POLICY STATEMENT

Central Coast Walking Football (CCWF) is committed to promote a safe and healthy working and playing environment for its members, and participants. 

CCWF will take all reasonable steps to inspire a safe and social sporting activity that ensures walking football will be played safely with full consideration of every participants’ age, gender, and ability. 

This policy sets out our arrangements for ensuring we meet our health and safety obligations whilst organising and playing walking football.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• CCWF recognises that safety is the responsibility of everyone within CCWF:

• The CCWF Health and Safety Officer is responsible for developing the Health and Safety Policy and will act as a point of contact for all CCWF players and all affiliated clubs for advice on health and safety

• The CCWF Committee will ensure that this policy is implemented, published and accessible to all members and participants

• All club members and participants should be aware of, understand and follow the health and safety arrangements and rules

• Each club participant should take reasonable care for their own health and safety and that of others who may be affected by what they do or not do.

INFORMATION

Central Coast Walking Football will comply with its legal duties for health and safety and provide members and participants with relevant information and instruction

ARRANGEMENTS

To achieve the aims set in this statement, CCWF will:

• Ensure all CCWF tournaments and events are risk assessed prior to the tournament/event taking place to create a safe environment by putting health and safety measures in place as identified by the assessment before the tournament/event takes place

• Provide the Minimum Health and Safety Standards to all members and participants

• Provide COVID-19 Guidance on the Return To Play (RTP) to all members and participants

• Provide health and safety best practice guidance in walking football

• Promote a positive safe culture in which all CCWF members and participants share this commitment

• Comply with statutory health and safety legislation

• Promote accident and injury prevention

• CCWF has a published Code of Conduct which is a requirement for all participants to understand and follow, to assist in providing a safe playing environment for all participants

PLAYING

To ensure safe playing, all participants should be aware of the following:

• Walking football is a non-contact sport designed to promote safe sporting activity

• Participants should wear appropriate clothing for playing

• Participants should wear appropriate footwear for playing on the artificial surface. Studs/cleats/blades are not permitted to be worn when playing at Soccer 5s

• Participants are recommended to wear shin guards for playing. Wearing shin guards is mandatory for all competition games

• Participants may wear hats/caps when playing

• Participants wearing glasses are recommended to ensure that their glasses are suitable for sporting activities and unlikely to cause harm to either themselves or other participants

• Participants should ensure to maintain good hydration when playing

RULES OF PLAY

To ensure that safe play is enjoyed by all participants, CCWF follows the FA UK Walking Football Laws of the Game (April 2022)

The principal rules include:

• Running is not permitted at any time when the ball is in play, including “off the ball” actions

• Tackling from behind, or the side, is not permitted

• “High balls”, typically defined by the goal crossbar height, are not permitted

• Heading the ball is not permitted

• In addition, local rules are also applicable to ensure the safety of all participants, due to the nature of the playing fields arrangement at Soccer 5s:

• The goal end fences are not in play. The ball touching either end fence will result in either a corner, or goal kick, according to the normal rules of football

• The side fences are out of play for all games. The ball touching a side fence will result in a kick-in being awarded to the team which did not touch the ball last. The kick-in should be taken from 1m inside the fence.

• The access gate to each pitch being used must be correctly closed and bolted at all times while play is underway

FIRST AID

• A first aid kit is accessible at the Soccer5s bar.

• An automatic defibrillator is accessible at the Soccer5s office.

• A list of CCWF first aiders will be available at playing sessions.

• This Policy Statement will be reviewed annually taking into account any legislation changes, government guidance, lessons learned and best practice.

CCWF Health and Safety Officer

30th May 2024