Baulkham Hills Football Club runs an in-house program called “Funskills” for the youngest players in the Club.

AGE ELIGIBILITY FOR FUNSKILLS PROGRAM
Please note that your child must have turned 5 by February 1, 2024 in order to be eligible to enrol in the Funskills program.

Our Funskills Coordinator is Cath Hughes. funskills@bhfc.org.au

Your child needs to be registered to play. Registration must occur prior to the commencement of the season.
Please click here for information on registering.

Please Note: Baulkham Hills FC is a community based football club. The Funskills program is run entirely by volunteers. All parents are encouraged to pitch in and lend a hand, by helping set up/pack up, or coordinating the age group/coaching/managing a team. The more you put into the program the more your child will get out of it.

What is Funskills?

Funskills is a program to teach players the basics of the game of football: passing, kicking and ball skills in a simple, strictly non-competitive environment. Once a week, they play against “teams” of other BHFC players of the same age. Focus is centred on having fun, making friends, and learning. This prepares the kids for their playing career in the higher age groups.

While the program is not considered 'competitive' and scores are not kept as tables, the children always know who scored and who ultimately won or lost a particular game. The resilience developed in learning how to win or lose is also part of football just as skill development, team work and club spirit are. Parents are invaluable in supporting their children and helping them gain perspective associated with elation or disappointment. Its ok to feel both at different times and remember: nothing and no one is invincible nor insurmountable. Funskills is a great football program as well as a valuable way to learn life skills for your young ones.

The games use the 4x4 Small–Sided rules and age appropriate modified equipment.

What is the structure of the Funskills program?

The Program runs for 1 hour on a Saturday morning at the same time each week. The exact times are indicated above.

The session is broken into 2 parts – a 30 minute “training session” where Coaches will run their team through small exercises in the form of “mini-games” that are designed to teach the kids an aspect of the game. The 2nd 30 minutes is a 4x4 sided game in two halves with a drink break at half time against another team, hopefully putting into practice the skills learned during training. This usually happens with varying degrees of success!

At the start of the U7 session and the end of the U6 session each week, there is a setup/packup routine to get the mini-fields setup and put away. It’s a massive help for the Co-Ordinators if everyone (kids and parents) pitches in to help get it done.

What does my child need to play?

The first year you register in the funskills program you will receive a playing shirt that players wear for the duration of their time in the U6 and U7 program.

Shorts and socks can be purchased from the Club’s Uniform Shop (there is information here about the shop). In 2024, due to covid restrictions the uniform shop will operate off site. Please check the link for changes.

Football boots are not required – runners that are in good condition can be worn, but usually the kids want to look the part on the field! If you want to purchase boots, these can be bought from any good sports or department store (tip: do this early as there is usually quite a rush when it gets closer to the start of the season and the stores may run out). It's not necessary to go to great expense for boots at this age. Big W and Target etc have reasonably priced boots around $25- $35.

Hats and sunscreen are usually a good idea too – at the start and the end of the season it can be quite warm and shade can be limited on the ground.

All players MUST wear appropriate shin pads. Any player who does not have pads will not be able to play in that week’s game. This includes U6 and U7 players - both game and training session. This is for both safety and insurance reasons.

Please note there is no longer a Uniform Shop at Ted Horwood. Uniforms need to be purchased via online uniform shop.

When can my child play?

Generally a child will play in the age group that corresponds to the age they turn in that year. i.e. if the child is turning 7 in 2024, then they will play in Under 7. The Club does allow registrations for children who will turn 5 before the 1st February this year to register in U6. As such, a child could have up to 3 years playing in the Funskills program – at the end of this, they will be more than ready to move into U8 and into a more complex version of the small-sided game

How to Register

Please click here to learn more about registering to play for Baulkham Hills Football Club in 2024.

CLICK HERE for FAQ about registrations for all club members (not just Funskills):

Do I need a photo or ID for my child?

You will need to provide a proof of age, if you have not done so previously or if your child did not play at the club in 2023. Proof of age takes the form of Birth Certificate or current passport. These must be originals sited by a BHFC official. Unfortunately we can not  accept a copy unless it is signed by a JP.

For Under 6 and 7 player, you can upload a player photo during the online registration process.

Are the Teams graded?

For the Funskills program Under 6 and Under 7, the children are not graded. They will be placed into “teams” of roughly 4 - 5 players and that becomes their team for the year. Players are allocated based on previous team makeup, and a fair placement for all players. We try to put your child with a friend but can not guarantee the whole team will be just players you know. We encourage the children to mix and make new friends in their Funskills years so that when they move to U8 where the teams are graded they know as many people as possible across their grade and in their new team.

What happens after I register?

It may be quiet for a while until time gets closer to the start of the season. Once a bulk of the registrations are in, teams will be sorted out and you will receive a few emails from the Age Co-Ordinator for your Age group, detailing the Team your child is in and more specific information about the start of the season.

Can I help out?

Yes you can! Each Team requires a parent to “Coach” and another to be the “Manager”. These roles are not as onerous as they sound – there is plenty of support in the form of weekly program activities supplied to each coach. If you are interested, contact the Cath: funskills@bhfc.org.au You may find that coaching is a bit of fun and want to take it further.