A major challenge for each age group is to organise players into team squads. It’s important that both managers and parents are aware of the Raiders guidelines. When joining the Club, players and parents “buy in” to this approach.
As a Club, we follow some clearly defined principles on the structure of teams and the development of players. These principles are driven by our Accredited and Community Club status, and are an integral part of the Football Development Plan that we submit to the Herts FA each year. Our success in following these principles and guidelines is a key factor in how we are viewed by the Herts FA and, in particular, by the Football Foundation and Sport England in our application for grants (e.g. our success in attracting grants of £750,000 for BerkoAstro and the Paul Beard Centre).
Player movement from team to team
Player movement up or down can take place at the beginning of the season and, if necessary, at the Christmas break, to balance the squads or to move a player into a squad which better matches his or her ability and development. Player movement should be based on ability, ensuring that each player is placed at the appropriate level. Factors such as school friendship groups and parental preference may be taken into consideration, but must not undermine the Raiders core principles.
Parents can express a preference for their child to play at a lower level. So, the parent of a player of Red (A) team standard can opt for their child to play for the Blue (B) team. However, a request to move down to a lower level is at the discretion of the Age Group Coordinator, and may not take place if this causes significant disruption to the balance of the squads across the age group.
A parent cannot opt for their child to play at a higher level, if it is against the judgement of the managers and coaches.
Squad selection is undertaken in consultation with all age group managers, and the age group coaches.
Squad Selection Meeting
A Squad Selection Meeting should take place as early as possible at the end of a season to plan for next season’s squads. The Squad Selection Meeting is run by the Age Group Coordinator. The following should also be invited to attend:
- Team Managers and Assistant Managers
- Representatives from the Raiders coaching team who are familiar with the age group.
- A Parent Representative/s whose role is to observe, not to contribute or influence decisions.
- A Representative of the Football Committee, if that is felt to be appropriate.
The Age Group Coordinator will aim to achieve consensus, but has the final say on the make-up of the squads.
Squad size
The recommended size of squads is as follows:
- Each mini-sided team’s (U8 – 10)
- 5v5 the max squad size is 8
- 7v7 the max squad size 10
- For U11 and U12, the minimum squad size is 12 and a maximum of 15.
- For U13 and U14, the minimum squad size is 14 and the maximum of 17.
- From U15 upwards, the recommended maximum squad size increases to 20.
Once the recommended maximum squad size has been reached, no further players will be added.
Additional players may be added with the agreement of the Football Committee and Age Group Coordinator. Additional players are welcome to join the club and train with the squad but will not play in matches. Where there is sufficient interest, the club will look at setting up additional teams to satisfy demand.
When the recommended maximum squad sizes are reached, registration of new players for the Club and Leagues will cease until places become available.
U7 children may play in the U8s team, but may be kept down the following year so that they play in the correct year group from then on. Wherever possible, all children should play in their correct age group.
For each 11 a side match, it is recommended that the manager should select no more than 14 players to participate where possible, but may take as many as the league-permitted 16 if all players are available (excluding any rest weeks) as this balances the opportunities for children to play in a larger squad. As with mini teams, this may require rotation of “rested” players if everyone is available and to stay within the league rules of permitted number of players per game.
New children joining during the season
If a child wishes to join the club during the season and there are places within the age group, the Age Group Coordinator will take the decision on whether they can join one of the squads. If the squads are all full, then the child will be able to join the club for training but will not be eligible for matches. If enough extra players wish to join, the club will try to create an extra team.
When a vacancy becomes available, it will go to the next player on the waiting list. If the player’s ability warrants inclusion in a higher team, but there is only space in a lower team, then they will join the lower team until the start of the next season.
Less able children
All children regardless of ability will be able to join the club. However, if it is felt they are not yet ready to play matches they will be invited to train with the club and not to play matches until they have achieved an appropriate level. If a child has already played matches for a team but it is felt that they are not ready for it, the club will still do its best to accommodate them within a team. However, in exceptional circumstances, if a child is struggling to fit within the lowest ability team and it is felt to be in the best interest of the child and their team-mates not to play matches, they may be asked to attend training only and not play in matches following consultation with their parents and with the agreement of the Committee.
Training players
Where squads are fully subscribed, the manager may be able to accept a new member as a training player. A training player pays a reduced fee per year, completes the Raiders registration form but is not registered to play for the team in any of the local leagues. When a vacancy becomes available in the team squad, the manager then has the option to upgrade the training player to full membership, eligible to play in competitive games.
Training players MUST COMPLETE a club registration and pay the fee to ensure that he/she is covered by the Club’s public liability insurance.
Squad structure for boys’ teams
The U7 squads are entirely flexible. The Age Group Coordinator decides in which team the children play each week. U8 squads will be selected on ability where possible. The rapid nature of development in the younger age groups means it is possible that the squads may change significantly at Christmas.
Squads for older age groups may change half way through the season to make minor adjustments.
The recommended naming and structure of squads is:
| Colour | Level |
| Red | A team |
| Blue | B team |
| Green | C team |
| White | D team |
| Yellow | |
| Orange | |
| Purple | |
| Black | |
| Grey | |
| Claret |
However, this is not set in stone. Some age groups elect to operate an A team and two or three B teams. At younger age groups, matching levels of ability between squads is less of an issue than at older groups. Some age groups may use a slightly different colour grading; however, Red is always the A team.
Player transfers for boys
Boys can be transferred between squads at any time, subject to the League rules on player transfers. If the players are registered with a league, the transfer deadline is February.
Players cannot play for more than one team within the same league, unless a formal transfer has taken place. However, players can be dual registered for teams in separate leagues to provide cover for absences BUT NOT to strengthen a team for a specific match. So, a player in West Herts Youth League can also be registered in the Watford Friendly Leagues to provide cover for another team. This should be made known to the Club Secretary.
The Club Code on Dual Registration of Players can be downloaded below.
Squad structure for girls’ teams
The girl’s teams operate outside of the “traditional” Raiders naming convention as the girl’s structure does not fit into the boys Red, Blue and Green approach. For U11 and below we have moved to an ‘Our girls are out of this World’ theme…. Solars, Supersonics, Galactics and the list goes on! U12 and upwards revert to the normal colour coding.
Squad selection for girls
Girls squad selection is more complex than the boys when you take into account players’ football development rate, girls’ social needs, varying levels of ability and varying numbers of girls playing within age groups. We also operate within restricting factors of league regulations and the fact that girls’ football, whilst growing, does not have the scale which boys’ football has.
Girls, traditionally, cannot be transferred between squads within the HGFPL league at any point in the season, however HGFPL are considering allowing the movement of players between squads for the 2017-18 season at U11 and below.
U8 and U9
Mixed ability squads, based on when the girls signed up, schools attended and friendship groups. At this stage it’s fun for all, with limited streaming and with the girls relatively new to football, they need time to find their footballing feet.
U10 to U18
At this age we start to embed streaming more fully in to the age groups to ensure we are giving the players the best opportunity to develop, whilst also being conscious of friendships. We aim to:
- Integrate new players in to the right squads for their ability
- Keep each team competitive.
- Retain some friendships as well as mixing the girls up to keep the age group dynamic.
Stronger players are also encouraged to dual register into older age groups, subject to league registrations rules, to stretch them and aid their development. This is done in conjunction with the relevant age group coordinators and where space permits.