We often get asked whether players should wear spectacles or goggles when playing football? …
Flying footballs and close physical contact make football a moderate risk sport for eye injuries. Safety spectacles or goggles may provide additional protection from injury and can also be worn by those who need to wear prescription lenses. Safety goggles provide protection for both the wearer and the other players on the field. Imagine what could happen if a wearer with standard glasses took a ball directly to the face, the consequences could be very serious for both the player and with the possibility of glass on the pitch, put others at risk too.
Polycarbonate Lenses: This is the most important property of all protective spectacles or goggles. Good polycarbonate is virtually unbreakable, and will sustain the impact of a ball or finger, protecting the eyes from damage.
Poly-carbonate Sports Glasses With a Headband
Sports Band: An elasticated band and not temple pieces should secure the frame. Players must have something that will be secured tight to the head so that the spectacles or goggles won’t fall off. A frame with temples will not hold tight enough and a jab from a finger could lift the frame off and potentially damage the eye.
Although sports eye wear is intended to offer the best protection available, there is always the possibility that the wearer may sustain an eye or facial injury due to severe impact or because of the nature of the athletic activity. Referees should ensure that if a request has been made to wear glasses/goggles, that they must not be a danger to himself or to any other player.
Children and grassroots football: Whilst The FA recommends Poly-carbonate lenses we recognize this may be an issue for children playing in grassroots football. Therefore we encourage referees officiating in grassroots youth football to be tolerant over glasses. However, please note that the individual referee has to show concern for all those playing in that game and if s/he feels there is something dangerous in the glasses i.e. sharp edges, etc, then in order to protect players and also the wearer him/herself s/he has the authority to say the glasses can’t be worn.
Welland Valley FC would advise all players who need to wear spectacles whilst playing football, to seek further advice and/or to discuss their own individual requirements with an optician.
Suppliers of safety eyewear for sports can be found via the following links:
Please note that Welland Valley FC are not responsible for third party website content or services. Welland Valley FC do not have any affiliation with any third party supplier. these links are provided for information only.
Please take a minute to watch this short video from the local FA. Volunteers are the life blood of many organisations worldwide and grassroots football is no different. Without volunteers your children and their friends simply would not be able to play for an affiliated football team.
Almost everybody involved in grassroots football is a volunteer! Everybody from the coaches and club officials, to the people who run the leagues, the parents helpers that help at training or run the line and to the parents who set up and take down the pitches on game day.
Your time is invaluable to us and we at Welland are extremely grateful for your ongoing support…THANK YOU 😁💯😍
Please remember that we are ALWAYS looking for new volunteers, especially to help to run new teams for the younger players. There are also many other opportunities available if you think that you couldn’t commit to running a team.
Please contact myself or speak to one of the coaches or officials if you or somebody you know would like more information. More details below.
To kick off the 2018/19 youth football season, The Football Association has announced a renewed focus on the Respect campaign as it enters its ten year anniversary.
Welland Valley FC are proud to support this renewed initiative and expect all of our players, parents, coaches and spectators to commit to and uphold the rules and regulations set out in these policies. This will enable everybody to have a safe and fun footballing experience.
The new “We Only Do Positive” initiative aims to raise the standard of behaviour seen at the touchline, across all levels of youth football, incorporating all players, coaches, parents, officials, and spectators.
Building on the FA RESPECT campaign, the emphasis is on the positive role of spectators, parents and coaches and the detrimental impact that negative behaviour has on young footballers.
Further documentation surrounding RESPECT and the “We only do Positive” initiative can be found on our safeguarding and RESPECT page.
For more information from the FA, please click HERE
Hi, my name’s Adi and I coach the Welland Valley Vipers u9’s and next year I am running the London Marathon in aid of Starlight Children’s Foundation.
For those of you who don’t know me, my youngest son Zak started playing for the Vipers during the 2015/16 season. For our family this was the start of a particularly traumatic time as our eldest son, Kai, was seriously ill in Oxford’s Children’s hospital. During this time he had an operation to be fitted with a halo, as some of the bones in his neck had crumbled.
This effectively saved his life and coupled with various medication have put him on the very long road to recovery, which we are still on. After six months the consultants removed the halo and replaced it with plates and bolts in Kai’s neck to stabilize it.
Some of you will have seen Kai at Zak’s games and now he has had the halo removed he just looks like any other kid who loves football. Kai is progressing really well and his consultant has allowed him to train with the Cobra U10’s, which he loves, he just can’t wait to make his debut but that is dependent on his continued recovery getting the all clear from his consultant.
Starlight Children’s Foundation are a national children’s charity that is dedicated to brightening the lives of children and teenagers suffering from a serious or terminal illness.
October 23, 2017 ·
Michael Hardinges
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Welland Valley FC are looking for volunteers to help out with some of our upcoming events, such as the club day and tournament. We are also looking for volunteers to join the committee.
So, if you would like to share your new ideas and suggestions to enable the club to expand, please feel free to attend one of our monthly committee meetings or speak to either your team manager, one of the committee, or contact wellandvalleysecretary@gmail.com
September 29, 2017 ·
Michael Hardinges
· News · Comments are disabled
Hello all.
Winter training starts next week, please note that ONLY Astro boots and Trainers are approved footwear.
ANYONE WEARING NORMAL BOOTS OR UNAPPROVED FOOTWEAR WILL NOT BE ALLOWED TO TRAIN.
Please share to all of your parents.
Teams are only permitted on their booked pitches at the given times. YOU CANNOT SET UP PRIOR TO YOUR TIMESLOT AND YOU MUST VACATE THE PITCH ON TIME SO THE NEXT TEAM CAN GET ON WITH THEIR TRAINING.
Teams are not permitted to warm up/ play with footballs on any grassed areas or the paving between the pavilion and the astro pitch.
Please also note, that the girls school is a no smoking site and smokers must go to the car park if they wish to smoke. This also applies to vaping.
Thank you for your co-operation.
September 9, 2017 ·
Michael Hardinges
· News · Comments are disabled
Hello to all our players, managers, parents, visitors and friends.
As we embark on a new season of what will hopefully be more highs than lows for all, the Welland Valley FC committee and volunteers have been hard at work behind the scenes, getting ready to help make your season to be as prosperous as possible.
We have been busy over the summer getting in new equipment for everyone. We have purchased brilliant new goalposts, nets, corner flags and various other essentials. With the aim of improving both the setting up and taking down of the pitches and also improving your in game playing experience.
Some of the pitches have been moved and others, although still in the same place have been re-measured, re-marked and upgraded for use with the new goals.
There are a few more events and other improvements coming soon so watch this space.
Please note that Welland Valley FC is now a NO SMOKING club. We would appreciate it if all home and away spectators respect this decision and step away from the sideline if you wish to smoke. Please also note, that this includes E-Cigarettes too. This new policy has been brought in under new FA guidelines to try to improve the playing environment for all. You will also find that many other clubs within your leagues, cups etc will have also adopted this policy. Please understand that If you are found to be smoking at the sideline you may now be asked to leave the venue.
We would like to wish all of our teams the absolute best of luck for the coming season, in all of your respective league, cup and tournament games, but most of all…….HAVE FUN PLAYING THE GAME YOU LOVE.
Some of you will have seen Kai at Zak’s games and now he has had the halo removed he just looks like any other kid who loves football. Kai is progressing really well and his consultant has allowed him to train with the Cobra U10’s, which he loves, he just can’t wait to make his debut but that is dependent on his continued recovery getting the all clear from his consultant.