Information for families

The 2026 Football Season is about to kick off!!

We would like to welcome back previous members and we extend a warm welcome to new members to our Club.

The club exists to provide an opportunity for junior boys and girls aged 7 to aged 14 to develop their football in a competitive environment and within their age groups.   

Club Requirements

• All players must be registered prior to their first game or their 2nd training session which ever is first.

• All players upon registration must agree to abide by the Player Code of Conduct.

• Players' families (at least 1 or more adult per family) must be willing to participate in essential game day duties (see here). 

• Players families should be mindful that the club and coaches are volunteers, if you wish to provide feedback / complaints you should do so via the process detailed here

• CIJFC is committed to Child and Young Person Safety: Working with Children Checks ( or equivalent) are required for certain roles (see here)

• Families should make themselves aware of AFL Community Concussion Guidelines and the 21 day return to play process (see below)

Training

We train every Wednesday at 4:30pm. 

Our pre-season training will be at Foster until the start of the season and then rotate between our home grounds (Fish Creek , Foster and Toora for the remainder of the season. 

A training roster will be posted here once venues are confirmed however please keep an eye on our facebook page for last minute changes!

Player Registration

Register to our club via PlayHQ here:

Register- PlayHQ 

Registration Fees

Fees for the 2026 Season are as follows

• First Player - $75

• Second (and Subsequent) players of the same family $60 per player.

• Volunteers - Free! (Must provide Working with Children Check # or equivalent)

Registration includes:

• Corner Inlet Stingrays football guernseys - home and away to use for the season (must be returned)

• Use of club helmet during games and training (if required)

• Personal Injury Insurance ‘Silver level’ provided through Australian Football National Risk Protection Program

Note about insurance:   Due to Insurance claim limits Ambulance Insurance Coverage is also highly recommended!   It should also be noted that the insurance coverage provided is only able to cover items of care that do not have Medicare rebates - this means in some instances ‘the Gap’ fee may not be covered resulting in an out of pocket expense.  Using Private Health Insurance may lessen out of pocket expenses. Further explanation can be found here:

https://au.marsh.com/content/dam/marsh-affinity-2/pacific/documents/afl/medicare-vs-risk-protection.pdf

Game Day Uniform  

In addition to the provided Stingrays guernseys families will need to provide:

• Football Boots (your choice)

• Football Shorts:  Vic Country Style Navy with Gold Stripe (Available from Intersport and via club )

• Football Socks : Navy  (any length).  (available at InsideOut Clothing & Footwear Foster, or most sports stores - 2026 Included with Registration fee!)

• Mouthguard - Dentally fitted mouthguards provide the best protection - local dentists can supply these at a cost of approximately $100 but rebates maybe available, e.g from private health insurance or other schemes speak to your dentist for details     "Boil and Bite" style mouthguards can be purchased from local pharmacies but families should be aware that these are more likely to be dislodged during play and AFL do not endorse their use as they can become a choking hazard.

• Optional:  Plain long sleeved navy top can be worn under playing guernsey for warmth.  

Stingrays Merchandise 

Other Stingrays branded gear such as Hoodies, Beanies, Bags and Stickers are optional items that can be purchased at the same time as registration. 

If you have already registered and want to buy something extra then you can do so via this link:

https://www.playhq.com/afl/register/ce0c81 

(It will seem like you are being asked to 'register' again but that's just the way the playHQ platform works - don't worry you won't have to pay a registration fee again !!)

Communication

The Club will communicate with members using Facebook, PlayHQ, emails and this site.

We encourage everyone to join the Corner Inlet Facebook page as this is where the most up to date information on where the games will be played and which ground the training will be held as well as other Club news.

Corner Inlet Stingrays Junior Football Club | Facebook 

If you are unfamiliar with these platforms please contact one of our committee members who are happy to assist.

Concussion Management

Football is a contact sport and sometimes accidents happen which result in head knocks and concussions.   Given the short and long term impacts of concussions is now being more thoroughly understood the management of concussions in sport has become more regimented.    We strongly encourage families to make themselves aware of the AFL Concussion Protocols - the video  available here provides good background on the process. 

Please be aware that you need to notify the club ( via stingraysfc@gmail.com or by contacting one of the committee directly) if your child has experienced a concussion in another setting (school, basketball etc) as the return to play protocol still applies.  

The protocol is in place for your child's health and safety  - no one would expect a player who broke an ankle to return to the field the next week , head injuries should be given the same consideration.  

Concussion Management at CIJFC games

During games (and training) where a first aider, coach or umpire identifies that a forceful collision or knock to the head or body has occurred a volunteer first aider will conduct side-line assessments of the player.  

If there are ANY symptoms that may indicate a concussion (e.g  looking dazed, balance issues, confused or a player reporting they "don't feel right") the volunteer first aider will follow the AFL endorsed protocol and treat as a suspected concussion.   At this point the player may not return to the game and we will require families to go through the 21 day gradual return to play protocol after seeking medical advice to confirm the diagnosis.  CIJFC will appoint a Concussion Officer to help you navigate the return to play process.  

It is also possible that the first aider does not see any signs and symptoms of a concussion after the head knock and the player does not report any pain or unusual feelings at the time. In this instance the first aider will continue to monitor the player for the remainder of the game. Due to the fact that the onset of concussion symptoms can be delayed, the club may ask you to to confirm the child's fitness to play before the next training session.  

Membership of Corner Inlet Junior Football Club Inc.

Anyone over the age of 18 who supports the football club and its aims can be a General Member of the incorporated association.  

Membership for the 2025 season is free for General Members.  You will be asked to register as a volunteer in PlayHQ and this will entitle you to membership of CIJFC Inc until commencement of the the next playing season in 2026 .  General Membership of CIJFC will allow you voting rights at the Annual General Meeting.