MCNC follows the Netball Australia Guidelines for the Management of Sports Related Concussion in Netball.

Please note there must be a period of at least 14 days symptom free (at rest) before returning to contact/collision training. There must be a minimum period of 21 days until the resumption of competitive contact/collision sport (including 14 days symptom free).

The full Guideline can be found by clicking here: Guidelines of Management of Sports Related Concussion in Netball

This discipline and grievances policy has been adopted from the Netball Victoria recommended policy. A larger policy document is available on request. The policy structure is as follows:

• A member of the Malvern Central Netball Club shall not breach, fail, refuse or neglect to comply with the provisions of the regulations and or policies of the committee or act in a manner unbecoming or prejudicial to objectives or interests of the club. A grievance from a member will be addressed with the same steps.

• Any club member, committee member, official or other interested party may give written notice of a complaint relating to conduct or a grievance to the Club President or Committee via the email mcnccommittee@gmail.com

• The Committee will as soon as practicable after receiving the notice investigate and consider the matter and within 14 days will determine whether the matter should be dismissed or whether there are reasonable grounds to believe there may be a breach or policy or a legitimate grievance.

• If the Committee decides that the complaint should be dismissed it shall give written notice of the dismissal of the complaint and the reasons why.

• If the Committee determines the matter warrants review, it shall give written notice of such to the member setting the grounds of the breach and stating that the member may address the Committee with the grievance at a hearing to be held within 21 days.

• The Committee will meet and give the member every opportunity to be heard. They can also request or require the complainant to organise a witness to attend the meeting.

• the Committee having heard the submission or evidence of the member and/or complainant may reprimand or suspend the member or expel the member from the Club.

• If the member exercises the right of appeal by written notice, the Committee will convene another meeting with a mediator.

• If the dispute referred to mediation is not resolved there shall be no further complaint or appeal under the rules of Malvern Central Netball Club.

The following information is provided to assist coaches in managing the wellbeing of their players in relation to medical conditions, accidents and injuries and to provide guidelines on the appropriate action to take in relation to each of these situations if they arise at training or during competition. It also outlines expectations of players and parents with active medical conditions and/or returning from injury.

First Aid Kits

• All coaches are provided with a basic first aid kit and ice-packs at the start of each season.

• Coaches and team managers should check the first aid kit regularly throughout each season and advise their committee coordinator of any items required to re-stock the kit.

• Coaches must ensure training and match-day bags contain first aid kits that are re-stocked at the commencement of each season.

Medical conditions

• Players with existing medical conditions, which may affect their ability to perform, are expected to inform their coach prior to each season. This includes, but is not limited to, asthma, Type I Diabetes, anaphylaxis and growing-related conditions (i.e. Osgood-Schlatter’s and Sever’s disease). Emergency treatment plans should also be discussed with your coach in the event you should require assistance in treating your medical condition and your parent/guardian is not present. At the coach’s discretion, it may be necessary to confidentially advise the team manager. Players who require any form of medication to manage their medical condition are expected to bring this with them at all times to training and matches. This is not the Club’s responsibility.

• During the competition, the coach needs to be aware of any medical conditions relating to their players and take the appropriate action to remove a player from the court if they deem necessary.

• Coaches cannot be responsible for illnesses or conditions that are not disclosed to them or the club.

Injuries/Accidents

• The coach or team manager will manage any injuries or accidents occurring during training sessions.

• The training first aid kit is available for treating minor injuries/accidents. It is expected that coaches will have a mobile phone with them and a player contact list for emergency calls.

• In the case of serious injury or accident where a parent/guardian is not present, the coach should attempt to call the emergency contact numbers provided on the back of team sheets, in the order specified, to gain instructions in relation to treatment. If unable to reach any emergency contact numbers, the coach should contact the team manager and determine the most appropriate action to take. If in any doubt about the wellbeing of the player, the coach should call an ambulance immediately, stay with the player and contact a member of the MCNC Committee as soon as possible.

• The coach must notify the team manager of any injuries and the parents of the child must be notified of the injury (either by the coach or team manager).

• An injury report form needs to be completed and signed by the coach (or primary person treating the injury/illness) and the injured player/parent and a copy (photo on phone fine) forwarded to mcnccommittee@gmail.com

• If a player sustains an injury during competition, the sports trainer at SCNA should be notified and the SCNA injury management process applies.

Returning from injury or illness

• If a player presents at training, or for competition matches, it will be assumed they are ready to fully participate in both unless the players or parent/guardian specifically instructs the coach otherwise.

• It is the responsibility of the player/parent/guardian to advise of any modified training or match requirements e.g. play quarter/half for next n weeks, etc. Your return-to-netball will be agreed to in consultation with the coach with the teams’ best interests as the priority.

Committee Support

• Coaches are encouraged to confidentially discuss concerns regarding the physical wellbeing of their players with committee members if they require support/assistance in managing situations at any time.

• First Aid is defined as immediate help and treatment of an injury or medical emergency that may occur during training, playing netball, or watching training or games.

• While all care is taken, MCNC is not obligated to provide a qualified First Aid person at training sessions or games although many of our coaches do hold First Aid qualifications.

Expectations of coaches, players, and parents

• All parents of players under 18 will complete a Medical Emergency Form as part of the MCNC registration process. This information gives coaches and team manager’s permission to act on their behalf in their absence if their child is injured during training or a game. It is the responsibility of the parent completing the form to ensure the medical information is up to date and to advise the coaches and the Club If your child’s medical condition changes.

• Parents will be notified if a player is injured at training and will be asked to collect their child and seek medical attention if necessary.

• If the injury is regarded as serious and in immediate need of serious medical intervention, an ambulance will be called.

• All players, coaches, and umpires must have Victorian Netball Association membership to cover their insurance for injuries that may occur during netball games.

• In following basic First Aid procedures, if an injury has been iced, the player cannot resume playing as they risk further injury. If a player has a suspected concussion, they must stop playing immediately and seek medical attention.

• Coaches will make the final call on a player’s fitness to play. Parents and players must respect this decision.

Malvern Central Netball Club (MCNC) provides opportunities for young people within our local community to participate in netball. We are a local sporting club that plays competitively in the Stonnington City Netball Association (SCNA) competition and supports our players to play and develop their netball skills in a fun, safe and inclusive environment.

1. Aims and objectives

The aim of the Grading & Eligibility Policy is to ensure team selection and grading is conducted fairly and effectively and in the best interests of the players and MCNC, and provide clarity on eligibility and commitment requirements to play for MCNC.

2. Definitions

“Bottom age” means the first year playing in an age group, for example the grade 6 players aged 11-12 in U13 and “Top age” means the second year playing in an age group, for example U13 players aged 12-13 generally in year 7.

“Committee” means the Committee of MCNC elected at each AGM.

“Season” means one of the two annual competition seasons which run during Victorian school terms 1 & 2 (Season 1) and terms 3 & 4 (Season 2).

“Squad” means a group of teams that train together, usually the MCNC teams in one age group.

3. SCNA Competition

As MCNC teams play in the SCNA competition, MCNC’s grading and eligibility is largely guided by the SCNA Competition By-Laws which can be viewed on the SCNA website.

The SCNA competition age groups and age requirements are:

i. 17/Under – 15 to 17 years

ii. 15/Under – 13 to 15 years

iii. 13/Under – 11 to 13 years

iv. 11/Under – 9 to 11 years

v. 9/Under – 7 to 9 years

A player may be no older than the specified age 31st December of that year. For example, for U15, no older than 15 by 31 December of the current year.

The SCNA 9/Under competition is a development, entry level program designed to encourage and support player development. It does not run as a competitive level program. No finals are played for the 11/Under competitions. Finals are played for the13/Under, 15/Under and 17/Under competitions. SCNA divides all age group teams according to standard of play into sections, with Section 1 being the highest standard of play. This is done so teams play others of a similar standard and to ensure player development. Decisions made on the section allocation are made at the sole discretion of SCNA. This context explains the approach to grading by MCNC as outlined in section 5 below.

4. SCNA Competition eligibility

To be eligible to play for MCNC in the SCNA Competition, a player must:

a. Register for the Season via Netball Connect and pay the required fee which includes the Netball Victoria Membership (incl. insurance), coaching, training and competition games.

b. Meet the age requirements specified in section 3 above.

c. Commit to attending training and games as detailed in section 8 below.

Late registrations will be considered and may not necessarily result in the player being placed in a team for the Season.

5. Grading

During the early development phase (9/Under and bottom age 11/Under) MCNC mixes all players across balanced age group teams rather than grading. This enables all players to experience games and positions while they learn and adapt to the rules of the game.

From top age 11/Under, MCNC grades players based on their performance, skill development and participation in the prior Season. The objective of the grading system is to:

• create teams of similar skill and ability allowing all players reasonable ball time

• allow teams to play in a suitably competitive SCNA section

• allow MCNC to be represented in each section of the SCNA competition where possible

• allow opportunities for players to be eligible to play for SCNA in a Representative competition.

Provisional grading is completed by the end of each Season and communicated at the completion of the registration period when the Club has certainty as to how many teams it will register. There may be some movement across teams at the commencement and during the Season if teams need to be rebalanced. Grading is done based on past season performance rather than running specific grading days. New players attend training to be assessed for grading. The squad coaching team considers the following skills and attributes when assessing players:

• footwork, speed and agility

• ball handling skills

• attacking and defending skills

• fitness

• versatility

• perception and cognition skills

• emotional resilience

• sporting attitude

When coaches form graded teams, mid-court, attack and defence positions are considered to ensure coverage of positions as well as the following team considerations:

• similar player ability; skills and attributes (as outlined above)

• squad coach assessment of team dynamics and playing styles

• court position preferences, adaptability and aptitude

6. Team formation

Teams will ideally consist of nine to ten players, a Coach and a Team Manager. This ensures all players receive a reasonable opportunity on court and there is sufficient coverage in the case of injury and absence. A team will generally have no less than eight players and no more than ten. MCNC aims to provide an opportunity for any child to play, therefore the Committee may make an exception to this should the number of players in a squad potentially result in a team being selected with more than ten players. Teams with ten players are encouraged to roster one player off each week at the start of the Season.

Squad coaches select the teams for each age group.

SCNA involves competition netball for players graded from top age 11/Under. Therefore, it may not be possible for MCNC to place friends together in teams. MCNC encourages playing beyond friendship groups as a wonderful opportunity to meet new friends. Training squads are organised around age groups which means players will be with their friends during each training session.

Players will be informed via email from the Committee of their team, and possibly their Coach and Team Manager for the next Season. Notification will be communicated at the completion of the registration period, however sometimes this may not happen until the start of the new Season based on registration numbers.

Parents are requested to support the process and the decisions of the squad coaches to ensure a smooth transition of players into new teams. Where there are concerns, in the first instance the squad coach is the contact point, after which the process described in section 9 below should be followed.

7. Player age groups

MCNC takes a general approach that all players play within their age group. There are some circumstances when a player may be selected for a higher age group. These are:

a. A player’s DOB is close to qualifying for the higher age group, they possess the necessary skills and experience to play in the higher age group, and there are other supporting reasons (e.g. the player has a history of playing with peers who will be moving to the higher age group). In this case, the player may choose to play for the higher age group only, or both.

b. A player demonstrating exceptional talent and emotional resilience for whom a team of similar ability does not exist within their own age group. This decision is at the discretion of the squad coaches and must be supported by the parent/guardian and two Committee Members.

c. Additional players are required in a higher age group to meet minimum team numbers to play. The player will accept the opportunity to play up an age group in addition to their natural age group team. The requirement to play in both age groups is in place to ensure no squad is disadvantaged by a player being selected to play in the higher grade. A departure from this approach will need the approval of the squad coaches and two Committee Members.

MCNC may choose not to fill teams by moving players up, for example, if there are no suitable players to move up. In this case MCNC will try to source players externally or use fill ins when necessary.

8. Player commitment and attendance

A player who registers for a Season makes a commitment to reliably attend all training sessions and games. Choosing to play another sport or commit to an ongoing family commitment where it is known that training or game times conflict with those commitments is unacceptable. Netball is a team sport and non-attendance by a player, unless rostered off by the Team Manager, can impact the performance, development and morale of the team and result in game forfeits.

In the event of injury, illness or an ad hoc event, ie school camp, school commitment or significant family event which the player must attend and thereby miss a game, the player or parent/guardian must notify the team Coach and Team Manager in advance and with as much notice as possible so that a fill-in player can be engaged. In the event of injury, the player is encouraged to continue to attend training and games to support the team and continue to develop knowledge of skills and plays. Non-attendance at training must be advised in advance. Unreliable attendance at training will be addressed by the team Coach and may result in reduced or no game time.

The MCNC Training Policy applies in addition to Section 8 of this policy.

9. Concerns

Players and parents/guardians are requested to recognise the challenge and importance of the grading and team allocation process and accept the decisions made by the squad coach. An appeal may be made if a family considers their child has been treated unfairly during the assessment process and team allocation. In this circumstance the family is to submit their concerns in writing to the Committee via email (mcnccommittee@gmail.com) within one week of the team confirmation. No appeal will be discussed over the phone. The Committee will consider the concerns raised and will advise the family of their response. The response from the Committee will be the final decision.

MCNC believes all sports clubs have a duty of care to players, coaches, team managers and supporters to ensure players have a positive match day experience so as to teach and build upon skills and foster a supportive and positive team environment.

To ensure the wellbeing of players, team managers and coaches MCNC aims to provide safe and consistent procedures for match days for all players:

• All players must arrive at the expected warmup time (usually 15 minutes) prior to the start of their match for warm-up and team debrief with their coach. Warm-up is important to minimise the risk of injury during a game.

• All MCNC coaches reserve the right to not allow a player onto the court for the first quarter if they arrive late to, or miss, the team warmup.

• If a player is late arriving, the coach may reduce the player’s game time, which may mean they forfeit their right to equal court time (see point below). Please note: a late arriving player can only enter the court during the match if there is a position available for them on court. They cannot swap with any other player until quarter or half time. They must approach the umpire to show them their nails and ask if they can go onto the court when the next goal is scored. A late arriving player cannot enter the court without the umpire’s permission and can only enter after a goal has been scored and play is reset for the centre pass.

• All players will be given equal game time on the court whenever possible during the regular season. Coaches are expected to track and manage this and provide evidence of equal rotation if requested. During finals, all players will be given at least half a game on the court.

• All rostered on players are expected to turn up for their team game and participate in the match in a positive manner and as directed by their coaches. Netball is a team game and relies on all players to participate and support their team and listen to their coaches during the match. Failure to do so may result in reduced time on court or disciplinary action from the Club.

• In U/9 matches and U11/ 4 matches where players are new to the game, coaches will rotate players through all positions on the court so that players gain a broad understanding and experience of the game of netball.

• From PNA competition level U 11/2 and above, coaches may either continue to rotate players through all positions or may choose to rotate players through a smaller number of positions that are best suited to player skill development and on-court match ups with the opposition on the day. Players should not be restricted to one position only and players should have even court time throughout the season with the exception of finals (please see end bullet point on page 2). Any concerns about position and position rotation should be raised with the coach and Team Manager.

• Team Forfeits – Team managers must notify the MCNC Committee via email mcnccommittee@gmail as soon as possible, and no later than Thursday 5pm prior to game day, if they unable to field a team for the following Saturday. If a team forfeits a game, all team members will be charged an equal portion of the Stonnington Netball Association (SCNA) forfeit fee. This is a condition of registering with MCNC.

• Team Managers will inform players and parents at least 24 hours in advance of any non- fixtured game (bye, forfeit, etc)

• It is an expectation of the club that all families will assist with scoring. A roster will be created at the start of the season by the Team Manager and shared with all families.

• It is an expectation that all players adhere to the Stonnington Netball Association (SCNA) standards on jewellery and uniform guidelines.

• It is an expectation of the club, and a condition of registration with MCNC, that all players, families and spectators will abide by the MCNC Codes of Conduct and the SCNA Codes of Conduct on match day.

• Finals – U13 and above. Our aim is to give every player some finals experience and also to give the team the best shot at a Grand Final experience. All players are guaranteed a minimum of a half game in semi and grand finals. The coach is advised to play the best team combination according to team balance and the best on court match ups with opposition players on the day.

MCNC may sometimes take photos or video recordings of its players, coaches and support staff (such as team managers and committee members) during training or match play (if approval is granted from Stonnington Netball Association (SCNA) to do so) and at Club social events. These images may be used by coaches as part of training, on Club marketing or promotional material, as part of a media release or request from media and on Club websites or social media sites.

To ensure the privacy and protection of players, team managers, coaches and committee members MCNC will:

• Always request permission of all registered members and their families to take and publish photos or video content before doing so. This request will take the form of an email consent request or will form part of the online registration process.

• Keep a record of who has consented and who has not on file by the Club.

• Assume that consent has not been given if a consent form has not been received by the Club. The Club will not take, use or share photos or video recordings of those children who do not have a consent form.

Please note:

• Photography or video recording of any sort is NOT permissible at any of the SCNA used competition venues. Both the Club and parents must seek approval from SCNA to take any photos or recordings at SCNA venues prior to doing so.

• All negatives, prints, digital reproductions taken by MCNC approved representatives are the property of Malvern Central Netball Club. No compensation for use of the images by the Club will be provided following a receipt of an approved consent form and publication of images.

• You can learn more about the laws on taking photographs and video recordings at children’s sporting events here:

https://www.playbytherules.net.au/got-an-issue/child-safe-sport/taking-images-of-children

Player recognition is designed to celebrate the achievements of players in their netball skills and behaviours. 

1.   Aims and objectives

The aim of the Player Recognition Policy is to provide clarity on the MCNC approach to player recognition and ensure a consistent process is undertaken for recognising performance and behaviours.

2.   Definitions

“Committee” means the Committee of MCNC elected at each AGM.

“Season” means one of the two annual competition seasons which run during Victorian school terms 1 & 2 (Season 1) and terms 3 & 4 (Season 2).

“Squad” means a group of teams that train together, usually the MCNC teams in one age group.

3.   Recognition awards

The following player awards will be provided at the end of each year:

a.     Best & Fairest

b.     Coaches Award

4.   Best & Fairest award

The Best & Fairest Award is awarded to the player in the team who best demonstrates excellence in:

a)     Skills and performance.  This considers the player’s skill level including the skills demonstrated in the netball skills development framework; movement, balls skills, attacking, defending, shooting and court strategies.

b)     Consistency.  This considers performance throughout the season in training and in games and the positive contribution the player makes to the team success and culture.

c)     Sportspersonship and fair play.  This considers the player’s behaviour on and off the court including understanding and applying club and association policies and rules, respect for opponents, officials and team mates and overall sportspersonship.

The award is determined by the Coach.  The Coach will maintain a register of the best player each week.  This is based on the first criteria, skill and performance. At the end of the year, the Coach will consider the behaviours of the players over the year by applying the criteria of consistency, sportspersonship and fair play.  The coach will submit to the Committee the three players with the most votes for record.  The Award will be presented after the last game of the regular schedule in Season 2.

5.   Coaches award

The Coaches Award is awarded to the player in the team who best demonstrates excellence in:

a)     Team contribution.  This considers the player’s contribution to the overall success of the team, including their ability to work well with teammates, provide leadership and supports others on and off the court.

b)     Commitment and dedication.  This considers the player’s commitment to training, attendance at matches and overall commitment to netball, the team and Squad.

c)     MCNC values.  This considers the behaviour of the player and their demonstration of the MCNC values; Mindful, Attitude, Lead, Value, Enthusiasm, Respect, Netball.

The award is determined by the Coach.  The Coach will maintain a register of the player who best demonstrates these behaviours each week and at the end of the year submit to the Committee the three players with the most votes for record.  The Award will be presented after the last game of the regular schedule in Season 2.

6.   Concerns

Players and parents/guardians are requested to respect the decision of the Coaches and the recognition details specified in this Policy.  Specifics of the voting system will not be released upon request, however if a family considers their child has been treated unfairly during the recognition process, they may submit their concerns in writing to the Committee via email (mcnccommittee@gmail.com) within one week of the awards being announced. No appeal will be discussed over the phone. The Committee will consider the concerns raised and will advise the family of their response.  The response from the Committee will be the final decision.

All players are required to be registered with Malvern Central Netball Club (MCNC) to train and play in the Stonnington City Netball Association (SCNA) competition. MCNC is a local sporting club and as such, we extend a warm invitation to our community to participation in netball.

1. Aims and objectives

The aim of the Registration Policy is to provide clarity on the MCNC registration process, payment and the circumstances under which a refund may be considered. To support greater participation, we strive to maintain a modest registration fee, and ensure our players have the coaching, equipment and facilities to provide a fun, safe and inclusive environment.

2. Definitions

“Committee” means the Committee of MCNC elected at each AGM.

“Season” means one of the two annual competition seasons which run during Victorian school terms 1 & 2 (Season 1) and terms 3 & 4 (Season 2).

“Squad” means a group of teams that train together, usually the MCNC teams in one age group.

“SCNA” means Stonnington City Netball Association

3. Roles and responsibilities

The Committee is responsible for setting the registration fees each Season. The decision is informed by the costs of Netball Victoria Membership (incl. insurance), MCNC financial position, SCNA competition fees, facilities hire for training, coaching and equipment costs. Fees will be announced at the start of the registration period.

Families are responsible for registering their player(s) each Season using the Netball Connect platform.

Coaches are responsible for registering each Season with MCNC using the Netball Connect platform. Prior to registering, Coaches are required to email the MCNC committee their Netball Victoria Foundation Coach Accreditation certificate and Working with Children Check card (18 years+ only).

4. Registration and payments

All players are required to register with MCNC and pay the registration fee to be eligible to train and play. Registrations may only be made online using the Netball Connect platform. The Netball Connect app can be downloaded onto a mobile device through the Apple Store or Google Play. In registering your child with MCNC, you agree with this Registration Policy and the other MCNC policies. A player will only be eligible to participate when full payment is received prior to the commencement of training and games, unless a financial hardship payment plan has been agreed. Registration occurs twice a year, prior to the commencement of Season 1 and Season 2. A link will be sent to families with instructions at the beginning of the registration period.

MCNC welcomes teams to register with MCNC to play in the SCNA competition. This may occur when a collection of friends or team from another association wish to compete in the SCNA competition under the umbrella of a local club for ease of registration. Should a team wish to play as an MCNC team, a team representative should contact mcnccommittee@gmail.com and registration will occur through the Netball Connect platform.

For coaches to register, a link will be sent with instructions at the beginning of each registration period. MCNC reimburse the cost of Netball Victoria Membership for coaches at the applicable Netball Victoria price which is either Senior Category (18 or over as at 31st December) or Junior Category (7 – 17 as at 31st December).

A Volunteer Squad coach who coaches a team with their child as a playing member and Committee Members with an elected portfolio (this includes roles with defined deliverables) will have the membership registration for one child paid for by the club for each whole Season they fulfil the position, reimbursed at the completion of the Season. General Committee Members will have one Season of membership registration for one child reimbursed by the Club, following the completion of each year fulfilling the position.

A financial hardship payment plan will be considered by the Committee on a case by case basis. Requests must be received in writing (via email) at the start of the registration period. If a plan is agreed to, the Committee will communicate the payment plan and terms to the requester and the first payment must be received before the end of the registration period. To request a financial hardship payment plan, email mcnccommittee@gmail.com. Any request will be kept confidential within the Committee and is not communicated to team managers or coaches.

5. Registration cancellation and refunds

All requests for refunds must be received in writing by email at mcnccommittee@gmail.com. A request will be considered by the Committee in line with this Policy and each request will be taken on its own merit.

Team and player registration is subject to the availability of players and coaches. MCNC will try to accommodate all players wanting to play, however on occasion we may not be able to facilitate this due to the number of existing players already allocated to the squads. In the event there are insufficient players to form a team, or there are no positions available in the squad, players will be offered a refund of the membership fee, minus processing fees and the Netball Victoria Membership (incl. insurance) which is paid directly to Netball Victoria at the point of registration.

In circumstances where a player withdraws from their nominated squad prior to the start of the season, MCNC will issue a refund of the membership fee, minus processing fees and the Netball Victoria Membership (incl. insurance) which is paid directly to Netball Victoria at the point of registration.

In the unfortunate event a player suffers a long term injury or illness that excludes the player for the whole season, the player may be eligible for a partial refund upon request in writing, accompanied by a medical certificate. Requests under these circumstances will be determined on a case by case basis, taking into account the number of weeks left in the season and the likelihood of replacing the player.

Refunds will not be considered in the following circumstances:

• A player withdraws from the squad after the first game of the Season

• A player is absent for a number of training sessions or games (eg family holidays/commitments and school camps/commitments)

• A player experiences a short-term illness or injury (typically less than the length of the season)

• Training or games are cancelled

• A player is suspended from playing as a result of a disciplinary measure

Return of clothing and merchandise – items purchased through the nominated supplier are subject to the returns and refunds policy of the supplier.

6. Management of personal information

The MCNC Committee will keep confidential the personal information of all members and their payments unless disclosure is necessary for insurance purposes, required by SCNA or Netball Victoria, or as part of the disciplinary or corrective process in the event of a breach of policy.

Contact details (phone number and emails) of players (if provided) and the parent/carer will be released to Squad coaches and Team Managers for the purpose of communicating with players and their families throughout the season. MCNC will use member contact details for Club communications.

7. Concerns

If you have any concerns about the registration process, payment or anything else contained in this Policy, please contact the Committee via email (mcnccommittee@gmail.com). The Committee will consider the concerns raised and will advise the family of their response. The response from the Committee will be the final decision.

Consistent training sessions teach and refine valuable skills, strategies and knowledge of the game, and foster a supportive and positive training environment.

1. Aims and objectives

The aim of the Training Policy is to provide clarity on MCNC expectations on attendance at training and MCNC’s approach to physical safety for players.

2. Definitions

“Committee” means the Committee of MCNC elected at each AGM.

“Squad” means a group of teams that train together, usually the MCNC teams in each age group.

“Season” means one of the two annual competition seasons which run during Victorian school terms 1 & 2 (Season 1) and terms 3 & 4 (Season 2).

3. Session training times and squad coaches

MCNC sets the training time and schedule for each squad at the start of each Season. Where possible, this will remain consistent each Season, but may need to change due to squad coach and facility availability.

Coaches 18 years and older hold a current Working with Children Check and all hold the Foundation Coaching Accreditation, which gives them access to the Australian Netball Coaching Manual. MCNC makes available coaching material and tools to all its coaches. MCNC works with coaches to ensure they meet the training requirements and conditions as outlined in the MCNC Coach Position Description and the MCNC Coaches Code of Conduct. Coaches have regular discussions with the designated Committee Member to discuss the squad and feedback from families and the Team Manager.

4. Player commitment and attendance

A player who registers for a Season makes a commitment to reliably attend all training sessions and games. Choosing to play another sport or commit to an ongoing family commitment where it is known that training or game times conflict with those commitments is not acceptable. Netball is a team sport and non-attendance at training by a player can impact the performance, development and morale of the team.

In the event of injury, illness or an ad hoc event, ie school camp, school commitment or significant family event which the player must attend and thereby miss training, the player or parent/guardian must notify the team Coach and Team Manager in advance and with as much notice as possible. In the event of injury, the player is encouraged to continue to attend training and games to support the team and continue to develop knowledge of skills and plays. Unreliable attendance at training will be addressed by the team Coach and may result in reduced or no game time.

5. Player Attendance:

Players must commit to both training and games as a member of MCNC at the start of each season. Training provides the opportunity for teams to practice techniques and plays which they incorporate into their games, in addition to practice matches. As a result, court time during training and games is prioritised for those players who regularly attend training and games.

All players are expected to attend all training sessions and games in a Season. If a player is rostered off the game, they are encouraged to attend the game and are expected to attend training. This is to ensure consistency of development and fairness to all team members.

If a player consistently misses training and/or games, the Coach and Team Manager will contact the player’s family to resolve the matter. The Coach and Team Manager may seek the support of the Committee, but the outcome is determined by the Coach. The Coach will be supported by the Committee if the Coach decides to reduce game time or allocate no court time for a player consistently missing training sessions.

In exceptional circumstances, players may train with a different team if they cannot attend their team’s session. This must be agreed with the coaches and Team Manager and the Committee prior to taking place.

6. Safety and Training Environment:

Training is held at Orrong Park Tennis Centre outdoor courts, Sydney Street, Prahran and Malvern Central School, Spring Road, Malvern. Training venues may change due to availability of the facilities and MCNC endeavors to provide as much notice as possible when training venues change.

When training at Malvern Central School, the following is applicable:

• No food or drinks are to be consumed inside the Spring Road gym.

• Players must not play on the mats attached to the walls of the gym. This is both dangerous and the property of Malvern Central School, not MCNC.

• A broom is available near the entrance to the gym to sweep both the inside and outside courts if required.

• The outside court rings can be turned around using the silver turning tool which is attached to the inside of the gym wall. All coaches have been shown how to use this tool.

Appropriate sports shoes (runners) must be worn. If the player does not have the correct footwear it could be unsafe. The Coach may deem the player unfit to train or play. Players must bring a drink bottle with plenty of fluid.

All care will be taken to ensure the physical safety of all players and coaches. Coaches carry a basic first aid kit and ice-packs. Should an injury occur at a training session, the player/Coach will receive first aid as outlined in the MCNC Injury Management Policy. Parents/carers will be notified of the injury sustained by their child as soon as possible.

Parents/carers are responsible for their player before and after training and games. We expect primary school players to be supervised until the squad coaches arrive. The Team Manager has contact details for all parents, and coaches will wait with any primary aged children who have not been collected. Parents/carers are requested not to leave their primary school child unattended prior to, or after training, and do so at their discretion.

7. Behaviour Management:

MCNC aims to provide fun and constructive training sessions for all players. When the behaviour of a few is consistently impacting many or is dangerous, the behaviour will be addressed. Coaches may use a system of one warning for disruptive or inappropriate behaviour and a second warning results in reduced court time for the individual (a quarter for every warning that needs to be issued). Information regarding the incident and reduced court time will be fed back to parents by a squad coach in a timely manner. We hope with guidance from the coaches and parents, this measure will not have to be implemented often. Continuing issues will be raised with the Committee.

8. Inclement Weather:

Where the forecast temperature is indicated to be 36C or above by 6pm the night before the training session, afternoon training will be cancelled by the Committee and communicated to Team Managers and coaches who will communicate with players and families.

If the temperature reaches 36C or above during the day of training:

• Coaches will turn up for the planned training session and will run a modified training session which may include a team debrief or strategy discussion session.

• Attendance at training is optional, although encouraged, as much can still be achieved during a modified training session. Please ensure you advise the Coach and Team Manager if your child will not attend the session.

• If the temperature is between 31-35C coaches are directed to modify the session, reduce the intensity of the session and keep players in the shade as much as possible. Players will be given several drink and rest breaks throughout the session.

• Training occurs in the rain for 13/Under, 15/Under and 17/Under squads and attendance is expected unless the training has been cancelled in advance. In the event training is cancelled, it will be done so with a minimum of one hour notice from the training start time. In the event training is not cancelled and it is determined the courts are not safe to train on, the squad coaches will remain with the players for the duration of the training session and run a modified session.

NetSetGo – Year 2 (Malvern Central School students only):

Players must come to NetSetGo training wearing appropriate footwear such as sports shoes/ runners/ sneakers or shoes designed for sports activity. School shoes, t-bar shoes or sandals or any other shoe that does not have a grip on the bottom and support the foot and ankle are not acceptable and are dangerous on the indoor training court. Players will not be able to participate in training without appropriate footwear.

We encourage players to wear a sporting outfit to training. This may be casual, the MCS sports uniform or the NetSetGo t-shirt and appropriate sports shorts.

U9 – U17 Junior (Years 3 – 12)

For matches, players are to wear either:

• the Malvern Central Netball Club dress; or

• the Malvern Central Netball Club T-shirt with navy blue shorts. Please note: shorts must have no pockets to be compliant with the SCNA uniform regulations.

• White, pink or dark ankle socks and appropriate sports shoes (preferably netball sneakers/ shoes).

For training, players must wear:

• appropriate footwear such as sports shoes/ runners/ sneakers or shoes designed for sports activity. School shoes, t-bar shoes or sandals or any other shoe that does not have a grip on the bottom and support the foot and ankle are not acceptable and are dangerous at training. Players will not be able to participate in training without appropriate footwear.

• Ideally appropriate fitness wear (whether that be a school sports uniform or casual active wear). We do not encourage players to wear school uniforms as these are restrictive garments and not designed to enable appropriate physical movement for netball.

All Players for training and games:

• Long hair must be worn tied back and off the face. Please ensure that decorative hair beads are not loose, and cannot be heard on court. This is a distraction to all players, and potentially dangerous if the beads come loose.

• Nails must be cut short. As a guide the nail should not be visible over the finger tip when viewed from the underside.

• All jewellery must be removed for games. Earrings must either be removed (preferable) or correctly taped prior to stepping on court

• Earrings must be taped or removed at training. This is to reduce the risk of ear injuries during training.

Optional Items:

Malvern Central Netball Club has a training hoodie that is available for purchase for all levels but are not compulsory to the uniform.