Charter nominations now required

NOMINATION forms are now available for this year's FA Charter Standard Club Awards as the Essex County Football Association go all-out to reward best practice in the area with their annual prize-giving amongst some of their best maintained clubs who 'improve the playing experience for all'.

E.C.F.A. Club Development Officer, Ian Bent, is eager to see as many forms returned as possible, before the 27th April deadline, to ensure the cream of the County's workforce are recognised for their hours of devoted coaching and administration which make football one of the most enjoyable and worthwhile sports in the world at all levels.

Each winning club or individual will receive an invitation to attend the summer's prestigious E.C.F.A. Awards Evening to receive the much-warranted gratitude of fellow peers and accept a County Winners' Pennant as well as a �50 Umbro kit and equipment voucher for their club. In addition, the victors of certain categories will receive a one-hour coaching session within their club from an FA Coach. There are also potential routes towards regional and national award nominations, which themselves benefit from further rewards including Umbro vouchers.

These particular awards are only open to clubs who have already proved themselves as a high-quality well-run establishment by achieving Charter Standard status thanks to their exceptional standards of coaching, administration and child protection. The Awards are deemed the best possible opportunity to gain deserved recognition for hours of voluntary work in the following categories: Charter Standard Club, Adult Club and Development Club, Community Club, Charter Standard Club Coach and Club Administrator.

A fine example of the dedication of Charter volunteers was recently witnessed at the William de Ferrers Centre near Chelmsford as over 40 local managers, coaches and players were present at a double-header training event. The E.C.F.A. held Introduction to Level Two Coaching and Injury Prevention Workshops to amount to the latest part of a 2008/09 Charter Standard In-Service Training Programme, offering Charter clubs in the area the opportunity to attend a wide range of episodes designed to improve the running of their clubs and the skills of the volunteers they depend so much upon.

E.C.F.A. Coaching Development Officer, Gary Piggott, ran the Level Two Workshop, and commented: “Hopefully those attending will have gone away better informed and should have gained an understanding regarding some of the practical and theoretical elements of the Level Two. I would like to think that the evening gave a realization of the step from the Level One to Two and inspire some of them to make the jump!”

During the Injury Prevention Workshop, attendees were given useful advice and tips to help them avert and reduce the number of common knocks. The two-hour burst of training was presented by Elaine Hume, an FA-Qualified Medical Tutor, who hopes the session will have a positive impact on the local game: “At grassroots level, the importance of injury prevention is often overlooked and this provided an ideal opportunity for those attending to learn how to identify the signs and symptoms of common and 'overuse' injuries. After seeing the enthusiasm and commitment shown I am confident they will go back to their clubs and put their newfound knowledge to good use.”

Bent himself, who used the event to spread the word about the impending award nomination process, was delighted at the turnout for both and expressed: “To have so many local coaches turn up on a cold Monday Evening is extremely pleasing! Once again it highlights the excellent commitment and high quality of volunteers working within the grassroots football spectrum all across Essex and why we should be recognising them through our annual awards. Get nominating!”