News Item: YYHL : SAFETY U12 Girls @ Leeds Univ & Leeds Adel
(Category: Youth Leagues and Cups News)
Posted by YHAWeb Manager
Monday 20 October 2014 - 17:15:40
YYHL : SAFETY U12 Girls @ Leeds Univ & Leeds Adel
Girls Main & U12 Girls Contacts:
Two safety issues cropped up at Sundays U12 Girls session at Leeds University & Leeds Adel HC that need to be resolved.
One is straight forward the other will take some solving and active support from Club Coaches to achieve success.
See below:
The first issue …..
At Leeds Adel on Sunday a very talented young lady showed the other girls in the Division what the future holds for them by way her ability, her chip shots and chip passing at goal & into the circle. The problem is that this ability at this age group will put her opponents at risk of severe injury because they are not experienced enough, or skilful enough, to cope with such an advanced technique.
Having consulted the YYHL Inner Circle our advice is that the Umpires, who have control of the game, should complement the young lady on her ability but explain to both her and her Team’s supporters that in the circumstances this skill should not used until opponents can cope with the situation. The Umpire should blow for dangerous play and allow play to continue with a free hit to the opposing Team
It may be that as the season progresses and the ability range of the players improves then this skill can be accepted as a part of the natural game of hockey but it is felt that this time is not now.
Can I ask for the cooperation of this young ladies Coach to explain the situation before the next YYHL session.
The second issue
We need to think about how to engage parents, supporters etc., about safety issues around the pitch.
Despite the coaches discussing beforehand, Coaches were unable to stop people camping into the perspex dugouts, with parents/players sat behind/adjacent to the unfenced goals, knocking up behind/alongside the pitches on the astro, cramped sidelines with parents etc.
This makes a stray ball even more likely to injure somebody - as well as being difficult to umpire as sightlines constantly blocked with people/feet/sticks/deckchairs!
It has been suggested that the only people allowed through the gates onto the actual pitch are players, subs, coaches & umpires. That there should be no knocking up on the pitches but outside the fencing, and similarly all the paraphernalia that Teams seem to need these days is also kept outside the playing area. Spectators also watch from outside the fencing.
This will need a Firm, Strict Control and Guidance from Coaches and perhaps Umpires not starting games until this has been achieved.
Originally it was planned for plastic pipes to be laid across the playing surface to divide the top pitches at LU up into 3 pitches, giving a bigger playing area, keeping balls on the pitch it is being used, and keeping spectators off the playing surface. Until we can achieve this the advice above will need to be implemented by ALL CLUBS participating.
MAKE IT HAPPEN.
Cheers
Phil.
This news item is from Yorkshire Hockey Association
( http://yorkshireha.org.uk/news.php?extend.2748 )