Team captains are solely responsible for team selection and teams are picked on merit.
The captains liaise on Monday’s after the weekend matches to give specific feedback about individual players and general team matters. This can be a long process and it is common for some heated discussions to take place. The teams are finalised Tuesday morning and posted on the site later in that day. It is essential to inform the captains on availability and fitness to ensure that this process works efficiently.
The captains select teams on the basis of performance, consistency and availability, while in the last few years the Club has tried to encourage young players by early promotion.
The Club and the captains like to see new players at several nets or non-league matches before they are selected in the league teams. It is quite usual for players who have not attended sufficient nets or played in non–league matches to be selected for the lower teams.
The Club will continue to expand its playing numbers. In this area of London / metropolitan Kent, a large Club is essential in terms of finance, continuity, availability and momentum. A large club creates vibrancy and deep playing resources. However it means that players need to be proactive in communicating availability. The management maintains a central record of all players and endeavor to get players as many matches as possible. Keeping the Club aware of your movements and wishes makes this process more effective.
This club is growing, which is exciting, but can also present selection dilemmas, especially at the start of the season. Every year there is a good deal of discussion among the captains regarding how to integrate players into the right team. Suffice to say all players are accommodated and find the correct team, even if it takes a few weeks.
As the Club grows it is the intention to continue to upgrade the standard of all the teams. The Club is very ambitious for the all the teams, and it is a realistic aim to have the 4th, 5th and 6th teams stronger than many local clubs 1st teams. If players are committed and flexible this can be achieved.
If you disagree with team selection or cannot understand the process, do not sit on it. Speak to any of the captains, Chris Swadkin or Jon Taylor.