Getting Started

Welcome to Darebin United. If you have accepted—or are preparing to accept—a coaching or team manager role, use this page to complete the essential steps before meeting your team. It explains what you need to do, what the club will provide and where to find help throughout the season.

Your first five steps

Complete these steps as early as possible so the club can prepare your team and support you properly.

Confirm your role and team.
Check whether you are the coach, assistant coach or team manager, and confirm the age group and primary club contact.
Complete club registration and eligibility requirements.
Register in the correct role, provide current Working with Children Check details where required, and complete any additional club or governing-body requirements.
Read the essential policies.
Review the code of conduct, child-safety, safeguarding, member-protection and incident-reporting guidance.
Confirm your practical arrangements.
Check training allocation, venue access, equipment, fixtures and the communication channel for your team.
Introduce yourself and set expectations.
Provide families and players with clear information about communication, attendance, match day and who to contact for assistance.

Important: Do not assume your registration, clearance or appointment is complete until it has been confirmed by the club.

Your responsibilities and club support

What you need to complete

Accept and register in the correct role.
Provide current Working with Children Check details where required.
Read and follow club policies and codes of conduct.
Complete any role-specific inductions or coaching requirements.
Keep your contact details current and advise the club of any change affecting your availability or eligibility.

What the club will provide

Confirmation of your role, team and key contacts.
Training allocation and venue-access information.
Equipment and match-day process guidance.
Competition, fixture and registration updates.
Access to policies, development resources and escalation support.

If any of this information has not been provided, contact the club before the first scheduled activity.

Before your first session or match

Coach: before your first training session

Confirm the field, time, team list and equipment arrangements.
Prepare an age-appropriate session with a clear objective.
Check the playing area and equipment before players begin.
Establish attendance, behaviour and communication expectations.
Know the emergency and injury-escalation process.

Coach: before your first match

Confirm player availability and match-day expectations with the team manager.
Understand substitutions, playing-time expectations and competition rules.
Plan the warm-up, team talk and equipment requirements.
Reinforce respectful behaviour toward officials, opponents and spectators.

Team manager: before the first team activity

Confirm the team contact list and approved communication channel.
Protect member information and use contact details only for team purposes.
Set a consistent process for availability, updates and urgent changes.
Confirm who holds equipment, keys and match-day materials.
Know the club contacts for registration, fixtures, welfare and incidents.

Team manager: before your first match

Confirm fixture details, arrival time and player availability.
Understand team-sheet and match-day administration requirements.
Coordinate uniforms, balls, bibs, first-aid access and team duties.
Know how to record and escalate injuries, incidents or safeguarding concerns.

Help and useful links

Use these resources whenever you need more detail. If a safety, welfare or child-protection matter is urgent, escalate it promptly through the appropriate club contact.

Coaching at Darebin Training Information Match Day Information

Policies & Safeguarding Back to the Hub Contact the Club

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