Speaking as a parent whose son plays for City Reds U14 , I feel compelled to speak on behalf of oter parents with regard to the fiasco of teams having to forfeit their first game due to late registrations.
I have given this some serious thought , hence speaking out now but I cannot see the sense of this ' presumed' punishment.
We lose several games every season through different reasons, out of the league's control , mainly through adverse weather conditions so why compond the problem by taking this action.
Agreed , for the league, the fixtures are out of the way now but who has been punished in reality.
Indeed , the biggest losers are the players and also the parents.
Constantly juggling work and family commitments to meet fixtures , only to find after all that the first game has been cancelled is , putting it mildly , infuriating and sad.
My son joined a team to play football , so do the other kids
Yes , rules were broken - deadlines not met - then fine the club if necessary as a deterrent to future ' rule breakers' - don't punish the kids.
I urge the league to revisit this situation and use it as an opportunity to apply common sense .Leave it to respective managers to re-arrange their own fixture and get the games played.
Mike, I appreciate your frustration and the fault does lie at my door, however, registrations being in by end of June or else, is totally unneccessary. What happens if we only have 10 players as 5 have gone elsewhere and we have to wait until other come available. The new players cannot play until the registration is complete, which wont be for the first game, they have proved that. Secondly, having 6- weeks off after a long season, obviously doesnt mean that. I personally had a very busy June and July at work in for 12, 13 14 hours a day, with football not on the radar. Once I realised, I drove to everyones house which took me to Silloth and Wigton and all over Carlisle taking most of a full day and sorted it out.
The registrations then sit until 2 weeks into July before the processing starts, common sense needs to prevail. Coaches give up hours upon hours of free time and essentially arent the best at paperwork, but theyre intentions are always for the good of the children. This latest decision has obviously cast all the guilty managers in a bad light with parents, especially as it may be crucial if there are league standings to concider. The rules are there but to cast a severe punishment over the "guilty" parties leaves a bitter taste when there can be unmittigatting circumstances. I for one had sympathy with the "punishment team", for not having there system in order and failing to get the U12 league ready in time for the start, due to lack of pitches for nine aside. This predicament must have caught them by suprise.
I hope they can discover some symathy and reconcider, but it will need a letter from the club (s) I feel.
Firstly , it's a noble gesture to put your hands up on this one , however, to me it's not about apportioning blame and pointing fingers.
It can be perceived by other posts on the message board that there is much dis-content and anger surrounding the descision that has been taken on this issue - one which must be stressed is not irreversible.
What the League have now is a massive ' opportunity ' to make the right decision for all parties concerned.
Mistakes have been made , but as we stress to our players at all ages ' it's how we learn from these errors and go forward , that promotes improvement
It's my oppinion that the League can begin by reconsidering all the facts and circumstances and arrive at a more ' balanced ', and ultimately ' fairer'' outcome .
I feel now that the league should should reiterate the rules to all clubs and allow these fixtures to be played on this occasion - the kids want to play and we take massive enjoyment from watching them and coaching them.
Come on League - we don't want empty pitches and disappointed kids, parents and coaches.
It astounds me beyond belief That the said committee can impose these punishments on certain teams failing to get registration in on time over a periods when most of Britain goes away on holiday ( so not every one is available to complete forms ) when the under 12 season is yet to kick off because one of the reasons is not all registration cards were ready from the committee ! Along with the fact that there is apparently a lack of pitches nets and referees ! Now I under stand fully if there are problems for the committee , how ever maybe they should also take a look at the obstacles set in front of the team managers before the dish out there punishments when its clear they are not up to date and impeccable themselves . I hope this all gets cleared up for the children's sake asap And we can all enjoy what should be a great season
