Each season the club’s academy goes through an audit carried out by the Professional Game Academy Audit Company [PGAAC].
This is to ensure that the academy is safe to operate and compliant with youth development rules.
These rules can vary from anything from safeguarding to dealing with injuries and medical practices.
Health and Safety is an important part of every activity carried out at the academy, with a separate audit to be conducted on that area of our operations at the end of the month.
It’s vital to be successful in this process in order for the club to be allowed to operate the academy and provide a safe, positive and professional environment for all involved.
Academy manager Simon Friel said: “We have recently completed our Safe to Operate audit by PGAAC last week.
“I’m delighted that we had an excellent report and successfully passed the audit, achieving 146 passes out 152, which is a credit to all of the staff involved.”
Feedback from the PGAAC stated: “The academy is to be commended for returning a totally clean audit in terms of Safeguarding, Player Care, Medical and Injury, Health & Safety and Inductions & Transitions.
“Throughout the audit, evidence was provided for all Youth Development rules thoroughly and carefully, not only demonstrating the willingness to engage positively with the auditors but making the process efficient and enjoyable.”
There are many aspects to operating the academy, and this continues to grow as we look to develop it further to provide each player with the best possible environment and resources to develop and fulfil their potential.
Within this process we want to continue to maintain the highest standards possible and pursue excellence in what we do collectively as an academy, and individually as staff.
The outcome of this audit is a testament to the positive work that is going on within the academy, not only on the pitch but also operationally.
“Well done and thanks to all the academy staff who have worked hard to achieve and maintain our status as a Category 3 Academy,” Simon concluded.
“As a club this allows us to continue to provide our young players with the best possible environment and opportunity to play for Carlisle United as a professional footballer.”