2007 was a special year for the Chichester Sharks. We had a rocky season on and off the pitch but yet in keeping with our supportive, team first environment, we turned things around to end the year on a high note, winning the English National Championship.
2008 promises to be a very different, but just as eventful year. In April, we’ll be starting our first season in the new BAFL Flag league.
Much has been said about this league, and its been a long time coming, but what is clear is that its the best opportunity for the growth of our sport in the UK.
Insurance against injury, centrally controlled scheduling, fully compliant with UK laws and regulations, child protection policies, opportunities for funding, national finals, and national and international playing opportunities are just some of the reasons why we think the BAFL Flag league is the way forward.
One of first changes our club has seen, has been prompted by this pending move to BAFA. We’ve gone legit!
We are now officially known as the Chichester Sharks American Football Club. Its on the paperwork and everything.
Following a meeting at New Year, we have formalised the club by drawing up a club constitution and team rules. The Constitution lays out the aims of the club and how it will be run (i.e. membership, accounts, committee). Likewise, the team rules state how we, as members of the Sharks, will behave towards each other and how we will represent our club in competition. There aren’t a lot of rules, we’re here to have fun after all.
The other major activity recently, was the voting in of a committee for 2008. The club belongs to everyone so it was only fair that the players vote in the people to represent them and the best interests of the club. For each position, individuals were nominated by their fellow players. None of the nominations were contested by the team, so we’re pleased to announce the following Committee appointments:
Chairman – Neil Henderson
Secretary / Marketing & Media – Gary Robinson
Treasurer – Andy Ifould
Child Protection Officer – Toby Chopra
Head Coach – Dayle Kirby
We’re very excited to announce the appointment of Dayle Kirby to be our Head Coach for 2008. We all know the tremendous knowledge and experience that Dayle brings to our club and we look forward to developing the team under his guidance.
Dayle’s first action as Head Coach was to appoint a coaching staff. Neil Henderson will be the Offensive Coordinator for 2008, and Dave Lee will be the Defensive Coordinator. Both Coordinator positions are non-Committee positions.
If anyone else is interested in volunteering to help out, let us know. Whilst all the committee positions are now filled, we still need a first aider for the team, as well as a Game Day Manager, to help in the organising on match day.
So, plenty going on and plenty more to come. We’ll post updates as and when we have more information for you.
Can’t wait for April!
Hi All,
I’m just in the process of confirming plans to host a Leader’s Award course at Christ’s Hospital in Horsham. The Leader’s Award is the basic level coaching qualification recognised by BAFA. The date that I’ve agreed with the NFL for this is Saturday 23 February, and the cost to each participant is £15. (A £5 discount will apply to those aged 16/17 years.) The course is delivered in a matter of hours, it involves both practical and theoretical elements, and participants require no previous coaching experience.
Please post here by Friday 15 February if you would like to attend.
Thanks
Plans for the Leader’s Award have now been confirmed (see separate post, above). We’ve also taken a step closer to forming a youth team, with 3 Flag Football ‘taster’ sessions at Bishop Luffa School in Chichester next month. Further details to follow…