Belnorth Newsletter: U5-U18 Season Begins, Club Shop, Coerver Skills, Kanga Cup

May 1, 2024

Junior Season Starts Saturday!

The time has come. The U5 to U18 season starts this Saturday the 4th of May. U5 to U9 will all be at Kaleen, with draws available here. Map of the fields are here.

Parking?

With only 259 parking spots via Birie and Turon Place, parking is a premium at Kaleen. On-street parking is available, but please be respectful of local residents and park safely/legally.

Setting-up and Packing-up Fields

Teams will often need to dress fields with goals and corner flags and pack down after games. For U10-U13 teams items are collected from the containers with signs designating equipment for each field. U14 to U18 teams will collect equipment from the training area.

Please allow time before and after games.

U5 Open*: collect/set-up goals and balls and return
U6-U7 Girls*/Open: collect/set-up goals and flags and return
U8 Girls/Open: Collect/set-up goals, sandbags and flags (2 teams will need to pack down on field 4 North)
U9 Girls/Open: Return goals, sandbags and flags
U10-U18: Play home and away. If at home at Kaleen, teams may need to collect/set-up goals and flags and pack down/return. Check fixture list on the noticeboard on game day and online via our fixtures page.

If you notice any errors with the any of the draws, please let us know via admin@belnorth.org.

*U5 Open will have Coerver skills training the first 4 weeks of the season, followed by games. U6/U7 Girls will have a Coerver session the first week. See article below about Coerver for more details.

Training Allocations

Teams are reminded to respect their training allocations. Please adhere to the day, time and field that have been communicated to coaches and managers by Graeme, the Grounds Manager.

If unsure of field location, please check field maps here.

If coaches and managers need to confirm allocated training slots please contact Graeme, via grounds@belnorth.org.

For recent training allocation requests, please allow two to three days for a response and at least a week for training allocations to be set up. Additional field bookings may need to be organised with ACT Sportsgrounds to facilitate requests.

Technical and Spectator Areas

Do you know your Spectator and Technical areas?

Please check out the maps for each age group from U6 to U18 here.

It is important that:

Spectators keep out of Technical Areas to let coaches coach
Nobody is to be behind the goals and goal line
Spectators are to stay 1.5 meters from the sideline to let assistant referees run the line

Walking Football

Over 45, or there abouts, and fancy playing football at a more casual pace? Then Walking Football might be for you!

Capital Football’s winter season of Walking Football, kicks off on the Monday, 3rd of June and runs for 10 weeks at Action Indoor Sports Kambah.

Player registration costs $135.

Team nominations (squad of 8) and player registrations will close COB Monday 20th May.

If are interested and struggling to form a team, please email admin@belnorth.org and we can look to put interested players in touch with each other.

No Dogs allowed at Sportsgrounds

We know members love them, but dogs are not allowed at ACT sportsgrounds during training and games.

So please keep the members of your fur family at home.

There is a $150 fine for taking dogs to prohibited areas.

Smoking/Alcohol Prohibited at Junior Games & Training

Smoking is prohibited at all Junior matches and training. It is also prohibited within 10 metres of the change rooms, spectator amenities and canteen facilities.

The consumption of alcohol is not permitted during any Junior matches.

U5-U9 Coerver Skills Sessions

Belnorth FC are teaming up with Coerver Coaching ACT to deliver First Skills Sessions for U5 to U9 players.

U5 Open will have 4 sessions integrated with the first four weeks on Saturdays.

U6 and U7 Girls will get a session in week 1, U6 Open on week 2 and U7 Open on week 3. A further three other sessions for U6 to U7 will be scheduled on Fridays at 5:30 pm on select dates during the season.

U8 and U9 Open and Girls will receive 4 sessions on Fridays at 6:15 pm on dates through the year.

All sessions will be at Kaleen.

The sessions won’t just be for the players. Team coaches will be involved to help run the sessions.

Club Shop Open Game Day from 8:30 am

The Belnorth Club Shop will be open on Saturday morning game days from 8:30 am at Kaleen Playing Fields until 12 pm.

What do you need for the season?

Below are the essentials and are available from the Club Shop.

Shin pads/guards
Socks
Shorts

Sizing is available on our Club Shop page.

What about boots?

The Club Shop doesn’t stock boots. Consider the Club’s boot bin, Buy/Swap/Sell Facebook Group along with sports retailers.

What about jerseys?

Team jerseys are club owned and will be distributed by team coaches/managers and must be returned at the end of the season.

Kanga Cup Registrations are Open

The Kanga Cup is the largest International Youth Football Tournament south of the equator, held right here in Canberra from July 7th to the 12th! It is for U9 to U18 players and teams from all over the world.

To support Belnorth teams to enter the Kanga Cup, Belnorth offers a 25% rebate of the entry fee. Once entered, teams can apply via the form available here.

If you need help with registering or recruiting more players to form a team, please contact admin@belnorth.org.

Registrations close 13th of May.

Kanga Cup

Be Aware of Concussion

Concussion affects players at all age groups and levels. It is important to be aware of the risks and signs of concussion, and what to do if it happens.

Information about concussion can be found here, which includes videos for players, parents and coaches.

If in doubt, sit them out.

Coaching Course EOI

Interested in upping yours skills as a U10-U18 or seniors coach? Then the Foundation of Football coaching course is for you.

Capital Football are asking for Expressions of Interest in the course. Take the first step to improve your coaching here.

Child Supervision

Adults must be alert to and aware of risks and hazards and the potential for accidents and injury throughout training and competition.

Ensure that there is always appropriate supervision where the change room/toilet facility is accessible by adults or in ‘public’ change rooms/toilets.

See something, say something.

Do you still have a jersey from last year?

If so, please email admin@belnorth.org to organise a time to hand it in.

Buy/Swap/Sell Facebook Group

On the back of the successful boot bin, we have set up a Facebook Group to let Belnorth members, current, past and future, have access to pre-loved Belnorth gear, such as shorts, socks and other merchandise, along with boots.

Jump on Facebook and join the group ready for the 2024 season.

Season Dates

4/5: U5-U18 Seasons starts
13/5: Kanga Cup Nominations Close
25/5 to 27/5: Reconciliation L/W (No Junior Games)
26/6 to 27/6: Junior Team Photos (Eastlakes Gungahlin)
6/7: No U5-U15 games
7/7 to 12/7: Kanga Cup
13/7 to 14/7: No Junior or Senior Games
17/8 to 18/8: Seniors Last round
31/8: U16-U18 Last round
24/8 to 1/9: Seniors Championship series
7/9: U5-U15 last round
7/9 to 15/9: U16-U18 Championship series
7/9: Senior Presentation (Belconnen Labor Club)
14/9: U12-U18 Presentation (Belconnen Labor Club)
22/9: U5-U11 Presentation (UC Kaleen High School)
17/9 to 30/9 ACT Sportsgrounds Shutdown

The full 2024 calendar can be found here.

Current Belnorth FC Vacancies

The below vital roles are currently vacant.

Small Side Games Registrar (volunteer/committee): Manages the registration and running of the U10 and U11 age groups along with general committee member duties (e.g. meetings, decisions)
Operations Manager (volunteer/committee): organisation of equipment (distribution, auditing and ordering). Trophy Liaison (coordination role with registrars). Presentation day organisation (coordination role with committee). Event Organisation (coordination role)
Vice President (volunteer/committee): Responsible for assisting the President.
Technical Director (paid): responsible for developing, implementing and nurturing player and coach development through sound program design and development for Belnorth. In assuming a technical leadership role, the TD provides mentorship to coaches and players in all programs and fosters good sportsmanship in a safe and fun environment. Further details here.
Club Changers (volunteer): Assist with implementing Club Changer modules.
General Helpers (Volunteers).
Coaches & Managers (Volunteers).

Every volunteer, whether a coach, manager, CVO, referee or committee member, helps the club tick.

If you want to help, please email admin@belnorth.org.

“Volunteers are paid in six figures — S-M-I-L-E-S.”, – Gayla Lemaire