This Update has SEVEN important messages this week which we would ask you to please read.
Riley Townsend, 12
Pre season checklist
Reminder of referees’ fees
Appointing referees to games
U7s-U9s ONLY – No throw ins, now pass ins/dribble ins
Basic guide to running a YEL team
U7s-U9s ONLY No heading season 2024-25 – Message from The FA
Riley Townsend, 12
Many of your are already aware of the incredibly tragic news from earlier this week regarding a former Teversal FC and Kirkby Colts player, Riley Townsend. We have received the following message from the family via Kev Newton, Teversal Secretary.
“A local family are going through their worst nightmare, after the very sad tragic loss of Riley Townsend, a 12-year-old son and brother who took his own life due to mental health issues. We have been in touch with the family who appreciate the messages of condolences and support they have received to date.
With the request for a minute’s silence on social media, we have clarified with the family that they would like any club/teams to acknowledge Riley’s death in a way they feel is best for their team, whether that is a minutes silence, minutes applause or another way that is suitable for their teams needs would be greatly appreciated.”
As a football family, we always stand together and we would appreciate all 1500 teams this weekend, wherever possible and appropriate, to show their love and support for the family and in remembrance of Riley, before the start of their games.
Pre season checklist
PLAYERS – Are all of your players registered? If not, they CAN’T PLAY in any YEL organised game without being registered. Any players who do not show on the squad list for the mandatory pre match ID Check, are not eligible to play and must not take part.
LOGGED INTO SCORELINE? Mandatory to do so for all team contacts and club officials the first game of the season.
https://portal.yelscoreline.com/
LOGGED INTO FULL-TIME? – The main team contact will need to do this in order to receive information about fixtures (ref appointments for U9s upwards)
KICK OFF TIME AND VENUE CORRECT ON FULL-TIME – Have you checked you fixtures – KO times and venue are correct. Remember any amendments must be emailed to the YEL Office – yel@live.co.uk – for us to update Full-Time. Don’t forget the 10 day rule ie if KO time is changed INSIDE 10 days of the game, the opposition, any appointed referee AND the YEL Office must be in agreement.
SQUAD LIST FOR PRE MATCH PLAYER ID CHECKS – Have you downloaded your squad list yet from Whole Game System so you can complete the mandatory pre match ID checks with the opposition manager? If unsure how to do it
https://grassrootstechnology.thefa.com/support/solutions/articles/48001146406-download-a-squad-list
U9s-U14s TEAM SHEETS. A team sheet must be completed stating the player number and full name for all starters and subs and given to any appointed YEL referee (not necessary for parent refs/coach refs)
https://yelonline.com/managers-and-coaches-useful-information/
MATCH REPORTS – A match report must be completed on Full-Time by a team coach or manager for all YEL games with 24 hours of the appointed kick off time – friendlies, league and cup – by both home and away teams. DO NOT USE MATCHDAY APP to complete this as it is unreliable. Fines will be issued for any team that does not complete a match report on Full-Time. Details on how to do this can be found in the Basic Guide to Running a YEL team
https://yelonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Day-to-day-running-UPDATED-26-07-2024.pdf
Any questions or issues around these basic and very necessary requirements check the ‘Basic Guide to weekly team administration’ or if this doesn’t answer your query, email yel@live.co.uk and remember to add your team name, age group and playing day so we can deal with your enquiry.
Reminder of referees’ fees
- Mini soccer (7v7)….£15
- U11/U12 (9v9)………£25
- U13/U14 (11v11)….£30
Referees can be paid before or immediately after the game. They must be paid on the day by the home team.
Appointing referees to games
The YEL does not appoint referees to U7 or U8 games (5v5) – It is up to the home teams to organise a coach or willing parent to officiate these games.
It’s our aim to appoint referees to all games U9 and upwards. At the start of the season there are always a few weeks where a number of games are not covered as we are waiting for referees to register with the County FA/YEL. Even when they are registered, there will be some games we are unable to cover.
The process is as follows: Sarah downloads referee availability from Scoreline nine days before the game is due to take place. She then downloads the list of games that are due to take place. NB Essential your venue and kick off time are correct on Full-Time – She then starts the complex appointment process – allocating and uploading into Full-Time – normally Sat/Sun before the following week’s games. Your primary contact listed on Full-Time will then receive a notification of who your referee is OR it will state ‘TBC’ which means we don’t currently have a referee but are working on it. Over the next couple of days, additional referees are appointed and you will get a Full-Time update detailing who your referee is. Up until Wednesday evening, you must use the appointed YEL referee unless this has been notified and agreed beforehand referees@yelonline.com – If we are unable to locate a referee by Wednesday evening, you will receive a further Full-Time notification where the status changes from ‘TBC’ to ‘NONE’ At this point, we will have exhausted all possibilities and you will need to locate your own referee – coach or willing parent. It is good practice for home teams to have someone on standby to step in – coach, club official or willing parent – just in case you receive one of these ‘NONE’ Full-Time notifications on a Thursday morning.
U7s-U9s ONLY – No throw ins, now pass ins/dribble ins
These two new methods of restart after a ball crosses the sidelines are designed to encourage ball skills, quick thinking and movement in players. As the name suggests these are ‘dribble ins’ and ‘pass ins’. They ARE NOT INDIRECT FREE KICKS. We have heard that a number of coaches during pre season tournaments/ friendlies have been encouraging players to take the restart as an indirect free kick and shoot at the goal in the hope that the ball hits a player and goes in. This is not a pass in/dribble in, it is a kick in and cannot be condoned. We have highlighted these concerns to Wembley who have called a meeting to discuss our email. Whilst this is being discussed, please ensure that you follow the guidance in the video link below and report any teams that are using this restart as an indirect free kick. We wish to avoid at all costs any altercations on the touchline between coaches/parents etc as you are all role models to these young players.
Video ‘Dribble in/pass in’ demonstration
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jP_DzpoMSXg
Basic guide to running a YEL Team
A really useful guide for coaches and club secretaries to understand what is required by the YEL in order for the league to run smoothly.
Download a copy here or go to YELonline.com and click on the ‘Useful information for managers/coaches’ section on the home page.
https://yelonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Day-to-day-running-UPDATED-26-07-2024.pdf
U7s-U9s no heading season 2024-25 – message from The FA
As a reminder of the communication we shared in May, after two seasons of the IFAB trial in English football, we are changing the laws of the game to remove deliberate heading of the ball for U7s to U9s. This includes all leagues, clubs and any affiliated school football matches.
U7-U9 TEAMS ONLY – From the start of the 2024-25 season there will be restarts in the event that a deliberate header takes place.
Coaches Resources
To support coaches with what to do, please click the links below:
When heading is allowed
https://learn.englandfootball.com/articles-and-resources/coaching/resources/2024/How-to-coach-your-players-when-heading-is-allowed?sc_src=email_5369516&sc_lid=531110681&sc_uid=FDrTlsLJq4&sc_llid=413427
When heading isn’t allowed
https://learn.englandfootball.com/articles-and-resources/coaching/resources/2024/How-to-coach-your-players-when-heading-isnt-allowed?sc_src=email_5369516&sc_lid=531110685&sc_uid=FDrTlsLJq4&sc_llid=413427
Additional Resources
For further information on the deliberate header restart law in youth football, see the resource below:
Video – Heading Law change explained
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zoBwWcntmmU
Contacting the YEL
If you email the YEL OFFICE – yel@live.co.uk – please ensure you state the team name, age group and playing day so we can quickly deal with the enquiry
Rob Harwood CEO
YEL OFFICE