Padiham Saints J.F.C

Can some one tell me whats going on with the under 12's team. It's seems the lads are losing heart with the team. My lad was really keen at the start of the season, but has now lost heart with playing for the team. I know it must be hard arranging these teams and I can't fault the commitment of the coaches etc. I feel this team has been overlooked by the coaches and now the lads have lost to will to turn up. My lad turned up for training a few week back and there was only 3 lads. Last weeks game was cancelled due to a shortage of players.
I remember when Mark the previous coach left, we were told things were going to change, training was going to change, us parents would be kept up to date with the going on's etc etc.
Padiham Saints is a well run club and you do a great job with the kids, I take my hat off to all involved, but something has gone wrong with the Under 12's.
I'm not having a dig at anyone involved with the club, this is feedback from me as a parent and from my lad as a player.
Barry

I'm not totally sure what's going to happen to this team in the long run. When I took the team for a few weeks, I noticed the main problem was getting a full team to turn up for training and matches. I was given a list of the players, and we only had 13 or so that were registered and could play in games. And when a few of those players wouldn't always turn up for every training session and every match then it was always going to be a struggle to get a full squad on Sundays. It's unfortunate and unfair to those in the team who enjoy playing for Saints and put the effort in, but the reality is that we need to find some more committed players if the Under 12's are to continue. I don't want to see us lose a team, especially when there are so many eager lads in there who would miss out.

We could also do with another couple of coaches as well, and I think we have a couple of lads from Burnley who are going to lend a hand next season, so hopefully we can sort something out.

I was going to sit on the fence with this one because I didn't really know the reasons behind the original post but what I will say is that it highlights the need for this website as a shop window for Saints to recruit new players.

The u14's have been in a similar position this year and the easy thing to do is to fold the teams but that's not the answer and lets down the lads that are committed.

PR is everything in any organisation and maybe that's the way things should go, a good and maybe experienced PR person working on behalf of the club. I'm sure there are lots of players out there in both these age groups who'd love to be part of a club like Saints, it's just a case of tapping in to the sources.

Just like to add to this it is a shame that the under 12's have had to be pulled from the league it was just that unfortunately we just haven't had enough players to form a team for a game.

We will be putting an advert in the paper and hopefully all those of you who are dedicated will stay with us and maybe bring some others with you who also have the same committment.


The team will be running next season as long as we have players and committment and we are looking into 2 new coaches joining us from Burnley. They are coming as a package so there will be no more messing about with this team and they are dedicated to making sure the team is a success.

Will let everyone know in due course.

Again please pass this on to all the under 12's as we do want to keep them and we will be sorting out friendlies for the team as soon as we get a full squad back together.

It is going to be the same for the under 14's an advert will be going in for players for next season and hopefully with good management and someone who has plenty of enthusiasm this will be another team who can go far.

Both these teams haven't been overlooked it's just that we have been struggling for coaches for them and in fairness to Tom he is a young lad who needs someone who has experience with him so that everyone keeps motivated and that the lads enjoy what they are doing.

So just to end please please bear with us we are doing our best and beleive me when James and I came up with the idea of doing this club we always said that we want it run like a family for all teams involved. I take pride in knowing that I can name all the players in this club and everyone associated and that is our aim to continue.

I know we'll never keep everyone happy all of the time but we'll have a damn good try

Paula xx

Now that is a shame, I didn't realise that the team had to pull out of the league but after watching the u14's start a game this year with just 8 players I can understand and see the justification in it.

Whilst putting an advert in the local papers is one medium to be used to recruit players it's hardly the only one available to the club. Local radio is one avenue that should be explored.....NOW.......not two weeks before the season starts.
How many secondary schools are there in the local area? Each and everyone of them should be targetted by the club giving all the information required for pupils, teachers and parents to make an informed decision. That includes pushing the website, shop window for the Saints.

With the greatest of respect Paula to both you and the club..... [i]'Again please pass this on to all the under 12's as we do want to keep them and we will be sorting out friendlies for the team as soon as we get a full squad back together.'[/i]..... who was this comment aimed at?
I'd like to think that the lads already know what the situation is and haven't been left up in the air, they surely should have been the first to know about any developments that affect them. I'm probably wrong but it sounds as though they are an afterthought???? Just who's got the reigns with the u12's?

I'm sure this will be resolved but my feelings are that when something like this happens there should at least be a 'Crisis meeting' of the committee, coaches and managers to try and help relieve the situation. There's a lot of mileage in the old addage of a trouble shared is a trouble halved. For those that don't know me I'm not just spouting my mouth off I'm talking from experience. Experience of building junior angling teams from nothing to a formibable force in the North West that competed successfully at National level as well. I think I understand kids, what motivates them and what will lose them to the cause.
No one individual will do it alone, whilst I took responsibility as 'Head coach' I had great admin support right behind me, we can all flap our arms as fast and as hard as we like but we aren't going to fly without a machine.

Hi Jon
It was at a committee meeting that we decided to pull the team out of the league, really to save the players embarrassment more than anything.

Unfortunately this year the team has been messed about as Mark left then obviously poor Tom was trying to juggle both the under 12's and under 14's and being a young lad it is hard work.

At the committee meeting it was decided that we would try and get some new coaches to the club which hopefully we have and obviously to try and build on the players that are left for next season.

Hope this clarifies everything.

Paula

Sorry but this isn't a dig at no one but as a parent of one of the players why didn't the club called a meeting with the parents as well to let us now what was gonig on. I heard about the team folding by my lad from school gossip in the playground.

Valid points from both Paula and Barry. It could be embarrassing for the lads and I hope that something can and will be salvaged. One thing's for sure, you can't play competetive games with players short.

Who knows with the parents more involved, could it have been saved? No one suggests you're having a go Barry, that's the beauty of having an open forum, you can voice an opinion.
Although it's the easiest thing in the world to critisise it's also the easiest thing to leave yourself open to it.

Whilst the motives for pulling the team out were probably justified it seems as though the communication of the fact leaves something to be desired.
A bit like the 'You've lost your job' and getting it by txt message.

The thought of a meeting with parents makes me laugh somewhat. If Paula were to organise one, we would probably have Barry and 2 or 3 others (at the very most) showing enough interest to turn up. Most parents in my eyes see the club as a place to dump their kids for an hour or two.

Training
Sorry to be a killjoy but my lad Carlton now asked the question " why go training when we don't play anymore" I couldn't answer the question as he is right. sorry Tom but whats the point training??
Barry

My opinion on Tom and Barry's points are it would be very easy to agree with you Tom and there are probably the majority that do use it as a dump so to speak. However, knowing or suspecting that, is that a valid reason for giving up on a venture like this. It's surely a thankless task sometimes, you're damned if you do and damned if you don't and again I talk from experience.

For Barry's point surely training is of benefit physical fitness wise regardless of whether the team is playing competetively or not. It's surely all the more important to train and 'keep on top' when you're not playing so you hit the ground running when you do.
If you genuinely don't have an answer for Carlton get him down to McDonalds for a few big un's then plonk him infront of the pc for hours with a case of coke.
Now that's tongue in cheek and I doubt that in this day and age you'd even consider it and you'd certainly have an answer for me were I serious. So what's so hard in giving Carlton a reason for training?

Can't argue with you Barry, although maybe it would be good to keep the interest until next season when things can be sorted out.

It's completely up to the players whether they want to continue training or not. I have no problem adding a couple of under 12's to the under 14's group if any fancy turning up, as it should be benificial to them as players to train in and around players at a higher level for when they start the new season.

Haha, Jon you beat me to an answer there

I wasn't saying parents using the club as a dump is a valid reason for getting rid of the team, it was just a valid reason for not being able to have a successful parents meeting!

And of course, training would be a good idea fitness wise whether the team is competing or not, its just that looking at the situation, I doubt Carlton and quite a few other lads would bother unless there is a competitive aspect to it. I struggle enough getting players to training even when we are playing the next day, let alone not playing at all!

All I can say to the under 12's is to not give up on the team altogether, just tough it out until we can give a definitive answer as to whether we can keep the team going in the long run.

Point taken Tom, as for carrying on training and having a reason for it:-

1) Maintain and improve fitness.

2) An opportunity to develop new and specific footballing skills.

3) Maintain and build on team skills.

4) Maintain an outdoor/outside interest.

5) Opportunity as Tom pointed out to train with a higher (maybe) caliber
of player.

6) Shows committment to succeed in adversity.

7) Help build a sense of belonging.

There's just a few off the top of my head and it is early in the morning. When one in five kids I think it is are obese in the UK its never been more important to exercise and keep fit as you're growing.
I'm sure there's a cariculum or regime for training, probably in part boring but there's nothing to say it can't be added to and improved to develop personal ball skills etc etc etc.
When folks are at work and the key manager or work colleague leaves do you throw in the towel and say there's no point me going to work the company won't run without him?
When I grew up, and yes I did grow up, the football was my main entertainment, no computers, mobile phones, i pods, gameboys and whatever. I walked to the local spare land or park to kick about and if there was no one else there I kicked about myself until someone came, no 4x4 with 'mummy' taking and dropping me everywhere.
What an opportunity to build some character into Carlton and the like, 'Yes lads we're down' but we're not out and with their help we'll move forward.
The sense of belonging is paramount to a human, that's why a lot of kids join gangs, I was in a gang as a kid, we called it a football team then and a youth club. When we hung around the street corners and we did, there was always a ball and more often than not three or four.

If I really sat and thought about it there's probably lots more reasons for the lads that are left to continue training but without the backing of parents first and foremost then the club it probably won't happen.

This morning we had 3 Under 12's turn up for a training session, after all were either txted or rung to let them know. Looks like maybe the rest of the team have thrown in the towel.