Hi MAFC players, volunteers and families
Just a reminder of a few important club activities coming up.
Registration
Registration is currently open and can be accessed through the clubs website at https://www.mafc.com.au/rego
Please note registration will close on 3 March 2024. Our preference is to have all players registered by then.
Teams
For our senior boys and assuming the numbers of registrations meet expectations, MAFC will have two teams, Rising and Emerging Stars. The Emerging Stars is a new concept for AFL Canberra and replaces the U17s age group. It is most likely that the Emerging Stars will play on Sunday after the U16 Women’s games. This is driven by oval availability across Canberra., The Rising Stars is part of the AFL Canberra senior competition and for MAFC will be our first XVIII team. More information will be supplied to the senior boys after registrations close.
For those players and parents who are wondering which age group they will be playing in, it is the school’s and club’s policy that all boys play in their correct age group and where there are two teams in the same age group, players will be evenly spread amongst both teams.
The current exceptions are:
· boys who are U9’s (born 2015) they will play in the U10s
· if a specific age group doesn’t have enough players to field a team, boys can be asked to play up
· the Rising stars (First XVIII) will field the best club players for the team or for a position
Please note that it is an AFL policy that if the players fill in for an older age group, they are only allowed to play six quarters across a weekend. This is a player welfare policy that is aimed at reducing the risk of injury to the players.
Season opening
We are holding the season opening next Wednesday 28 February at Phillip Oval, 6pm to 7pm.
We have arranged for Giants players to attend and a short training session will be run. There will also be a sausage sizzle and soft drinks for those who attend.
Please RSVP for the season launch at https://www.mafc.com.au/event-details/mafc-2024-season-launch
Sponsorship
We are continuing to look for sponsors to support us in providing quality equipment and other items for the club. If you think you can help out, please contact James Morrison at sponsorship@mafc.com.au
Managers
If required, we will be seeking managers for our teams once registrations are finalised. Parents can nominate for manager and other roles when they register their son.
Working with vulnerable people (WWVP) cards
While the coaches, managers, first aiders and other game day assistants are required to have a WWVP card, the committee are hoping that as many parents as possible get a card through Access Canberra at https://www.accesscanberra.act.gov.au/business-and-work/working-with-vulnerable-people/apply-for-or-renew-a-wwvp-registration It’s free if you are a volunteer and while not a requirement, its handy to have if you are volunteered for a game day duty.