PREMIER LEAGUE

YOUTH DEVELOPMENT RULES
GENERAL
1.13. “Category” means one of the 4 categories into which each Academy shall be assigned in
accordance with the criteria and procedures set out in this section of the Rules, and “Category
1”, “Category 2”, “Category 3” and “Category 4” shall be construed accordingly.
1.14. “Chief Executive” means the Official referred to in Rule J.1.1.
1.15. “Club Board” means those Directors of the Club whose particulars are registered under
section 162 of the Act.
1.16. “Coach Developer” means the Official referred to in Rule 74.
1.17. “Coaching Programme” means a Club’s coaching curriculum which must be set out in writing
and include:
(a) the technical, tactical, physical and psychological skills that the Club wishes its Academy
Players to develop;
(b) the appropriate means of coaching Academy Players in order that they develop those skills
(having due regard to their age); and
(c) specific coaching curricula for each of the Foundation Phase, Youth Development Phase and
Professional Development Phase.
1.18. “Continued Professional Development” means ongoing training for Academy Staff, relevant
to their discipline, of such quality, content and frequency as is necessary to ensure that each
member of Academy Staff has the necessary knowledge and expertise in order to fulfil his role.
1.19. “Core Coaching Time” means between 9am and 5pm on Mondays to Fridays.
1.20. “Development Centre” means an establishment operated by a Club in England or Wales for
the coaching of Children which is not an Academy and includes any such establishment by
whatever name or title it is known.
1.21. “Education Programme” has the meaning set out in Rule 163.
1.22. “Elite Player Performance Plan” means the document of that name dated May 2011 and
presented to the General Meeting held on Thursday 2 June 2011.
1.23. “FA Advanced Youth Award” means each of the age-specific qualifications for Academy
coaches to be developed and awarded by the Football Association. There shall be three FA
Advanced Youth Awards, each of which shall be specific to one of the three Development Phases.
1.24. “FA Youth Award” means the non-age specific qualification for Academy coaches awarded
by the Football Association.
1.25. “Festival” means an event, which may be spread over more than one day, at which teams from
three or more Clubs (or clubs) play a series of matches in an environment in which the matches
are competitive but the results are not given any particular significance.
1.26. “Football Philosophy” means the guiding principles, values, playing style and tactical approach
of a Club’s teams, and in particular of its first team.
1.27. “Foundation Phase” means the Under 9 to Under 11 age groups inclusive.
1.28. “Foundation Phase Games Programme” means the games programmes organised by the
League and the Football League for teams in each of the Under 9 to Under 11 age groups as
set out in Rules 123 to 127.
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