Firstly a warm welcome back to the new season ahead and what an exciting and testing one it will be. I am not going to dwell on last season's success but want to look forward to the future and what could be in store. AFC Worthing Youth is entering its fifth year and will be celebrating its 5th birthday on May 25th 2010 and the success that your children have achieved over the past four years is second to none, so thank you for all your efforts and commitment and long may it continue.

Before I move on to the teams I just wanted to let you know what has been happening away from the football. We are always trying to improve the club and the main focus over the last few months has been to get all the coaches and volunteers CRB checked as well as getting all the coaches qualified, and I can confirm that with one or two still to complete we are almost there. We have also been actively involved in trying to secure our current sponsorship deals as well as trying to attract new sponsorship which is proving difficult in the present climate, but we will continue to pursue that avenue. One new sponsor who has come on board is
Bsure Property Solutions, who have very kindly sponsored the Under 7's and the money has gone towards a fantastic new kit.

We have also been looking at ways to raise money for the club, something which now has become paramount as we cannot rely on subscriptions and sponsorship. I have spoken to several clubs and they all say the same thing.......Summer tournament, car boot sales, quiz nights etc! etc! but we do need extra help as most of my spare time is spent on the day to day running of the club plus steering the club in the right direction with all the new directives that we have to adhere to. On several occasions last season I asked for ideas and that was as far as it went, what we need is not only ideas but people that can carry their ideas through to fruition and make it happen. I asked for a social/fundraising committee to be set up and only three people came forward, although we did set up a meeting we never got back to having another one, something I will address this season. So if anyone else would like to join the social/fundraising committee please email me. Remember the more of us there are the less everyone will have to do, and anything we raise will go towards funding the Presentation Evening! So please if you can help and have an idea and can spare a little of your time it would be very much appreciated.

Another thing that we have been addressing is our recruitment policy and I will be getting all our coaches together soon to get their thoughts.

So let me move on to the teams for the forthcoming season and what an exciting season it looks like it will be! The U7's will begin their development under the careful guidance of Paul Arnold who I know is as excited as I am to see the little Atoms kick off for the first time proper. As already explained the the next two seasons is deemed as fun, and only the league will record the results. There will be no match reports in the local paper and there will be no reports or results on the website but there will be photo footage to view of their matches. I know that as parents you will also be excited, and most of all proud of your little Atom donning a kit and playing proper football for the first time, but please remember to support the whole team as well as your own child and most all please support Paul as he will have his hands full. So good luck for the new season and enjoy your football boys !
U10's A and B did more than put the club on the map last season and I am getting an enquiry almost every other day that we now have a waiting list for this age group. Their development has been staggering and this season will compete in the Saywell Arun & Chichester B & C Leagues respectively with the A's who will come up against their Invitation cup final opponents, Whyke Utd, while the B's will lock horns again with Sompting & Thistle who just pipped them to the title. Jon has been working them all hard in the summer getting them prepared for what I believe will be an interesting season, lets see what happens this time round! So I wish Jon and Simon and their teams all the best for the coming season.
U12's a team in transition and they still are, managed to avoid relegation last term but I know they will have a better season this time round as they will be stronger for the experience of last season. Some players have left but we have some new additions and we have the added bonus of Allen Camp from the start of the season this time to help Andy and I know they started training earlier than the rest of us to prepare for their assault on division C. They have a tough start with a local derby away to Worthing Utd B so good luck to Andy, Allen and the team.
The Diva's had a fantastic season and also exceeded all expectations finishing third in the Sussex County Women and Girls Football League and reaching the Challenge Cup Semi-Final. They are another team in transition and we do need more girls to join the squad. They continued their league and cup success by reaching a semi final and final of both the summer tournaments they entered. The season ahead for the Diva's looks interesting as well as they have been placed in the West Division of that age group and again will battle with Littlehampton Town Devils who have a former player in their ranks which adds a little bit more spice to the matches coming up. The girls kick off their season at home to Worthing Town Red. I am sure they will have another good season this time round, and by the time the season starts we will have two new additions which I know will make us stronger, and coupled with their strong heart and belief it will be difficult for teams to break us down.
So good luck girls and enjoy the season!

For the rest of us coaches and parents all we can do is help and support all the players and each other and look forward to hopefully another successful season, after all,
Trophies mark development.