Dear Super Parent 🙂
There is an important thing you must do at the end of this information page. It takes 10 seconds and ensures we are clear on your re-joining status for next season 👍
And just like that, another season is nearly over! Below you will find a season review, plans for next season, and information on re-joining for the new season ahead.
CLUB TARGETS ACHIEVED IN 2022-2023
See below for what we set out as the start of the season, and if we achieved it:
1. Training Kit For Each Child ✅
Heavily discounted by the club, provided a unique feel to being part of our team.
2. Further Opportunities & Experiences For Our Players ✅
Torino FC partnership allowed for our players to be coached by their pro coaches. We are the only club in the UK to hold this partnership.
3. Goalkeeper Training ✅
Added in to technical nights. Coach Scott has just completed his UEFA B license goalkeeper course :)
4. Standards Improved ✅
We improved general standards across the club, particularly with behaviour management.
5. Continue To Develop Managers ✅
Valentino worked non stop with our managers to help them give you the best experience
6. Player Recruitment for all teams ✅
All of our teams were full this season! Our community has grown 🙂
7. Filmed Matches with Veo Technology ✅
Memories being captured on film that will now last forever
IMPROVEMENTS FOR 2023-2024 SEASON
As well as all of the above continuing for the season ahead, we have listened to feedback, assessed how the season has gone, and we will be adding & improving in the following areas:
1. More Space At Training 😃
We have secured more space for team training on Weds and Thursday evenings at Royal Russell which means more realism to match days can be applied at training! Boom!
For technical nights, the space will remain the same (although we have hired an extra 3G on Mondays at Monks Hill) as we want the players to play in tight spaces to improve technique.
2. Guest Academy Sessions 😱
To give our players a further unique experience, we have secured 3 Premier League academy coaches to deliver 2 sessions each across next season. See the talent we are bringing in:
Joe Antonelli - Crystal Palace FC u15s coach
Rob Jones - Crystal Palace FC u9s coach
Scott Hastings - Chelsea FC u15s coach
All 3 are working in an elite environment, and all started out in a grassroots club like ours. They are all UEFA B licensed, with Joe Antonelli an A licensed coach + Advanced Youth Award holder. Joe and Rob were featured in the Channel 4 Crystal Palace documentary which you can watch here
This, along with Torino FC coaches visiting, well what can we say? What an experience for our players! 😬
3. Continue To Improve Technical Training Nights
There have been a few unexpected staffing changes to our Skillz coaches, and we will provide better consistency and improved quality to help our footballers develop.
4. New FREE Match Day Kit 🤞
We have secured a sponsor to provide this for all new players. Design, sponsor and info announced soon, but this is absolutely FREE of charge!
PRICING FOR NEW SEASON
We want to take a moment to talk to you about something important: the costs of running our football club. Now, we know what you might be thinking - "ugh, costs, boring!" But hear us out - there's a positive side to this too!
The reason we're talking about costs is because the club is always committed to providing your child with the best possible experience, and a high level of service to you. And in order to do that, we invest in 2 full time members of staff, an admin team, a team of coaches to run technical nights, good quality venues and equipment, and an exclusive partnership that no other club offers (+ VEO camera, goalkeeper training, and our ongoing support network for our managers).
These things of course come at a hefty cost to us! This upcoming season it will cost us a minimum of £90,000 just to operate (not factoring in new home kit, or end of season trophies which we have got sponsorship for, or subsidised managers fees)!! This is even before the club has made a surplus to re-invest, or any nasty surprises (like our training cost hike in January).
We are aware that there are other grassroots clubs out there are cheaper and offer much less than us, but our club does not operate in the same way (giving your child a mix of grassroots and academy style), and we are not run by volunteers like others.
This season is going to cost us circa £17,000 more to operate compared to last, and we have swallowed a huge chunk of this increase to remain fair to our community.
So yes, our prices are different to others. But that's because we're passionate about giving you an experience that's truly great, and we work 7 days a week to continue to improve for you.
As a thank you to those re-joining, due to a surplus from this season, we have provided a £10 discount to every child for their re-registration fee.
Also, if you are genuinely struggling financially, please contact me and Valentino directly here and we will discuss options with you.
Re-registration Fee | £25 instead of £35 |
June pre-season (6 sessions) | £30 |
July pre-season (6 sessions) | £30 |
| |
September 22 - May 23 | £65 per month* |
Sibling discount | 40% on 2nd child monthly fees |
* Please note: this is the ABSOLUTE MAXIMUM per month we will charge from September. This increase for September - May works out at £0.47p per training session and match. We are in talks with another sponsor who will provide funding to allow us to charge just £60 per month instead (nothing confirmed but we are working on this). Also, if we hit our quota of teams and players, we will be able to limit/remove our price increase on our monthly fee from September.
You will receive approximately, 107 football experiences:
12 training sessions pre season (June and July). This is optional and not mandatory
30 matches (Sept 23 - April 24)
64 training sessions (Sept 23 - May 24)
At least 1 tournament
1 end of season awards afternoon
+ Optional Torino camp at Easter (£30 per day)
+ Optional pre-season 3 day camp in August (£25 per day)* TBC
TRAINING NIGHTS AND TIMES
Training will continue twice a week and to avoid disruption to your timetable, we will be keeping your training nights the same as what they have been this season.
🏟️ Monday & Tuesday @ Monks Hill Sports Centre
🏟️ Wednesday & Thursday @ Royal Russell School
🏟️ Saturday matches - home games @ Beddington Cricket Club
WHAT YOU NEED TO DO NOW...
📲✅ Please click this link to give us your re-joining status. It is a simple yes/no + your child's name form that will take 10 seconds. This is different to the feedback survey we asked you to do. 📲✅
If we do not receive your re-joining status by Sunday 7th May, we will assume you are not joining and will not include you in our squads for the new season. Your payments with us will automatically be cancelled (but please do fill in the form for us to help us with this!)
It has been another hugely successful season for the club. Valentino and Scott look forward to celebrating with everyone on Saturday 20th May at our End of Season Awards Presentation! Thank you so much for being part of our community this season - we really appreciate your commitment and love for the club 💙
And, to give you a great experience as a parent, and to raise funds for the season ahead, lace up your boots for our first ever SZ Parents tournament on Saturday 13th May @ Powerleague. Book your space here
Thanks so much all!
Ashley & Valentino