How

1. The Auckland-wide Auckland Football Federation competition. One week you will play at home against a visiting club team and the next week you will play away at different club somewhere else in Auckland.

2. Each team is in a division of 12th Grade for what is known as the Grading Round. This Grading Round thing takes a bit of thinking about: It works like this: first, the various Clubs form their teams; second, the Clubs nominate a division within 12th Grade that it thinks will provide the right competition for the team. Auckland Football Federation then prepares a short (7 or so game) Grading Round competition where each team in a division plays most or all of the other clubs in that division. If a team wins their Grading Round games by plenty (or loses by plenty), they will probably get moved to the next higher or lower grade for the subsequent Championship Round. That way, teams face good competition week in week out.

3. Points scored in the Grading Round don’t count in the Championship Round. The points table gets re-set to zero after the Grading Round. Winners of the Competition Round get a medal from Auckland Football Federation.

4. Cancellations are notified on the Auckland Football Federation website.

5. Games are played on a full-sized pitch and are 27.5 minutes each way with a 5 minute half-time.

6. Ground locations are at http://www.Auckland Football Federation.org.nz/page/ground_locations.phpl

7. Offside rule is played.

8. If both you and the opposition have a Club Based Referee (or higher), then the home team may (in fact has the right) to officiate the whole game. If only one side has a Club Based Referee or higher, then that referee may officiate the whole game – whether it is home or away. All that said – be sensible.

9. Games must start as soon as seven (7) players are present and ready to play. If a team is not ready to start within 10 minutes of the scheduled kick-off time the team present and ready to start may claim the match by default.

10. Where there is a clash of colours, the away team must change. Check the full draw on the website ahead of time for possible clashes. All club colours are listed here.
    We have change strips that will be made available at one week’s notice by the team Manager calling Alan Gow on 021 953 231 or 575 1005.

11. In the event of a late start, the time available must be divided into equal halves with allowance for half time, so that the following game shall commence at the time allocated on the fixtures schedule. There is no injury time.

12. Games are not to crib into the next fixture’s time slot. Make sure you vacate your field in time if there is another set of players waiting to use the field you have been on. Similarly, you may (politely of course) require that a game that has gone over time and is playing on your field, to cease play and vacate.

13. Teams have 11 players on the field and up to 3 playing reserves.

14. More detail on the rules is at http://www.Auckland Football Federation.org.nz/page/youth_rules.phpl

Coaching

Players have one hour's professional skills coaching each week. Coaching days and times will be advised. Players in the three higher division teams are expected to attend an additional team training session each week.

Uniforms

You will need to buy your own shirt Eastern Suburbs 12th Grade Auckland Football Federation shirt from Champs Sports in Panmure. The rest of the playing strip (which you will also provide) is yellow socks, shin guards, and white shorts. This shirt should last two or three seasons so choose an appropriate size.

Parental involvement

• Each team operates with a Coach and a Manager.

• When playing at a home ground each team is to put up and take down the goals and nets.

Cost

• $220 for the season.

• Enrol online and enter the draw to have your fees refunded. (Note that enrolment is subject to availability of team places)