus on the things above you will enjoy a great time as a Walton MK FC footballer.

Using Online and Social Media

Mobile technology is a key part of everyday life including how and where you can find information about football. Whether it’s about professional teams you follow or your own team or club it’s a great way to get and share information.

Within football we want you to use social networks, the internet, texts and email safely to get the information you need. We have produced the guidance below to keep us all safe and to ensure that we respect each other:

Tell an adult you trust about any communications that make you feel uncomfortable or that asks you not to tell your parent/carer;

Know who from your club should be contacting you and how they should be contacting you;

You can talk to your club’s welfare officer if you are unhappy about anything sent to you or said about you over the internet, social networking sites, text messages or via email;

Don’t post, host, text or email things that are hurtful, insulting, offensive, abusive, threatening, or racist as this would go against football rules and could also be against the law;

Don’t give out personal details including mobile numbers, email addresses or social networking account access to people you don’t know well offline;

Facebook has different ‘set up’ guidelines for U18s to help to keep you safe – use them;

Even if you get on with your coach, manager, club officials, adult referees or mentors, don’t invite them to become your friends online, they have been asked not to accept such invitations;

Tell an adult you trust if an adult involved at your club or within refereeing asks you to become their friend online and inform your club welfare officer.

If you receive an image or message which you find offensive, threatening or upsetting tell an adult you trust. Make sure you copy and save the image/message elsewhere or print it off before you remove and destroy it because this may be needed as evidence

You can also report concerns directly to the police by visiting the following

website: www.clickCEOP.net

If you want to know more about how to keep safe online follow the links below:
www.thinkuknow.co.uk
www.clickcleverclicksafe.direct.gov.uk/index.html/

Finding Support

If you need help or advice about bullying or any form of abuse there are people that can provide you with information and support to help you. At Walton MK FC you can speak with your team manager but we also have a dedicated Child Welfare Officer. His name is Steve Goodenough and you can contact him via email (s.goodenough@aol.co.uk) or by telephone (07584 996222). Steve can give you help or advice if you need it.

You can also call Childline of you want to speak to someone who can help. ChildLine is a free, confidential helpline for children and young people. They offer advice and support, by phone and online, 24 hours a day. Whenever and wherever you need them, they’ll be there. You can call them on 0800 1111.

However difficult a situation might feel, whether it involves you or someone that you know, there are people that can help you. Our advice is always to speak to someone.