ENGADINE EAGLES FOOTBALL CLUBGrading Policy

UNDERSTANDING GRADING POLICIES

Seniors (U18’s and above)

There is no set grading process for Senior teams.
Teams are generally created through submission of team lists.
Team lists are forwarded to either the Registrar or Secretary prior to the start of the season.
If necessary, age groups/teams or players can request the club to grade players into teams.
The club will endeavour to find places for any players who are not aligned to any team within existing teams. This may be new or existing players.
It is the discretion of the team whether they accept or reject any players.

Juniors U6’s to U16’s (including female teams)

Objective/Purpose

The Engadine Eagles Grading Policy is to give all players, parents, coaches and managers a clear understanding of the club’s grading and team selection process.

It’s to ensure that grading of teams is undertaken in a consistent manner, and that the players, coaches & parents have an expectation of the outcome of grading. The Club will show commitment to promote fairness, consistency, and transparency in the selection process. It is therefore the objective of the club, where possible, for all players to play in a team for their age and in a grade best suited to their ability.

Aim

The aim of our Grading process is to provide the following for our players:

• To ensure that all players are graded to match their ability, as close as reasonably possible to the other players within that team, at any age or level.
• To defend against one sided score lines
• To ensure all players receive equal opportunity to be involved in each game when playing with similar grading ability.

Benefits

The club believes that the benefits of appropriate grading are, but not limited to:

• Players will enjoy games more when similar skills levels are grouped together.
• Further advanced players will not dominate games ensuring some players do not lose interest in the sport.
• Games are for fun and there’s no fun if a player isn’t touching the ball.
• Grading allows for talent to expand

Grading Process – Managed by EEFC Grading Committee

The Grading Committee will consider the following as part of the Grading Process.

1. Coach’s End of Season Assessment

The coach’s assessment, when available, is not only a skill assessment but also an assessment of attitude and work ethic. Coaches are urged to complete these honestly at the completion of each year to assist the Grading Committee with following years grading.
Coaches will provide a list for each player’s performance in the key grading areas of competency.

The team based on this assessment the Grading Committee will take the key players for each team who may need to be regraded.

2. Grading Day Sessions

The Grading Committee shall conduct sessions that will suitably assess the competency of the players. These may be over 1 or 2 sessions. It is expected that all players will attend all sessions that are scheduled for their age group.

Typically, U6’s to U11’s will be conducted over 2 sessions, while U12’s to U16’s will be conducted over 1 session. There is the provision that additional sessions may be scheduled if required.

Grading Days consist of grouping all registered player for that age group into selected groups to complete the following activities:

1. Skill Based Drills
2. Small sided game/s (includes rotating players)

The Grading Committee, comprising of club committee member experienced in review and assess player performance will monitor the session activities and grade in each player in the following areas of competency:

1. Ball skills, including passing, shooting dribbling etc
2. Holding position and reading play
3. Understanding the rule and gameplay involvement
4. Team spirit, enthusiasm, and attitude

3. Coaches Guidance

On the day of Grading the Grading committee may seek guidance from the prior year and/or current year Coaches for their views prior to the team selections. This may apply where the graders are seeking more information regarding players and potentially what a coach may be looking for. This may include but not limited to number of players in teams, position of players particularly specialised positions (eg Goal keepers)

4. Player/Parent Requests

Players will have the opportunity to request to play with friends or family members whenever this is possible in conjunction with the grading process. It is however encouraged that parents and coaches support the process of positioning players in line with the appropriate skill level where possible.

Requests for players to be grouped together for insignificant reasons will be not considered. This may be more flexible for U6’s and U7’s.

5. Late Registrations

Any player joining the club after the Grading process has completed will be placed according to the Grading Committee or the EEFC Executive. In determining the allocated team, the club will use whatever information is available regarding the players skill level at the time of registration. The club will also consider the number of players across each grade and/or age group that may be more suitable for the purpose of the club. This is mainly due to player numbers across the teams.

Selection of Teams and Notification of Grade

At the completion of the grading day/s, the Grading Committee will review all available information regarding all players registered for that Age Group and group the players into the grade appropriate teams.

The basis of selection will consist of the review of players at the grading days, the coach’s assessments from the previous year, and any information on the individual that is relevant to the allocation of that player.

Team balance with respect to player positions, attitude of the player to grading and training, the willingness and ability of the player to receive instructions and team spirit may also be considered when finalising team selections.

The objective of the selection of teams is to group the top ranked players in that age group together, and to therefore form the highest ranked team.

Teams and their recommended grading shall be announced as soon as possible after final selection. This announcement is usually made to each age group directly after Team Selection on the last Grading Day.

The new formed teams will then nominate Coaches and Managers.

The club can lodge a requested grade for all teams. However, the final determination of all Grades is made by the SSFA Grading Panel upon completion of Grading by each club.

Player Requests and Appeals

Requests to group certain players together can be lodged on the Grading Days for review of the Grading Committee prior to Team Selection.

If any player or parent is not satisfied with grading the player receives, it is preferred to speak with the Grading Chairman on the day. If they are unavailable, speak with the Secretary or Registrar. Preference is to try and sort any issues on the day so we can all move forward after the Grading Day. If preferred, a submission in writing to the Engadine Eagles Grading Committee requesting a review of the players grading, outlining why they think the grading is not correct can be lodged.

The Grading Committee will consider this submission to make a final decision on whether to change the player’s grading.

This decision will be final, and not will not be reviewed further.

Appeals can be lodged through the Secretary at the following email address theberrys@iprimus.com.au

Team Appeals

Once the SSFA Grading Panel have determined the grades of all teams. The club will get a couple of opportunities throughout the year to lodge a request for a team to be regraded through the SSFA.

Any request for any team regrade are to be emailed to the Secretary at theberrys@iprimus.com.au

U12’s and above
The first request will be immediately (within 2/3 days) following the Association Grading.

The second request will be after 4 rounds, this is based on performance of the team and other teams in the same or similar grades.

U6 to U11’s
This may vary throughout the year and will generally be instigated by the association. The purpose is re-align obvious errors within the SSFA Grading Process.