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members / Open Days

TONBRIDGE JUNIOR FOOTBALL CLUB is in its twelth season and currently has about 300 junior members. This season we have 26 teams, ranging in age from under 6 to under 15 years, who train regularly and, from Under 7, articipate in league competitions and tournaments -taking the teams, club officials and their supporters, into three different counties on a regular basis.

We are one of the founding Clubs of the Mini-Alliance - now in our eigth season - and, apart from having one of the largest representations in the League, are by far the largest provider of Mini Soccer in the Tonbridge area with 19 registered teams.  We actively support the need for training in football skills and at least one Leader/Manager in every agegroup holds either the FA Level 1 Coaching certificate or the Junior Team Managers certificate, which includes emergency first aid training.

The Football Association, based on medical advice, has banned 11-a-side football in the younger age-groups, so we are very well placed to provide quality football for younger players based upon the new F.A Laws of Mini Soccer.  The standard of football has improved significantly in the past 8 years and, although we do not publish results, when the League groups teams based on their respective performance each year, most of our younger age-groups have been placed in the top division of their respective leagues.  This is all the more satisfying as we strictly apply the principle that all members should play an equal amount of games, irrespective of their individual skill.

The F.A approved grant aid in 2001 allowing us to build a new Pavilion at the Sportsground to service a minimum of 8 dedicated mini soccer pitches.  This was completed in 2002, allowing excellent facilities and properly marked out pitches on some of the best ground in the area.  The Football Foundation has since approved further grant aid which allowed us to extend the Pavilion to include 6 changing rooms servicing 12 dedicated mini soccer pitches and all of our 11-a-side pitches.

League matches for all agegroups are played at The Racecourse Sports Ground, Tonbridge.

The Under 7s - Under 11's normally play on Saturdays, and the older age-groups on Sundays.

Keeping in touch with all our members and their families is a vital factor in the club's well-being and we do this by the regular distribution of our own newsletter "THE NEW UPDATE".

After the close of the season we hold two OPEN DAYS - open to both boys and girls.  These are normally held in May / June, and are held to let new members see how we operate - and to see if they would enjoy being a member of our Club.  They are not "Trials" , as we aim to provide football to all those interested - regardless of ability - subject only to very rare cases where we think an individual might be put at risk by being too frail for their age-group.

We publish the dates of the OPEN DAYS every year, and the schools in the area give us excellent support by putting our posters on their notice boards - often giving each pupil a copy to take home.

The dates for our 2005 Open Days, to be held at The Racecourse Sports Ground, Tonbridge, are Saturday 14th May and Sunday 5th June

Registration for players aged 5 - 7 (school years - Reception to Year 2 inclusive) start at 09.30 on both days, with training taking place between 10.00 and 12.00.  

Registration for players aged 8 - 15 (school years - Year 3 to Year 10 inclusive) start at 10.00 on both days, with training taking place between 10.30 and 12.30.

Shin pads must be worn.

An Information Booklet will be available.

If you are interested, contact Brian Tippett on 01732 355952, who will advise the best way to join in. 

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