With the annoucement of the intention to create a Guernsey Side, we thought it was a good idea to provide a quick FAQ. If you have any other questions, let us know and we’ll add what can to the below:
Why an Island Side?
One of the goals of the Committee was alsways to grow the sport in Guernsey enough that we could reach a point that we felt confident in the interest locally to start going away to the UK and entering tournaments outside of our usual pool of competition.
We recognised that as the league grew bigger, there would be players that would reach a higher level than others and we wanted to be able to find a way to push those players. The creation of an Island side was seen as the best way to do that. No player would be forced to give up their league side, but simply offered the chance to represent their island. Think of it like domestic and international football.
We chose the name Gladiators to connect the sport back to when Guernsey had a tackle football team by the same name.
Will this affect the attention to league and the growth of the sport in Guernsey?
Absolutely not. The Committee’s number one focus was, is and remains growing the strength of the sport here in Guernsey. If anything, we hope that the creation of an Island side will strengthen the sport in Guernsey and increase it’s popularity.
As we take more steps to increase the sport’s coverage in Guernsey, having a Island side looks good in the media, and shows younger people that there is something more to the sport than a local league (which is amazing by the way!).
How big will the Island side be?
We’re aiming to have a working roster of up to 20 players. This will allow for thourough training and competition for starting places. It will mean we have enough players to cover injuries or times when a player simply cannot attend.
Depending on the tournament rules and costs of entering and getting there, it is possible that more that one team could be entered from the overall roster.
Who picks who is on the Island side?
The main responsiblity will fall to the Captain, as they will be responsible for taking the players away, however they will not be doing it alone, as they will have two assistants appointed to help them run training and select the squad.
While we talk about wanting this side to be made up of the best players on the Island, hard work and dedication will also be taken into account. A player who turns up to every training session is more likely to make a tournament roster than one who only turns up to the odd time, regardless of who might be considered more talented!
Going away isn’t cheap…
The Committee recognises that and will do all they can to ensure that players who go away to tournaments pay as little as possible. Whether this is though sponsorship or fundraising. Players will be expected play some part in any fundraising events and must also be be prepared for the possibility that they may be asked to fund part of their trip away.
Guernsey Flag Football 