Grading

Hurlstone Park Wanderers are a community club, that promotes playing football in an inclusive manner, with respect for opponents,officials, and for the love of the game.

Hurlstone Park Wanderers undertakes grading to form teams for junior teams and for the teams playing in the Bill Brackenbury Cup and Grace Martin Trophy competitions.

Grading at Hurlstone Park Wanderers (HPW or the ‘Club’) is not aimed only at building the most competitive Division one teams, but also on maintaining viable and competitive teams in all divisions.  The Club values all of its teams and players. Football is a team sport, and therefore the club recognises the importance of building a team ethos, as well as ensuring that the teams are best equipped for their division.

The emphasis is on building, promoting and maintaining participation from U6 to adulthood.  The grading process aims to form teams with players of comparable skills. The club acknowledges that teams also form through school and friendship groups, and this is to be encouraged and maintained.

The grading policy has been developed recognising that currently in grassroots football, the depth of competition varies across age groups and between boys and girls, and therefore the approach to grading depends on the number of players and teams at HPW and across the CDSFA. For example, typically HPW only has 1-2 teams in each girls’ age group, and our experience is that that friendship groups are important, and the process of grading needs to be cognisant of the impact on teams.

This document covers the Club’s policies and outlines the operating framework for the grading of:

• Junior teams (U9 to U12 Mixed),
• Youth teams (U13 to U16 Boys), and
• Girls teams (U8 girls to WIL)

Grading for the Bill Brackenbury Cup and the Grace Martin Trophy teams will depend on the number of players wishing to play in these teams, and will be conducted by the coaches of these teams.

Hurlstone Park Wanderers Grading Policy