Designed for established competition organisations providing match play opportunities to clubs and teams.
Competition Organiser’s Start of Season Checklist
This checklist is designed to help you feel confident in your preparations for the new season. It helps you check the essentials are in place to ensure there is a duty of care for you and your members. We’ve included a P next to the highest priority actions and the links provide further support and information if these are areas you are still working on.
Printable Competition Organiser’s Start of Season Checklist
We are learning with you so please do let us know what you think of this support by completing this short survey.
| Competition People and Membership | |||
| Pre-Season Check | Priority Action? | Further Information or Support | |
| Have you allocated your Golden Committee Roles in Engage and have an active 2024/2025 membership?
*There should be at least three different people on your committee with the secretary and treasurer being different people. |
P | – Which roles are considered ‘Golden Committee Roles’?
– Should all committee members be members of England Netball? |
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| Are the officials in your competition appropriately qualified for the level of competition they are officiating, and have you checked they have an active 2024-2025membership? | P | – Am I covered by the programme of insurance as a trainee Technical Official or Umpire |
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| Are you using the updated 2024 Rules Of Netball in your competition (variations can only be made in accordance with Rule 21) | – https://netball.sport/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/World-Netball-Rules-Book-2024.pdf | ||
| Do all the players in your competition have an active 2024 – 2025 membership? | P | – How do I check my players membership status for the current membership year?
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| Does your competition have employees that are paid more than the PAYE threshold? | – Ensure you benefit from the Employer’s Liability cover included in your membership | ||
| Have you considered the protection and sharing of personal data?
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– As an organisation, we hold records electronically but do these need encrypting?
– As an organisation, we hold records in paper form do we need to make electronic copies? |
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| Competition Welfare and Safeguarding | |||
| Does the safeguarding officer hold no other position within the competition to avoid any conflicts of interest? | P | – The Safeguarding Officer must not be the Competition Chair or Competition Referee | |
| Is your competition safeguarding officer appropriately qualified, have a current DBS and is visible to all competition members? | P | – Safeguarding Training for Volunteers
* As a minimum they should be clearly identified on all communications with players and parents |
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| Does everyone who needs a DBS have a current DBS? | P | – DBS Guidance. You can work out who needs a DBS using this flow chart | |
| Risk Management and Facilities | |||
| Do you have a suitable venue/(s) to run your netball competition and do you have a copy of their venue’s risk assessment? | P | If not, have you made your Netball Development Officer aware so that they can support? | |
| Do you manage the risk of accidents or injury within your competition?
Pre-season competition risk management should include risk assessing: · The space · Safeguarding · The condition of players/officials to reduce likelihood of injuries · First aid provision Have you completed a risk assessment of the space and site visit before regular netball activity commences? |
– Sport England ‘Creating a Risk Assessment’guidance
– Safeguarding Risk Assessment Checklist Template
You may consider having multiple volunteers supporting the competition’s risk management planning, culture and review Q- Has the condition of players and officials been considered in scheduling to manage the risk of injury? |
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| Do you have a risk assessment checklist that competition volunteers/officials can use during the season before any netball matches start?
Are appropriately qualified first aiders identified and present during competition? |
– Risk Assessment Checklist Template
– Who should complete a Risk Assessment Checklist? – When should the Risk Assessment Checklist be completed?
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| Competition Structure | |||
| Does the competition provide recognised and authorised activity?
*County and Regional Netball Associations are not required to register the leagues that they run. |
P | What is recognised and authorised activity?
I am a local competition, not run by a County or Regional Netball Association- How do I register my league? |
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| Does your competition schedule provide adequate time and space for players and officials to warm up and cool down? | Reducing Injury Risks in Netball Infographic
For more on injury prevention head to the NETBALLHer website. |
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| Competition Communications | |||
| Are your teams aware of the competition’s Code of Conduct? | P | For reference England Netball Codes of Conduct including templates | |
Thank you to you and every competition organiser who continues to invest significant time, effort, and energy to ensure there are competitive playing opportunities and netball can continue to be a sport we can all be proud to be part of.
| There is lots of support available to help you with pre-season. Here’s who can help? | |||
| Your local netball development officer (NDO), is here to help and signpost. | Find out how to contact them here- Regional Contacts | ||