Two Weeks to Go!
New Season Starts on 26 August
Dear parents
The 2023–24 ANZA Soccer season is fast approaching, and we look forward to seeing all registered players on Saturday, 26 August! We are excited to start the season with fun sessions where players, coaches, and parents get to know each other, new players are evaluated, and teams are balanced to provide good competition for everyone once games start.
Key actions for you to take now:
Please read this whole newsletter carefully, so you understand what to expect and how ANZA Soccer operates. Your child’s Age Group Coordinator (AGC) will be in touch with you in the next week or so to confirm details
Volunteer for a role—ANZA Soccer is a volunteer-based organisation, and parent volunteers are needed to run our Saturday sessions, reach out to your AGC, or WhatsApp Kevin on 9688 9255 and he’ll point you in the right direction
We are looking for a passionate wordsmith to join the ANZA Soccer Committee as Volunteer Communications Manager. Key responsibilities will be to write the bi-monthly ANZA magazine articles, draft ad hoc newsletters to parents and manage ANZA Soccer's social media. This could be a shared role. If you are interested to know more, please email gm@anza.org.sg
Tell your friends! As a non-profit group, we depend on word-of-mouth recommendations rather than advertising, so please let chat groups know! Whilst kids can join at any point in the season, it’s best to join at the beginning
Please note, this is the last email that will include last season’s families who have not registered for the 2023–24 season. If your child wants to play with us and is not yet registered for the upcoming season, please do register here as soon as possible. The longer you wait, the more you risk finding that your child’s age group is full.
Guidelines for the ANZA Soccer Saturday programme, starting 26 August, 2023:
1. Saturday schedule and season calendar: The Saturday schedule and 2023–24 season calendar are similar to last year’s. All details can be found on our website at Anza Soccer Schedules
2. Saturday absences: If your child will miss a session, please let your team parent, coach, or AGC know as a courtesy to those planning the session. Of course, any player experiencing a fever or symptoms of illness should stay home.
3. Session format: We are planning to start team-versus-team games once team rosters are confirmed. In the meantime, coaches will focus on active drills, fun games, and scrimmages. We encourage all players to arrive at least ten minutes before their session starts to get ready. Coaches will not wait for all players to arrive before starting, because each session must finish on time so the next group can start.
4. Teams: In order to give all players the best game experiences, teams will be balanced by player skill levels, positions, schools (to allow for different school breaks), ages, etc. AGCs will try to place former teammates and/or friends together, but cannot guarantee this. As in past years, our new kit will be distributed several weeks into the season.
5. Spectators welcome, responsible adult per child required: Spectators are welcome at all sessions at this time. Each child must have one responsible adult at the pitches during their session in case of injury or game cancellation. If you do not intend to stay with your child, please ensure there is another parent there who knows they will be responsible for your child in case of emergencies.
6. Parent volunteers: As noted above, parent volunteers—coaches, assistant coaches, team parents, and co-AGCs—are needed to run our Saturday sessions. Please let your AGC know what you can volunteer for, if you have not already done so. Parent volunteers are expected to stay for the whole session and should arrive at least ten minutes early to be ready for the children. Volunteering is a great way to spend time with your child, meet new friends, and contribute to the vibrant ANZA community.
7. Playing at The Cage, Turf City : As parents are already aware, with our final session at Turf City on 9 December 2023, ANZA Soccer has been actively working to secure a new venue from January 2024. We expect to announce the new location soon after the new season starts.
We anticipate a reduction in the number of pitches at our new premises and this means there may be some adjustments to timings and spaces from January 2024 onwards. We will share this information as soon as it is available. Thursday evening general training will continue until December 2023 but will not continue in 2024.
We understand that the lack of confirmation on venue and timing from January 2024 onwards may raise concerns for some families. Please note, registering early guarantees your child a spot in the programme for the full year. A refund of $250 will be applicable should any unforeseen circumstances arise, and you are required to withdraw from ANZA Soccer from January 2024. We hope this assurance helps alleviate any concerns you may have regarding the registration process.
We have a great relationship with The Cage.
Please follow all directions of The Cage staff at all times and respect their rules:
NO DOGS on the artificial turf at any time
NO SMOKING at any time
PARK only in designated spots
Please see this season's Schedule here.
8. What players should bring, wear, and when to arrive:
Bring: Large water bottle/jug, shin guards, and sunscreen (note: there are no faucets at the pitches, so players must bring their own water)
Wear: Last year’s kit or any sports kit and boots/cleats. Shin guards are mandatory
Arrive: 10 minutes before your time slot so you can be fully prepared by the start time
9. Stormy weather procedures: ANZA Soccer sessions take place in all but the heaviest rain, but not with conditions of lightning, haze, or waterlogged pitches. If the weather looks questionable, a decision will ideally be made 20 minutes before the session’s start time and communicated to families via the AGC’s preferred method. Please be patient with our AGCs and do not start texting them to ask about the weather—rest assured they will notify you when a decision has been made.
Because Singapore’s weather can change rapidly, decisions may need to be made closer to the session’s start time or after a session is underway. We appreciate parents’ understanding that our goal is always participant safety. If a session in progress is cancelled for safety reasons, parents/responsible adults are then responsible for taking their children away from the pitches promptly. Please review our Weather Policy here.
10. Thursday general training sessions: General training sessions have been streamlined so all Saturday players (on both mixed and Matildas teams) will train on Thursdays with our professional coaches. These training sessions are open to all players and are included in their Saturday programme fees. Please check the schedule HERE, which also includes changes in weekday training for some of our competition teams. The first general training session will take place on Thursday, 1 September.
11. ANZA Soccer Code of Conduct : ANZA Soccer believes that teaching children to play fairly and with good spirit is as important as teaching them soccer skills and strategy. This instruction is done explicitly and through all adults modelling positive behaviour at the pitches. Our expectations for all participants are stated in our Code of Conduct. Please read and help your child to understand and follow the Player’s Code of Conduct. All parents must also read and follow the Parent’s Code of Conduct. Parent coaches must also read and follow the Coach’s Code of Conduct.
12. Other policies : ANZA Soccer has a number of other policies that parents may wish to review, such as our Soccer Rules, Policy on Heading the Ball, and Haze Policy. You may find them all on the Anza Soccer Website under Rules and Policies.
13. Encourage new players to join! Please reach out to families new to Singapore, soccer, or ANZA, and recommend ANZA Soccer to them! In the world of youth sports, word-of-mouth and personal recommendations are especially important. New players should either register or use this sign-up link to request a free trial Saturday session. You may also forward this information to friends, colleagues, or neighbours so they can see what we’re all about. We appreciate your help in attracting new members and keeping ANZA Soccer the most affordable, welcoming, and fun youth soccer option in Singapore.
Thank you for your support as we kick off ANZA Soccer’s 48th season of Saturday soccer!
The ANZA Soccer Committee
