

Team Allocation Policy
One of the most difficult tasks for a junior football club with more than one team in an age group is
placing players in teams in a way that satisfies all parents/guardians, players and coaching staff. With potentially multiple teams at each age level this presents a particular challenge to the Orange Waratah Junior Football Club (OWJFC). To meet this challenge OWJFC committee will endeavour to carry out the task in accordance with our club’s philosophy that places an emphasis on the importance player enjoyment, participation and equal opportunity for all in an effort to promote
long term participation in the sport.
The aim of this policy is to outline and /or clarify the team and squad selection process at OWJFC.
Key Policy Principles
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Registered players of OWJFC club WILL not be graded OR placed into teams based on perceived ability.
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Where possible, OWJFC will field an equal distribution of teams across all junior noncompetitive and competitive age competitions under the auspice of Orange District Football Association (ODFA) and Joint Bathurst District Football Association (BDFA)
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OWJFC committee reserves the right to make decisions on team allocation of players that ensures that a fair and equitable distribution of players represents the club in age competitions it nominates for.
Team Selection Process
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Prior to the beginning of a season the process of OWJFC team selection will be conducted by the registrar with preference given in the following order:
1. Nominated team preference as outlined in the player’s OWJFC registration
application
2. Returning OWJFC player from previous season
3. Correct age group (age the player turns during the current season)
4. School attended by the player
The allocation of Player registration requests received after the closure of the club’s annual registration period but before the commencement of any annual ODFA junior non-competitive and competitive age competitions will be determined by the club registrar in consultation with committee executive representative at the last scheduled club committee meeting before the junior season commences (March).
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The committee decision on team selections for these category of late player registrations will be informed by the selection criteria outlined above and number of other age related team vacancies at the time.
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The allocation of Player registration requests received after the commencement of an annual competition will be determined through an out of session meeting of OWJFC committee executive, comprising the President, registrar and vice president.
Conflict of Interest
Many of OWJFC committee members also perform a coaching role with teams involving their children and other relatives. This dual role may present potential/perceived conflict of interest situations during the annual club team selection process. Such conflict of interest situations may include but are not restricted to situations when the committee team selection process involves a team coached by a committee member or involves a direct family relative of a committee member.
In these situations, the committee member who identifies or is identified as subject to a perceived conflict of interest will remove themselves from the committee team selection decision making process relating to the identified player in question. This action by a committee member is to formally acknowledged and documented by the club Registrar in
the minutes of the associated OWJFC committee meeting.
Parental complaints regarding committee decisions around team selection where a conflict of interest or other grievance is noted are all to be directed to the OWJFC president to manage and respond to, after consultation with OWJFC registrar and other committee members as required.
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