Welcome to our club.
As a player, or a parent of a mini who plays in our Under 6, 7 or 8 age groups you may be new to the club. The below information aims to assist you in getting to know the club and some things you’ll come across during the year.
Communication:
The club predominately communicates via its website, the Thunder FC Facebook page, and the Thunder App, links to which are available at http://www.thornleighsoccer.com.au/
Weekly newsletter:
The club maintains a weekly newsletter during the season providing updates from the President, sponsors and the teams. The newsletter is emailed to all registered players, coaches and managers each week, and is available from the website.
Memorial rounds:
The club plays a number of memorial rounds during the season, information for each is communicated via the newsletter ahead of the round.
How does the registration process work?
Parents log onto the club website, following the directions under the ‘Registration 2022’ tab.
Once registered the player information comes to the Thornleigh registrar who then assigns the kids to teams if not already assigned.
What if friends want to play soccer after grading day – how to they go about it ?
Continue to register via the process above.
Grading of teams
Mini’s (U6 to U8’s) are non-competitive, with the exception of a single U8’s team (Blue) which subject to players & coaches may be entered into a competitive grade.
Mixed & Girls teams
U6-U8 girls can either play in mixed teams, or numbers permitting a girls team. The mixed teams play on Saturday. The girl’s teams can play in either the mixed competition on Saturdays, or the women’s competition on Sundays.
How are players allocated to age groups
Players turning 6 during the year will play in the Under 6 division (and can play in divisions higher) – eg a player who is only turning 5 during the year can play in the Under 6 division.
How do you form teams (is there a method to it)
Teams in the minis are formed with the intention of having fun. We encourage and try to structure the teams to keep groups of friends together, whilst ensuring the teams are evenly balanced numbers wise.
Why do team compositions change and how long will people move around for ?
The club needs to notify NWSF the number of teams and their grades by in February to allow planning of the draws for each grade to commence. The club can still accept registrations but we are then limited on the number of teams we can have.
To ensure we have some ability to accept late nominations we generally keep the initial teams to a smaller size than what it will end up as.
Why do the grading’s (and season calendar) change after roughly weeks 3 & 7
In keeping with the theme of minis having fun, and recognising that juniors are new and still learning how to play soccer, the Association aims to have teams play teams of equivalent ability throughout the season.
The scores submitted each week facilitate this process. While there are no changes to the composition of teams the Associate may adjust the draws (and times & locations of games) during the season to achieve this goal.
Why do the names of teams change from animal names to colours over the initial month or so
The club creates teams and gives them names during the team formation & grading process. The association (North West Sydney Football) manages the schedule by naming teams with colours on its website (eg Thornleigh U6 White) which occurs in the weeks following.
Can players play across teams within their age group if you are short in U6’s to U8’s (eg during school holidays)
Yes, as the teams are ungraded.
Trail games
Generally the club will have one trial against another local club. The intention is to let the kids have a kick around and get into the swing of soccer before the seasons kicks off. For minis these days are all about the kids & parents getting to know each other.
When & where will training be held
Days and times for the 2022 Season will be made available soon
When does training start
Training generally starts in late March for the minis, generally the week before the first game of the season.
Do we play & train during the school holidays
Generally not, but review the draws. The NWSF draw varies season to season.
Rules of play
The rules that govern minis varies by age group. The link to the NWSF website where the rules are available is at http://www.nwsf.com.au/aldi-miniroos1.html
Where can I find the season draw
When the association makes the draw available, generally in mid-March, the team managers will provide the teams with the latest information.
The draws do move around during the season so it is advisable to continue to refer to the website, rather than print it off in hardcopy.
What training is there for coaches (and when) – courses, weekly soccer NSW emails
The club & association encourage coaches to participate in formal coach development programs at the commencement of the season. The club covers the cost of these and they generally are run on a Monday evening.
What role does the manager play
Managers facilitate the communication across the team and parents, and between the team and parents and the Club. Email or a Facebook groups work well.
Managers assist the Coach on game day with Subs and ensuring the team has enough players.
Managers organise rosters for other activities as required (once or twice per season) including, preparing or packing up the fields, fruit or lollies roster for after each game, and the roster for helping out on club BBQ duties and/or canteen.
Working with children checks
All coaches, managers & club executives are required to complete a working with children check through Service NSW. These are at no cost, but attendance at a Service NSW outlet is required to provide identification.
Volunteering
We are a family oriented club, focused on fun and enjoyment of the game. We want to ensure all kids play as much football as possible.
Our club runs on a volunteer basis; we need Coaches, Managers, Committees and event helpers. Volunteering opens community doors and friendships and is very rewarding. Please do start to think about helping out: let us know what you may be able to do. Attending the AGM is a good way to get involved.
Supporting the club
Parents will be asked to support the club (via the team manager) in the following ways:
What is the player, coach, parent, official code of conduct form about & why do we try to get it all back within a week across the whole club.
The Club is focused on a culture of fair play. All players, parents, coaches, managers and club officials are required to sign up to the code of conduct early in the season. This establishes a common understanding of expectations across the club.
How do we talk about winning & losing (and goals)
The Club’s focus for minis is not on winning, or losing, but on having fun. We generally try to avoid talking about who won, or the number of goals scored.
If we have a team who are clearly stronger than another team we’ll rotate our players, or we might swap a player with the other team to ensure an even outcome for the match.
List of key dates
How do the presentation day runs
The club run a presentation day at the back end of the season. Minis are presented with their team photos, trophies and are invited to have a kick around. A sausage sizzle is generally run, with presentations being made for each age group in allocated time slots.
The day also provides an opportunity to connect with other parents, reflect on the season, and return kit and equipment.
Training – what to bring
Drink bottle, shin pads, boots, and a jumper as we move into winter.
Training shirts v’s playing shirts
Each player will receive a training shirt early in the session to keep and can be worn at training. The playing shirts are returned at the end of the season.
Kit you get (when & how)
Managers will receive their team’s equipment in March, which includes the kit bag of balls, cones, bibs etc., along with shorts & socks (for new players) and training shirts.