Each team will be required to fulfil ground control duties on a minimum of TWO occasions throughout the season. Teams will be notified on the club’s website and via their team manager when it is their rostered turn. 

Teams should note that undertaking Ground Control duties is a condition of registration with the Club.

Generally ground duty is broken into 3 groups:

1. Field set up / pack away

This involves setting up (and taking away) goals, corner flags, sub benches etc to get our fields ready for play. It also includes general clean-up including taking bins in and out.

2. Canteen duty

Canteen duty includes serving customers, making hot chips and coffee, replenishing drinks and lollies. It also includes sweeping floors, wiping benches and washing up at the end of trade.

Due to Covid-19 restrictions, a maximum of 3 PEOPLE ONLY to be in the canteen at any one time, and for insurance purposes no one under 16 is permitted in the canteen.

3. General ground control (orange vests): 

These people are responsible for monitoring games (i.e. spectator behaviour) and helping the Duty Officer reset fields and pack away.

Like most sporting clubs, we raise funds through our canteen, which needs to be appropriately staffed, and as part of the policies of SSFA we need to supply adequate numbers of general ground control, who are there as part of our duty of care to ensure the safety and enjoyment of football to all spectators and players.

GRFC is run wholly and solely by a volunteer committee, who give up many hours (quite often unseen) of their own time.  At times (like many other clubs) we have struggled to fill ground duty this season.

What we ask from all members is - when your Manager requests your assistance with ground duty/canteen - that you please help out wherever possible, keeping in mind that Team Coaches & Managers have already given up their time to coach/organise the team when they are requesting your assistance. 

As part of Covid-19 Guidelines we need to have the name and phone number of those on ground control.

As a Team Manager if you have any trouble covering your allocated time, please let the Draw Secretary know as soon as possible.

A couple of reminders:

If you can’t do your allocated shift, please let your team manager know ASAP or ideally try and find a replacement, GRFC face fines from the SSFA for not providing adequate ground control

It is a requirement that all parents/players for each team they are involved in complete at least one ground control/canteen shift per season

A GRFC committee member is at the ground as a Duty Officer every Saturday and Sunday, providing incorrect Ground Control/Canteen puts extra pressure on our Duty Officers

Children under the age of 16 are not permitted in the Kiosk under any circumstances due to public liability insurance provisions.

Association Requirements

The full requirements of Ground Control are set out in the Association Rule Book.

Each field in use MUST have at least one person in attendance wearing the orange ground control jacket.  A further person will be required to act as the co-ordinating ground controller and work closely with the Duty Officer.  These persons should not be in the Clubhouse, Kiosk or Bar areas.  While the general responsibility of wearing the orange jackets will be that of the playing teams, circumstances may prevail where duty teams are requested to shoulder some of the responsibility.

Ground Controllers are to be constantly vigilant to ensure that:

• hazards are kept away from the sidelines (bikes, skateboards, rocks, broken glass etc.)
• spectators remain away from the sidelines, particularly in areas between fields and behind goals
• unleashed animals are impounded and owners or Council rangers are contacted for their collection
• instructions and requests from the referee to ground control are immediately and fully attended to, particularly in cases of injuries to players
• spectator disturbances are appropriately handled (refer to the Association Rule Book)

Ground Controllers must not consume alcohol whilst on duty.

Fines imposed on the Club as a result of a breach of the above requirements may, depending upon the circumstances, become the responsibility of the offending individual.