YOUTH SECTION

[Guest]

Hi,

I thought I would alleviate some of the concerns and tie up the history of this and last seasons U13’s/U14’s teams, putting detail to issues arising during these difficult times.

 

I have been involved in coaching boys for Gravesend and Northfleet’s youth section since its inception six years ago. During the 2000/2001 season I coached and assisted the running of our U11’s team in the Gravesend league. It was an extremely good side, winning both Cup and League competitions. It was at this time that Kent league was not too far around the corner. In order to keep the players together we decided to play up a year during the 2002/2001 season. This was so that all players would have been eligible for Kent league. The season in the MNYL was tough but managed to finish in third place. Highly respectable when you consider some of the boys were giving away two years to our opponents. It was during this time that I decided the team had to be split. Not because football ability but the sheer physical strength of our opponents. It was clear to me that it would have been unfair on the player’s development. It must also be said that we won the Fair Play Award which is of great credit to both players and supporters.

As upsetting as it was to split the team it was very necessary. Mick Chatwin and Glen Barnes put in an awful lot of hard work trying to recruit players from numerous scouting expeditions around the area. All eligible players had three or four trials and as a result, five of the six boys were offered a place, two of which declined.

This left me with the task of finding replacement players for the 2002/2003 season. I managed to get a small squad of 13 players together but was let down a week before our first game by three players due to various reasons. We played our first game with ten men and lost 5.0. This became a common theme right up to Christmas, fielding teams of 9 and 10 players. I cannot tell you how hard it was to keep the team going and I will always remember those who stuck by me and kept on playing. We improved our game in the New Year and pushed hard to finish 5th. The improvement and dedication paid off as we beat the three teams above us and narrowly losing to the champion 2.1 in our last four games of the season.

We are now faced with building for next seasons under 14’s Kent league side. The team is not strong enough to progress on bulk and have the added problem of 3 boys being too old and 2 boys not wishing to consider the step up. Two of the remaining 8 would probably find it a daunting task playing at a higher level and so I am left with 6 players. Keeping all of them together would leave me with trying to find some 8 to 10 players. The only option, based upon past history and common sense, available to us is to recruit an established team and amalgamate our abilities to produce a unit worthy of competing next season.

Several teams have been approached and to that end one has been chosen. A friendly match / trial has been arranged, as you all know, on the 21st of May. I know that this is a distance away but pitch availability is of a premium at the moment, due to the cricket season and gaol mouth repairs etc being undertaken. The prospect of Kent football will bring many journeys, some longer than this, to all players parents.

The question as to why a second side in any age group could not be formed, is at present unworkable. This is due to many factors, primarily finding the personnel to administer such a side and being held to ransom by the senior side in that age group for releasing players, as the senior side would have to take priority leaving the junior side to recruit new players, and as previously mentioned this is not easy.

All that said and done, these problems that have occurred over the last two seasons are not expected to resurrect themselves in the future as lessons have been learned.

The overall aim of the club is to produce first team players through its youth section. If ONE player, at the end of their youth football career, manages to be selected for the first team, then the youth section has done its job. Remember this is how three of the current first team have been selected. Not least famous is Jimmy Jackson, who aspired as a product of Cobham Colts youth football.

I will close now by saying that it is an extremely hard job running youth football and without the dedication of a few, so many would not have the opportunity to play the game. Please make any criticism, or point of view, a constructive one with no more anonymous threads. I, and others in the youth section, are very approachable and willing to answer any concerns, but please remember it is not part of our duty to police this forum and so messages may take time to be answered. The best way of tackling any problem regarding youth football would be to approach the manager of the team in question.

 

Regards, Ian.

 

[chris blanc]

Sounds like you're doing a fine job in a very tough situation.

Well done and Thanks

[NYFLEETFANNo1]

Wow........a fleet supporter who can put more than 2 sentences together.........impressed................and very grateful for the hard work you do for the future of the club.........power to you St.Ian.