Coaches: if you have had the chance to read through the rules for 2008 then you will be aware that there have been some rules changes. Most notably, Rule 9.6 about playing up requires some clarification to avoid problems later in the season.

Where a team is short and needs to use a player NOT registered in that team then:

• You CANNOT use a player registered in another team in the same age group as teams are fixed after round 4 (rule 9.7);
• You CANNOT use a player registered in an older age group (rule 9.5 ) on pain of disqualification and loss of points;
• You MAY use a player from a younger age group

BUT:

• Any one player CANNOT be used more than 3 times (because after the 4th time this player will be prohibited from playing in their own team);
• The player needs approval from Football Wagga Wagga to play up more than three times into that age group and FWW will only give approval to a player seeking to play in the higher age group for the rest of the season;
• Further, players in the Under 6 to Under 10 age groups can only play up ONE year, Under 11 to Under 13's may play up up to 2 years and Under 14's ONE year.

The DANGER is that IF a child is played up more than 3 times and approval has NOT been obtained from FWW then he/she will be prohibited from playing up AND from playing in their original team - the CHILD will have nowhere to go.

THEREFORE I strongly suggest that you:

• DO NOT use younger players unless it essential to avoid a forfeit, for example, or you have less than a full team;
• DO consult the coach of the team in which the child is registered before asking a child to play up;
• DO keep a record of who played in your team from a younger age group to avoid exceeding the 3 game limit;
• DO keep a record of your players from your team who have played up (so that you are not short of players when rule 9.6 is invoked)

Football Wagga Wagga:

• DOES keep records;
• DOES keep track of these statistics, and
• WILL enforce the rules AND HAS ALREADY DONE SO!!

So please be aware of these restrictions so that you do not penalise your own team or the team of the children that play up for you. You might consider keeping this guide for future reference.

Emilie Graham
Junior Vice President