Club Policy

At Star, our aim is not for every game to be won. We do not look to try and be victorious every time we enter the pitch. We aim to ensure that we see improvement, development, and learning in all of our talents. We aim to see progress, and yes, victory is part of that – but at Star, we know our main priority is the improvement of those who work with us.

Creating an environment where youngsters can play without fear is essential. Instead of creating a victory-only culture where we look to force youngsters to put victory over everything else, we focus on the importance of development. This means that failure is something we see regularly, and we use failure as a way to improve. At Star, we do not tolerate a winning-over-progress culture.

Winning is a byproduct of improvement, and improvement is a byproduct of development. We focus on giving our athletes a chance to learn, grow, develop,ve fun, and live healthier liflivesth socially and physically. We want players to reach their full potential so that winning becomes a natural byproduct of our work.

Whatever the goal is – playing for fun, looking to improve, or trying to obtain the dream of playing as a professional – we look to help our young athletes do just that.

Fan Culture

At Star, part of what makes our academy so great is the interaction between our players and those who come to see us. However, one thing we focus on very clearly is creating a culture whereby fans do not get involved negatively. We do not want to see people arguing with officials or abusing the opposition team. This is not acceptable.

At this level, people will make mistakes. Players on both teams, as well as coaches and officials. This is not a forum to abuse, criticize, insult, or threaten. If we see this, we will look to ask people to leave the premises. No matter how frustrating a match can be, we must always keep our dignity, respect, and perspective.

We love the fan culture created by the locals who come to see our academies in action.

Playing Policy

Something we hold extremely dear when we are building our teams is to make sure everyone will get game time. We use a policy that pushes a 50% game time policy for players aged 5-12. This means that players are given enough game time to get on the pitch or court, improve, and develop. This means nobody is left on the sidelines – we want everyone to grow.

We have no focus on winning today over improving tomorrow. We want to see everyone get involved, to be part of a team culture. This means our coaches will always look to give players around 50% of the game where possible. Every player can only improve by taking to the pitch or court. With that in mind, we have a rigorous process whereby all players involved in our matches will be allowed to shine. Nobody sits on the bench for games on end with Star – everyone gets a chance.

However, we ask that all players who participate at Star show the same commitment to improvement as we do to development. This means being respectful to coaches and opposition teams, to officials, and to yourself. This means caring for your body, avoiding missteps such as drugs and alcohol, and being considerate of the opinions, beliefs, and lifestyles of others.

Absence Policy

We know that life can become hectic for parents and players alike. This is why we ask that if you cannot make a practice session, you give us as much notice as possible. We always deliver a schedule that can be checked online, but please always look to check for e-mail and social media notifications for any potential last-minute changes that cannot be avoided.

We will look for a reasonable excuse if a player cannot make a training session. Playing for Star Academy programs is a commitment, and we need to know why a player cannot take part in their commitment to the team. Reasonable excuses include academic reasons, family emergencies, ill health, and other reasons that will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.

We always look to be open with this process, but we ask that you be as open and honest with as possible.

Pre-Match Policy

All players are asked to arrive at least 30 minutes before kick-off. This allows the coaches to speak with players, provide instruction, and go through a thorough warm-up. All players should be here with their playing kit on and ready to start warming up 30 minutes before the match begins. Please account for travel and traffic to be on time for every game. Timekeeping is an essential part of the Star program, and we ask that you respect our and your time accordingly.

Matchday Policy

Everyone who takes part in a gameday experience with our team should be able to feel like they are an active part of the squad. However, the main aim is simple – to have fun, improve, respect coaches and teammates, and give the match officials the respect they deserve.

Our coaches take an active role in ensuring players are given instructions during the game. Coaches will liaise with the other coaching team(s) and match officials if needed. Parents and match attendees are asked to enjoy the game, encourage the players to make their own decisions, and provide positive reinforcement from the sidelines.

We ask parents to avoid engaging in ‘backseat coaching,’ interacting with the other team and their coaching staff, and leaving the match officials to work peacefully. We do not want parents getting involved in giving instructions to players. The players must learn to make their own decisions, and any assistance should be provided by the coaches who work with them regularly.

We only provide minimal feedback during the game and at half-time; analysis is left until post-game when emotions have calmed and players can take instruction without feeling.

Again, we ask that parents give the players, coaches, and officials the space to make the most of this wonderful experience.

Coach Communications Policy

We ask that all discussions to be had with coaches wait at least 24 hours until the end of a match. There is a high level of emotion involved in post-match. Players and coaches will always look to avoid any major analysis until after 24 hours have passed. This gives everyone the time needed to cool down, analyze the game internally, and come back without emotion clouding judgment.

We ask that parents and guardians follow the same timeframe. If you have any concerns or queries about a decision made before or during the match, we ask that you wait 24h before discussing it with our coaching team.

Player Conduct Policy

Star looks o ensures that all players follow the guidelines and respect credentials set out at our initial meetings. Any players, coaches, staff, or parents who do not follow these principles will be asked to leave. These are non-negotiable elements of our work that cannot be ignored.

We believe that a player’s character is just as vital to their progress as their technical or tactical ability. Our coaches have the experience and credentials to help spot where players need to adapt both on and off the field. We ask that all advice be taken seriously, as those who do not meet our conduct and standards will not participate.

On a first-case basis, we will have a one-to-one meeting with the player in question for broken rules. In a second-case scenario, we will look to have a conversation with the player and their parents/guardians. For a third-case method, we will look to either suspend a player for the rest of the season, or we will not invite the player to return the following season.

Of course, in more serious situations, we could ask a player to leave the program immediately if the problem is serious enough.

New Player Procedure

At Star, we are always happy to have new players join the program and participate in their development through our assistance. To get started, we ask that all new players sign-up for our tryout program, which can be done through our website. This will involve a two-day practice session with our team. If you cannot make it for our weekly tryout window, contact us, and we can try to arrange something else.

Parent Guidelines

Our goals are to ensure that every player who comes along has the chance to grow, develop, and improve in a creative and positive environment. This is impossible without the assistance and passion of the parents and guardians who watch the next generation of children in the area.

Parents play a major role in creating a positive learning environment for each child participating in our sessions. This means that before they arrive at the venue, they should be given the support, the positive backing, and the dietary needs required to perform to a high level. We ask that all children arrive on time and in the right frame of mind to take to the pitch. If you need any help at all in creating this environment at home, let us know.

We ask that parents are positive during the matches; leave the coaching to the coaches. Avoid telling players what they have done wrong, and please do not get into debates with coaching staff or officials during the match. Our children learn from the actions of their parents and those around them. Therefore, we want a positive environment where players can grow, development is encouraged, and mistakes are seen as a part of progress, not failure itself.

We want every parent to see their child learning, developing, and growing in a positive environment. We ask that you get involved but that you do not step on the toes of the coaches or officials. If you cannot attend matches without being aggressive with officials or coaches, we ask you not to come. A positive and enthusiastic environment is essential to giving young players the self-belief they need to reach their potential.

Children need to be in a learning environment where they can try creative things and think outside the box without being criticized by parents or coaches. As a parent, please stick to this train of thought and provide optimism and positivity to the players at every step of the process.