Garforth Junior Football League achieve The FA Charter Standard League award.
The Garforth Junior Football League is celebrating after becoming the first League in West Riding to achieve The FA Charter Standard League award.
The Charter Standard League award is a flagship initiative for The FA, and assesses the ability of a League to provide a high quality, safe and enjoyable football experience against a standard set of criteria.
It also encourages the League to continually develop, through ongoing support from staff at the West Riding County Football Association and the review and ongoing development of a League Development Plan, as part of an annual health check process.
“I am delighted that the Garforth Junior Football League has achieved the FA Charter Standard League award, which is testament to the hard work and dedication to raising standards for all involved within the league” said Andrew Wadsworth, The West Riding County FA’s Football Development Manager.
“We are also extremely proud that the Garforth Junior Football League has become the first league nationally to achieve the award outside of the initial pilot programme.”
As part of the criteria to attain the League award, clubs have also had to become Charter Standard clubs and therefore undertake some key areas of improvement in their operating standards. Each club must now have in place amongst other things, a club Welfare Officer, a Child Protection Policy, all volunteers to have CRB checks, managers and coaches to have appropriate coaching, Safeguarding Children and Emergency Aid qualifications.
Andrew Shuttleworth, Senior Football Development Officer for the West Riding FA, said: “To attain The FA Charter Standard League award is a fantastic achievement and is the culmination of many years of hard work by the Management Committee and member clubs of the Garforth Junior Football League. This League should be congratulated for their positive and forward thinking attitudes to the development of junior football in the area.”
“The League has always had a focus on player and workforce development, hosting coach education courses, volunteer and coach development training events aimed at volunteers within member clubs. The League now has a fantastic League Football Development Plan in place which can only benefit the players, coaches, referees and clubs of the league.”
John Bleakley, Charter Standard League Coordinator & Football Development Officer of the Garforth Junior Football League, spoke of his delight at achieving this Kitemark: “This award represents the pinnacle of the Charter Standard ethos and takes Charter Standard ideals to new heights. The Garforth Junior Football League is honoured to be the first League in the County and amongst the first in England to achieve the award. The award is a reflection of the hard work and dedication of both the Management Committee and member Clubs over the last few years and firmly establishes the Garforth Junior Football League at the forefront when it comes to providing a safe environment for young players to develop & flourish.”
Without the hardwork of all the Garforth League Divisional Secretaries, the league just wouldn’t happen. But, Divisional Secretaries don’t grow on trees, and Garforth League needs motivated volunteers to help out. There have been times in the past when Div Secs (as they are known) have been short on the ground and others have covered, but as probably the best league in the area, everyone involved wants to ensure that Garforth League continues to be seen as such, but we can’t do that without committed and valuable volunteers.
