Pickering FC
COVID-19 Update
May 22, 2020
Dear PFC Family,
 
This week we finally got a chance to have our full Club Staff on one group call. It was great to see everyone’s faces and know that we’re all keen to get back to the business of soccer as soon as we can.
 
I wanted to share this cartoon with you that had been sent to Club staff by Vanesa Chan, Team Manager with our 2010 Girls team. While most of the talk has been around how a safe Return to Play (RTP) plan would look this puts a different angle on the subject. Our Technical Staff may need to guide the coaches on some new tactics this season!

Community
  • Our Weekly Calendar ensures everyone gets to see what we’re doing and that there is an opportunity for every member to connect with us. If you feel we’re leaving you out please let us know at memberservices@pickeringfc.ca
  • Our All Abilities program will follow up last weeks brilliant BEACH THEME with a SUPER HERO THEME tomorrow. Below is the schedule so to register please contact Tammy at allabilities@pickeringfc.ca  Thank you to everyone who has participated to date. We hope to see some new faces join us this Saturday - as we really do miss you. Dress up as your favorite Superhero and join the fun.
 
  • 10:30am Welcome
  • 10:40am Fitness with Coach T (please have light weights/ basic household items: https://www.livestrong.com/article/524214-objects-that-can-be-used-as-dumbbells/)
  • 10:55am Activity Time with Jacqueline
  • 11:15am Special Guest Erik Brokelman who will be doing a book reading. Erik is an English Teacher at Dunbarton High School here in Pickering. He has just written a new book called Lara's New Friend which is a heartwarming and funny tale of a rabbit who scares easily, and the little girl who wants her new friend to feel safe in her new home. It can be found on Amazon.ca and is available for $4.99 on Kindle and $7.99 for the softcover.

Respect
  • We understand every family situation is different during this pandemic, just as it was before the pandemic. Please use our website COVID-19 page as your constant source of information for our weekly updates and our Return to Play plan as we build that out. The RTP was shared with the full PFC Board this Wednesday and then on Thursday with PFC Staff, and while we know there’s a lot of work ahead of us, we will share it publicly here.
  • A special note of respect to our most qualified coaches who made time for a 2-hour video call on Victoria Day. As they work hard towards achieving their National A, B and C Licenses they worked with Director of Soccer Operations Dave Benning on their development under his mentorship.

  • PFC has also now hosted the following since our last update:
  • 8 Coaches Meetings – 248 Participants
  • 15 Guest Speakers – 1045 Participants
  • 9 Tactical Classes – 208 Participants
  • Social Staying Connected – 68 Participants
Excellence
  • This week we’re sharing a memory from this time last year. Our 2005 OPDL Boys and Girls both brought home the Umbro Cup for their respective age divisions. Our coaches till talk proudly of this moment and beating some of the best teams in Ontario to achieve this. Rest assured they are working hard to maintain this culture of excellence. (See ‘Respect’ above).

  • Please stay in touch with your Head Coach for access details to each session. We’re taking a proactive approach to keeping our kids safe while they’re online with PFC Staff. Our new PFC Webinar Policy is aimed at protecting our attendees and can be viewed HERE.
Player Centered
Our Recreational Virtual Training is growing and we want YOUR CHILD to join us for Week 5. We have capacity to host 1000 attendees (well 999 if you take out our Instructors Hollie or Trey).
  • For players who registered Indoor 2019 or Outdoor 2020 Recreational all you have to do is register in advance.
  • Our Grassroots Development (U8-U12) continues twice a week led by Coach Hollie (Tuesdays, 5pm) and Coach Trey (Thursdays, 5pm). Details are available from your Head Coach and players are welcome to join in on both sessions.

  • Ball Drop Off! We delivered more balls to players in need this week. If you are new to the Club and need a new ball let us know by email to grassroots@pickeringfc.ca and we’ll get one to you asap. (We follow the Canada Post ‘Knock and Drop’ procedure).

  • Don’t forget our PFC Play at Home program is a downloadable work book packed with practices and puzzles.
Transparency and Integrity
  • These new 2020 medals are a thing of beauty and the classiest looking medal we’ve seen in a long time. We took delivery just as soccer was forced to shutdown and we can’t wait to get these out to the Indoor Recreational teams from this past season. Look out for a pick-up plan as soon as we can get our doors back open.

  • The PFC Board continue to monitor the appropriate direction for each program and is in regular contact with other Clubs in the area. As a not-for-profit organization our money is very closely accounted for and we hope to get member and community support as we work through this situation.

  • Indoor Competitive Head Coaches will be in touch with their parent groups in the coming 7-10 days regarding the remainder of the Indoor season.

  • Competitive Outdoor season will run and we will assess the cost/deliverables as soon as the picture becomes clearer from our host leagues. We are now starting to hear provisional plans from OPDL and DRSL leaders. 

  • Outdoor Recreational season will run and meet its objectives of a 14 game season with some festival type and/or multiple games in a week. The Clubs ‘Dollar Down’ registration is now open with a 2-part payment plan.

  • The Club has, and will, communicate every week (since March 19th), in order to keep you, our members informed during this tough time. For the most up-to-date information please remember to follow us on Twitter, Instagram or Facebook.
 
If you have any questions or comments about this message please email: memberservices@pickeringfc.ca with 'COVID Update' in the Subject line.
Stay safe.
Matt Greenwood, Executive Director
Pickering Football Club
(905) 831-9803
PickeringFC.ca
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