Thank you for supporting our 2015 rugby festival on Sunday 29th March 2015. We hope that this information is of use to you and would ask that you make all your parents and players aware of it beforehand. To assist with this we have provided you with a separate information leaflet for you to hand out.

FESTIVAL CONTACT DETAILS

Festival Organiser: Jason Lowery
Email: enquiries@crecentguesthouseyork.co.uk
Mobile: 07827 914762

TRAVEL DIRECTIONS
Address: Clifton Park
Shipton Road
York
Yorkshire
YO30 5RE

York RUFC is situated on the A19 Shipton Road on the right hand side as you travel into York from the A1237 northern ring road.

PARKING

• On arrival cars will be directed to a designated parking area within the Rugby Club or nearby authorised parking area, please follow any parking instructions. There is an entry fee of £5 per car which includes one festival programme. Additional programmes can be purchased for £1 each.

• There is no parking on Malton Way on the opposite side of the A19 from the club. Please respect this as we want our club to be seen as good neighbours

• If you intend on using a coach to travel to the festival please let the organiser know in advance, special parking arrangements can then be made.

• For those travelling by coach, please drop off players and spectators at York RUFC. Coaches should then move to Rawcliffe Bar Park & Ride back up the A19 towards the A1237 away from York where free coach parking has been arranged.

• Coaches will need to be called forward from the car park when teams are ready to depart.

ARRIVAL & CHANGING

• Please ensure all players arrive ready to play as there will be no changing rooms available before play.

• Showers will be available for teams after playing, if required.

• No parents are allowed in the changing rooms, only authorised people and coaches with CRB checks are permitted.

• Usual rules of no rugby boots or dirty kit in the clubhouse apply.

• The club cannot take responsibility for personal belongings anywhere on the site

TEAM REGISTRATION

• All teams must register upstairs in the Clubhouse between 9:30am - 10:00am and must provide a completed team registration sheet including full names of players, dates of birth and RFU numbers. Failure to register an age group team will mean they can not take part in the festival.

• If you have a mixed age team, then a copy of your official RFU dispensation must be produced along with your registration sheet. Teams who cannot produce a copy of their official dispensation will not be allowed to take part.

• The minimum age for taking part in this festival is 6 years as at the 1st September 2014.

• The maximum age for taking part in this festival is 11 years as at the 1st September 2014 unless dispensation for playing down has been granted. If so evidence of dispensation must be attached to the team registration sheet.

• IMPORTANT – IN LINE WITH RFU REGULATIONS, ALL TEAMS MUST BRING RFU REGISTRATION CARDS WITH THEM FOR ALL PLAYERS – PLAYERS WITHOUT CARDS WILL NOT BE ALLOWED TO TAKE PART. A check that cards are available for all players will be done at the point of registration.

• Please remember that any coach from any team in your age grade is able to ask to see a player’s identification card at any time during the festival.

COACHES MEETING

• There will be a coaches meeting at 9.30 am in the Clubhouse and each team is asked to have just one representative present.

REFEREES

• Each clubs participating in an age group should provide one suitably qualified referee for that age group.

PITCHES AND PITCH MANAGERS

• Pitch Managers will be provided and will be responsible for scoring and running the matches on time. Please ask your coaches and parents to assist by being ready for your next match at half time in the preceding match

• Pitch Managers are there to help on a purely voluntary basis, please ask player, parents and club officials to respect this.

SCORING POINTS

• Designated scoring points will be provided for each age group adjacent to the playing areas for Under 7s – 12s inclusive.

EQUIPMENT

• Those teams involved in tag rugby are asked to bring sufficient tag belts for their team to use in the competition.

• Match balls will be provided but teams are asked to bring their own practice balls.

MEDICAL FACILITIES

• St John’s Ambulance medics will provide emergency first aid and be stationed in the Clubhouse and on-site for the duration of the festival

• In the interests of safety, we ask that everyone attending ensures that they keep the clearly marked emergency access areas alongside the pitches clear at all times

PHOTOGRAPHY

• There will be a professional photography company on-site who will photograph each team and individuals. These photographs may be purchased on the day or via the internet afterwards.

• Because of recent changes in legislation and best practice, the RFU has published guidelines on the photography of children. These are set out on page 36 of “Policy and procedures for the welfare of young people in Rugby Union”

• All Clubs entering this festival have been asked to draw to the attention of parents/guardians that in entering their children in this festival they implicitly agree that:

o Photographic images may be taken of their son/daughter during the normal course of rugby activity by accredited photographers and/or other parents/guardians
o These images may be used in the press or in the Club/County/RFU publicity in line with the RFU guidelines.

FOOD & DRINK

• There will be a number of food stalls located around the venue and in the clubhouse throughout the festival providing hot food, snacks and drinks.

• In the interests of safety personal BBQs or other cooking equipment are not permitted on site

TOILETS

• Toilet facilities are available in the clubhouse and small cricket pavilion

TENTS/GAZEBOS

• Tents and Gazebos are permitted but must be erected away from emergency access points and playing areas

• Please do not leave/drop litter, litter bags will be provided around the venue

DOGS

• For obvious health reasons, dogs must remain under control and on a lead at all times and all waste must be removed in an appropriate manner

CODES OF CONDUCT

• Everybody attending the festival is expected to abide by the RFU Rules and Codes of Conduct.

• The organisers reserve the right to ask anyone who is considered to be behaving in an inappropriate way to leave the festival.

• Any behaviour falling below the standard expected by the rules and codes of conduct may be reported to the YRFU.

• Referee and match official abuse WILL NOT BE TOLERATED under any circumstances and will result in the individual/team/Club being asked to leave the festival and WILL BE REPORTED TO THE YRFU for consideration of disciplinary action being taken.

As Parents:

• Remember our children play rugby for their own enjoyment not yours
• Focus on the young players’ efforts rather than winning or losing
• Provide positive verbal feedback both in training and during the game
• Remember that persistent, negative messages will adversely affect the players’ and referees’ performance and attitude
• Always support the rugby club in their efforts to eradicate loud, coarse and abusive behaviour from the game
• Remember, young people learn much by example
• Always show appreciation of good play by all young players both from your own club and the opposition
• Respect decisions made by the match officials and encourage the young players to do likewise

As Players

• Play because you want to do so, not to please coaches or parents
• Remember that skill development, fun and enjoyment are the most important parts of the game
• Work equally hard for yourself and the team – both will then benefit
• Recognise good play by all players on your team and by your opponents
• Be a sportsman – win or lose
• Play to the Laws of the Game and accept, without question, all referees’ decisions
• Control your emotions. Verbal or physical abuse of team mates, opponents or match officials is not acceptable
• Treat all players as you would like to be treated. Do not interfere with bully or take advantage of any player

As Spectators

• Act as polite role models to all young players
• Be familiar with, and abide by, the RFU Child Protection Guidance in relation to verbal or emotional abuse
• Remember children play sport for their enjoyment not yours
• Acknowledge good individual and team performance from all youngsters irrespective of the team for who they play
• Respect match officials’ decisions. Remember – they are volunteers providing an opportunity for youngsters to play rugby
• Never verbally abuse young players, match officials, fellow spectators or coaches. Such behaviour can create a negative environment for young players and their behaviour will often reflect this. Acknowledge effort and good performance rather than “win at all costs” ethic
• Verbally encourage all youngsters in a positive way. If you do want to Shout make sure it is ‘for’, not ‘at’ the players
• Encourgae all youngsters irrespective of their ability – never ridicule any individual player, regardless of the team fro whom they play.

• Remember that skill development, fun and enjoyment are the most important parts of the game
• Work equally hard for yourself and the team – both will then benefit
• Recognise good play by all players on your team and by your opponents
• Be a sportsman – win or lose
• Play to the Laws of the Game and accept, without question, all referees’ decisions
• Control your emotions. Verbal or physical abuse of team mates, opponents or match officials is not acceptable
• Treat all players as you would like to be treated. Do not interfere with bully or take advantage of any player

CANCELLATION POLICY

In the unlikely event of cancellation due to bad weather, teams will be notified by telephone to the nominated contact on the application form

Should any team need to cancel any of its entries, please notify the Festival Organisers on the contact details above.

WE LOOK FORWARD TO WELCOMING YOU TO YORK AND A FANTASTIC DAY OF RUGBY