It’s been a long summer, but the football season is back.
It wasn’t until May time that myself and the chairman discussed forming a youth section for the HT Dons, adding to the already established adult team. In that space of time we have had to form a committee and ensure all the relevant policies and processes are in place. You can see the composition of the committee by following this link https://starcrossdonsfc.co.uk/about/
The committee has prioritised the youth football side of things from the start and for that I would like to thank the chairman and other members who have supported us financially in setting everything up and giving us and the children their support and backing. The support hasn’t stopped there, the whole adult squad are fully behind the youth set up and again have been key in supporting what we are trying to achieve, parents have also shown their support in agreeing for their children to move clubs to join the under 9’s when it isn’t as convenient as it was previously.
We were clear from the start that we didn’t just want to carry one section of youth players over to the team and we wanted to ensure we had a strategy in place to grow the club and that is how the Dinky Dons has come about. Dinky Dons is our footballing programme for 3,4 and 5 year olds which will go on to form the future age groups for the clubs. So all being well this time next year we will have the Dinky Dons, Under 7’s and Under 10’s and probably close to 50 children registered to the club. You can find out more information on Dinky Dons by viewing the following post https://starcrossdonsfc.co.uk/346-2/
As well as ensuring we continue to grow the youth participation levels, we have also created a strategy which involves committing to ensuring we have an excellent coach to child ratio and that the coaches are fully licenced and hold the FA Level 1 coaching qualification as minimum. By November the club will have 6 fully qualified coaches in place who will be able to step in and help each other out should the need arise. Each coach is fully CRC’d check.
The club has also done a lot of work in the background in the summer to ensure everything is in place to ensure that we can affiliate to Devon County Football Association as well has becoming a charter standard Youth team which now means both the adults and the youth set up are charter standard.
Off the pitch the club has been able to secure sponsorship for a kit and training jackets for the Under 9’s as well as a sponsor for our Dinky Dons. We are massively grateful to our sponsors for their assistance. Going forward as well the club have a big race night organised at the Football Club (Home of the Adult Dons) on the 12th October to continue to raise money for the club.
On the pitch, things have gotten off to a great start for our under 9’s, the players have been training hard all summer and enjoying themselves and have now racked up 4 friendlies with 2 left to play before the season starts on the 14th September. The under 9’s now have their fixtures which you can view by clicking here https://starcrossdonsfc.co.uk/fixtures-events/
The biggest success for me, has been the launch of the Dinky Dons last week, to see children playing football for the first time, laughing and enjoying themselves is what it is about. I will be coaching the Dinky Dons until the end of September when the sessions will move indoors at Dawlish Leisure Centre and then John and Jack will take on the running of the Dinky Dons for a year before moving up to under 7’s next year.
As you can see form the above, this is a club that truly believes that the future of the club lies with the youth players.
lastly, I would like to thank everyone who has helped make all of this happen and all of those that continue to support what we are trying to do.
roll on the 14th September and the big kick off…
If you know anyone interested in joining the Dinky Dons you can email us by using the contact forms on this website, or turn up to a session on a Thursday at 5pm.
Up the Dons and Up the Dinky Dons.
