The Majura Football Club grading policy is designed to give all players, parents, coaches and managers a clear understanding of the club’s selection or grading process. Grading of players at Majura caters for all children who may come from different backgrounds and have different skill levels. They play football for varying reasons and have different goals.

The main purpose of grading is to place players in a team which is best suited to their ability. Past experience has shown that it is frustrating for any individual to play in a team which is clearly above or below their level of ability. However the club endeavours to give each player the opportunity to develop their skills, play at the highest level possible and gain maximum
enjoyment from the game of football. Another important aspect of grading at Majura is to ensure a culture of team development not just individual development.

It is important to state that Majura FC is grading teams for a 16 week season which is a relatively short time period. Players will not be swapped between teams unless there are unexpected shortages in a team. Capital Footballs junior league regulations also apply regarding players changing teams.

Who is graded?

Grading by Majura FC only takes place in the Under 11 – 18 age groups. Our senior club, Canberra Olympic can also grade players in the Under 14 - 16 age groups. This is part of the Capital Footballs Premier League Pathway to play in the Premier League 16’s team. This is outlined later in this document.

• At Majura FC grading only applies to ages Under 11 – 18. No grading takes place in Pee Wees to Under 10 as these age groups only play in intra-club competition.
• Only registered Majura players are graded.
• Grading is not compulsory and only players who wish to be graded into red or white teams in Under 11 – 12 and Division 1 and 2 teams for Under 13 – 18 need participate.

Capital Football runs an inter-club competition for Under 10s however Majura has maintained its own competition for this age group. Recent FFA changes to small sided games and team numbers mean that this may need reviewing for Under 10s before the end of 2010. From 2010 teams in this age group will be 9v9 which may affect the viability of intra-club competitions. Any move to the inter-club competition in this age group will be done in consultation with players, parents, coaches and managers during the 2010 season.

Grading players in U11 - 18

Under the direction of the VP Football and the Technical Director of Coaching, three assessments can be considered when grading takes place for Under 11 - 18. The first is from selectors who assess players during games at the end of the previous season. The second is from coach’s who assess their players at the end of each season and the third is from selectors who assess players who participate in trials at the beginning of each season. The results of all assessments are confidential.

If a player has not undergone any of these assessments and provides good reason, such as newly arrived at the club; this player will need to be assessed by the VP Football and the Technical Director of Coaching. If the VP Football and the Technical Director of Coaching are unavailable or if these positions are vacant (as was the case in 2009) then the responsibility for grading lies with the Executive Committee of the club.

End of Season Assessment

The end of season assessment is important for assessing players in their natural game, particularly players who find trials stressful. It is also a good way to view players across all teams in the age group which is sometimes missed by the coach’s assessment. The end of season assessment provides an indication of a player’s technical skill level and game playing level.

Coach’s Assessment

The coach’s assessment is not only a skill assessment but also an assessment of attitude and work ethic. Coach’s have the advantage of seeing how players develop throughout the season so they are able to assess 16 weeks of play rather than a few end of season games or trials. Coaches also provide the best assessment of a player’s reliability, work ethic and attitude. Majura FC recognises that any grading must take into account these aspects of a player. If a player is considered exceptional by their coach then they will be referred to the VP Football and the Technical Director of Coaching for further assessment and consideration of their development needs.

Assessment by Trial

After registration and before the season begins (usually in late February or early March), Majura FC conducts trials for those players who wish to be graded into either the red or white teams for U/11 and the Division 1 or 2 teams for U/12 to U/15. Players not wanting to trial are automatically placed into the blue team or the Division 3 teams in their age group. Trials enable selectors to see the range of technical skills and game skills across the entire
age group and they allow newcomers to the club to be assessed. Trials are an important means of selecting a team with a range of skills not just a group of individuals. The trial process is outlined below.

How trials are conducted at Majura FC

Trial dates, times and selectors are organised by the VP Football and the Technical Director of Coaching for each age group with the help of the Age Group Coordinator. There will be at least two selectors for each age group and no selector will have a child playing in that age group. Generally there are two trials for each age group and players are expected to attend both trials.

All players will be required to trial in their own age group. The only exception to this rule is that girls playing in open or mixed gender teams may trial for a team in an age group that is one chronological year below their actual age group. This rule is consistent with Capital Football regulations.

If a player is considered exceptional by the selectors they will be referred to the VP Football and the Technical Director of Coaching for assessment and consideration of their development needs including the possibility to play up an age. Factors which need to be considered in these cases include the need to develop a player, the player’s level of maturity, the willingness of both the player and parents/carers to support such a move and the availability of a spot in an older age group. This latter factor is important as the club
needs to ensure that no player in their correct age group is displaced by a younger player. Capital Football’s junior league regulations also apply to playing up.

At the trial each selector shall independently evaluate the players who are trialling and after each trial date they should convene to discuss their observations. At the end of the trial period the selectors should reconvene to determine a ranking of players for the first division team and for the second division team.

The team recommendations are then passed onto the VP Football and the Technical Director of Coaching who will take into consideration the players end of season assessments and coach’s assessments before finalising the team lists. In some cases coaches will be consulted about team make up.

If a player or parent is unhappy about a players grading then they must complete a grading dispute form available from the club or on the club’s website and send it to the VP Football and the Technical Director of Coaching for resolution.

Grading players in Premier League Under 16s

Capital Football has a compulsory Premier League Pathway Grade for all senior clubs. This consists of an Under 18 team that plays in the men’s league and an Under 16 team that plays in the junior league. This pathway currently applies to boys/men however a girls/women pathway is being developed and Majura FC will support pathway teams for both boys and girls.

The boys/men Premier League teams play under the banner of our senior club Canberra Olympic. The girls Under 16 pathway team will remain under Majura FC until Capital Football finalises the women’s pathway. In the Premier League 16s players must be no older than 16 years of age (or younger than 14) before 31 December of the calendar year of competition.
Grading for Majura players into these teams is carried out by Canberra Olympic both by open trials and individual selections.

Majura Football Club Committee
January 2010