IMPORTANT CLUB UPDATE

Covid-19 Update re Club Operations - 16 April 2020

Dear Members
I trust that you and your families are all coping in your bubbles, and are finding new and interesting activities to keep everyone in your households busy and safe.
Thought it is timely to provide you all with an update on the footballing landscape , and how your Club plans to navigate its way through the myriad of scenarios being discussed at Government and Regional levels.

Some points to consider:

1. We remain in the hands of Government in terms of when Alert Level 4 is cancelled, and what the subsequent Alert Levels 3 and 2 look like in terms of ability to participate in footballing activities. NZF/AFF have planned for a number of scenarios relative to possible competition structures at each Alert level, but they remain in limbo until that decision is made, which we believe will be in mid-late May.

2. Independent of any competition structures, the Club’s Academy and PDP programmes still remain on hold and are dependent on the rules surrounding Level 2/3 lockdowns respectively.

3. In the interim, the Club’s Coaching Dept has launched an “At Home Challenges” programme which is proving popular, and NZ Football have implemented a “Home Training Programme”. I would encourage you to take advantage of the skill development initiatives outlined therein.

4. A significant amount of cost was incurred by the Club in establishing teams etc in anticipation of a season start, including the purchase of gear and equipment, together with payment of a significant level of season fees to AFF/NZF.

5. As with many other sporting organizations in the country, our Club relies substantially on subscription income to operate and effectively survive . As a result of the Covid-19 lockdown, we are waiting in anticipation to hear the final outcome of a further Government initiative directed at supporting Community Sports Clubs, in a financial sense, such as ours. This is due within days.

6. With these issues in mind, I would like to reiterate our previous decision that with the exception of the April School Holiday programme that did not run, the Club is not able to offer membership subscription refunds and/or Academy/PDP fees (in part or whole) to its members at this time. The funding of costs incurred as per 4. above have taken up a substantial amount of the fees received to date. Your Executive Committee will meet once the government determines the nature and extent of any reduced Alert Level, and NZF/AFF can provide a clear direction as to what the balance of the 2020 season will look like. This, along with financial commitments already made, will form the basis for any final decision by the Club on any potential Covid-19 related refund policy.

7. As soon as we have some clear direction from our governing bodies, we will be back in touch with you all. In the interim, you can continue to keep updated with information on our Facebook page, accessed through our website.

As always, please stay safe, keep your social distancing but keep practicing those footballing skills.
Your club is primarily focused on finding ways and means to still provide a great footballing
experience for you and yours this season.

Regards
Mark B. Weipers
President

MICHAELS AVE DEVELOPMENT - UPDATE

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SHIFFMAN CONFIRMED

The Club are excited to confirm the appointment of Ryan Shiffman as the Women's First Team Coach - read the full article here: https://ellersliefootball.wordpress.com/2020/01/16/shiffman-confirmed-as-head-coach/

Social Senior Football - We want you!

If your looking for a Senior team to play for in 2020 - get down to one of our Senior Social