New Rathfarnham Athletics club members

 We are delighted to say that we we are now enrolling and welcome new members for 2024 in the 8 to 12 year old juvenile section!

 It is wonderful to have so many children interested in athletics and we are delighted that we have been able to accomodate larger numbers in recent times. We always aim to try and accomadate as many children as possible.

2024 Subscription rates

Juvenile/Junior Membership    €85.00
Senior/Masters    €115.00
Family Membership (2 x Adult plus up to 4 x Juvenile/Junior)    €210.00

Please find listed below our:

1. Policy Statement on the Code of Ethics and Good Practice for Children in Athletics

2. Club Child Safeguarding Statement Plan

3. GDPR Policy 

4. Club constitution and rules

Policy Statement on the Code of Ethics and Good Practice for Children in Athletics

Rathfarnham WSAF Athletics club  is fully committed to safeguarding the well being of all of its members. Every individual in the  Rathfarnham WSAF Athletics club should at all times, show respect and understanding for members rights, safety and welfare and conduct themselves in a way that reflects the principles of the organisation and the guidelines contained in the Code of Ethics and Good Practice.

In the Rathfarnham WSAF Athletics club our first priority is the welfare of the young people and we are committed to providing an environment which will allow participants to perform to the best of their ability, free from bullying and intimidation.

Rathfarnham W.S.A.F. Athletics Club Child Safeguarding Statement Plan

Section 1 – Club information

Club Name: Rathfarnham W.S.A.F. Athletics Club_ is affiliated to Athletics Ireland and provides various sporting activities and opportunities for children and young people through participation in clubs, regional/provincial events and through to AAI national teams. Organised events involve the provision of athletic championships and games that involve, in some instances,  attendance at weekend events and overnight trips for clubs and their members. Rathfarnham WSAF Athletics Club is a voluntary led organisation that provides its members with opportunities to participate in the sport of Track and Field /Cross Country, Road Running and Race Walking, across all age grades from Juvenile (u9 to u16), Youth (u18), Junior (u20), Senior (u35) and Master (35+).

• Club Name: Rathfarnham W.S.A.F. Athletics Club 

• Sport:​ Track and Field Athletics, Cross Country, Road Running and Race Walking.
• Location (National/Local level): Local and County.

• Number of members in your club: 396 (2020)

• Activities: Track and Field, Cross Country, Road Running and Race Walking.

Section 2 - Principles to safeguard children from harm

Rathfarnham W.S.A.F. Athletics Club  is committed to safeguarding children, and by working under the guidance of our Safeguarding Policies, our coaches/officials, working with our young people, throughout the club, seek to create a safe environment for young people to grow and develop within sport. The following set of principles should be adhered to:

• Importance of childhood - The importance of childhood should be understood and valued by everyone involved in sport.

• Needs of the child - All childrens sport experiences should be guided by what is best for children. This means that adults should have a basic understanding of the emotional, physical and personal needs of young people.

• Integrity in relationships - Adults interacting with children in sport are in a position of trust and influence. They should always ensure that children are treated with integrity and respect, and the self-esteem of young people is enhanced.

• Fair Play - All childrens sport should be conducted in an atmosphere of fair play. The principles of fair play should always be emphasised, and organisers should give clear guidelines regarding acceptable standards of behaviour.

• Quality atmosphere & ethos - Childrens sport should be conducted in a safe, positive and encouraging atmosphere.

• Competition - Competition is an essential element of sport and should be encouraged in an age appropriate manner. A child centred ethos will help to ensure that competition and specialisation are kept in their appropriate place
• Equality - All children should be valued and treated in an equitable and fair manner, regardless of ability, age, gender, religion, social and ethnic background or political persuasion

• Equality - All children should be valued and treated in an equitable and fair manner, regardless of ability, age, gender, religion, social and ethnic background or political persuasion.

Section 3 - Risk Assessment

This Rathfarnham W.S.A.F. Athletics Club written Risk Assessment document indicates the areas of potential risk of harm, the likelihood of the risk occurring, and gives the required policy, guidance or process documents required to alleviate these risks.  The list of risks identified and procedures to manage these risks are contained in the following categories:

Section 4 – Procedures

Our Child Safeguarding Statement has been developed in line with requirements under the Children First Act 2015, (the Children First: National Guidance, and Tusla’s Child Safeguarding: A Guide for Policy, Procedure and Practice). In addition to our Risk Assessment document described above, there are further procedures that support our intention to safeguard children while they are availing of our activities.

Rathfarnham W.S.A.F. Athletics Club has the following procedures in place as part of our Safeguarding Policies:

• Procedures for the management of allegations of abuse or misconduct by staff or volunteers against a child availing of our activities.

• Procedures for the safe recruitment of staff and volunteers to work with children in our activities.

• Procedures for access to child safeguarding training and information, including the identification of the occurrence of harm.

• Procedure for reporting of child protection or welfare concerns to Statutory Authorities.

• Procedure for maintaining a list of the persons (if any) in the relevant service who are mandated persons.

• Procedure for appointing a relevant person (Club Children’s Officer).

Please note that all procedures listed are available on request.

Jackie Kingston is the relevant person for Rathfarnham WSAF Athletics Club, and she is also a mandated person as set out in the Children First Act 2015. Jackie can be contacted on 086 3190952

Section 5 – Implementation

We recognise that implementation is an ongoing process. Our club is committed to the implementation of this Child Safeguarding Statement and the procedures that support our intention to keep children safe from harm while availing of our activities.

Please note the following:

• That all volunteers and staff have been furnished with a copy of this statement.

• This statement is available to parents/guardians & members of the public on request.

• This statement will be displayed in a prominent place by the Club.

The Rathfarnham WSAF Athletics Club Child Safeguarding Plan including all policies and procedures is available on request.

This Child Safeguarding Statement/Risk Assessment was undertaken on 11/01/2021

This Child Safeguarding Statement/Risk Assessment will be reviewed on 10/01/2024

Signed: ___________________________________________   Date: _____________________

( Club Children’s Officer)

Name: ___________________________________________  Phone no: ___________________

For queries on this Child Safeguarding Statement, please contact the Relevant Person (CCO)

GDPR Policy - Rathfarnham W.S.A.F. AC

Who we are

Rathfarnham W.S.A.F. Athletic Club (AC) is a community based athletic club, located at The Old Courthouse, Main Street, Rathfarnham, Dublin 14. It caters for male and female athletes of all ages from Juveniles (8-18), Junior (Under 20), Seniors and Masters (Over 35). The Club operates under the direction of Athletics Ireland (AAI) and under the IAAF Rules.

Rathfarnham WSAF AC collects personal data on those who wish to be a member of our Club. We use this data to register you with our national association, the AAI. The Club holds a 5k Road Race and a series of Juvenile Races every year around the streets of Rathfarnham and Terenure. We also collect your personal data so as to register your entry in these races.

In carrying out these roles we gather your personal data through our two websites (https://www.athleticsrathfarnham.ie and http://www.rathfarnham5krun.ie). This policy applies specifically to your personal data and provides you with information about:

• what personal data we collect;
• how we use your data;
• who we share your data with
• How long we hold onto your data for
• how we ensure your privacy is maintained; and
• your legal rights relating to your personal data.

What personal data we collect from you on our websites?

Rathfarnham WSAF AC collects personal data on those who wish to be a member of our Club through our website (https://www.athleticsrathfarnham.ie) and the PayPal online payment system. We may also collect your personal data by getting you to fill in a membership application form at open days in our Clubhouse. By ticking the consent box on both application methods you consent to Rathfarnham WSAC using your data for legitimate Club purposes only and it will not be shared with anyone outside the Club except with the AAI.

We will use your data to register you as a member of AAI and to enter you for races which the Club is taking part in. For your AAI registration we will record the following personal data:

• Name, address and contact details (E-mail and mobile phone number) of each member
• For members under 18 we also record the parents contact details
• The Date of Birth and Gender of each member
• The credit card and/or details of your bank account or these details of whoever pays a member’s annual registration fee.

We register your membership with the AAI on their website at http://www.athleticsireland.ie. We have reviewed the AAI’s data protection policy and they have assured us that they are in compliance with the GDPR.

Rathfarnham WSAF AC holds a 5k Road Race and a series of Juvenile Races every year and we collect your personal data through our website at http://www.rathfarnham5krun.ie. This information is collected on our behalf by Primo Events, an events registration organisation, at https://register.primoevents.com. Through the Primo Events website we collect the following personal information:

• Name, address and contact details (E-mail and mobile phone number) of each person who enters our races
• Date of birth and gender of each entrant
• The credit card and/or details of your bank account or these details of whoever pays the entrant’s registration fee.

By registering on the PrimoEvents website for any of our races you consent to allowing Rathfarnham WSAC contact you about future Rathfarnham 5k Running events. We have been advised by Primo Events that they are in compliance with the GDPR.

What personal data does our websites collect using cookies?

To ensure we are publishing content our members need and want, Rathfarnham WSAF AC websites collect aggregated site-visitation statistics using cookies. When someone visits these sites, a cookie is placed on the customer’s machine (if the customer accepts cookies) or is read if the customer has visited the site previously. If you choose to not have your browser accept cookies from our websites, you will need to re-enter your personal information each time that you attempt to access information.

How we use your data.

We use your data to register you with the AAI, to communicate with you about Club activities and to enter you in athletics events which Rathfarnham WSAF Athletic Club are participating in e.g. in cross country, road and track races.

 For the Rathfarnham 5k race series entries we use your personal data to categorise your race entry into the correct age category and gender for prize allocation purposes e.g. Junior (Boys or girls), Senior (Men or women), Masters (Men or women Under 35, Under 40, Under 50,etc.). We will also your E-mail to contact you about future races being organised by Rathfarnham WSAF AC.

From time to time we would like to email you regarding athletics initiatives or upcoming events we organise. If you would like to receive these emails please tick this box to consent to receiving these emails.

Who we share your data with

For members of Rathfarnham WSAF AC we will only share your personal data with Athletics Ireland for your registration with them and for athletics events which come under their remit and control. We will only share your data with Committee Members who have a need to use it e.g. to let you know about upcoming races, training sessions or race entries.

How long we hold your data for

This will vary. For Rathfarnham WSAF AC Members we will hold your data as long as you remain a member of the Club and for 5 years after you cease to be a member of the Club. This is so we can keep in contact with present and former members of the Club and inform them of events and information which are solely related to Club activities.

In the case of Rathfarnham 5k Race series entries we will only keep your E-mail which we will store for up to 10 years.

How we ensure your privacy is maintained

The security of your data is a priority for Rathfarnham WSAF AC and we are committed to respecting your privacy rights.  We will handle your data fairly and legally at all times. We will also be transparent about what data we collect about you and how we use it.  We are registered with the data protection commissioner. Our Data Protection Officer is Adam Jones who can be contacted at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 

Our two websites are hosted in a secure environment. Only nominated Management Committee members and Coaches with a business need, will have access to your personal data through our website, to provide you with the service you signed up for.

Your legal rights relating to your data

You have the following rights in relation to data collected on our websites:

• the right to ask what personal data that we hold about you at any time
• the right to ask us to update and correct any out-of-date or incorrect personal data that we hold about you free of charge; and
• the right to have any personal data about you deleted.

If you wish to exercise any of the above rights, please email your request to our data protection officer Adam Jones at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Rathfarnham W.S.A.F. AC Club Constitution and Rules

As amended October 2019

                                                                 Article I

Title

The name of the club shall be Rathfarnham WSAF Athletic Club (the Club)

                                                              Article II

Aims and Objectives of the Club

• To promote athletics in Dublin, involving the wider community where possible.
• To strive to achieve excellence in competition at all levels for both individual athletes and teams.
• Provide a framework to become one of the most successful Clubs in Ireland.

The word “Athletics” shall be deemed to include Track and Field, Road Running, Race Walking, Cross Country Running and Mountain Running (as defined in IAAF Constitution) 

                                                                            Article III

Affiliation & Membership

a.  The club shall be affiliated to the Athletics Association of Ireland (A.A.I.) In the event of any conflict between the Rules or Code of AAI and the Rules of the Club the AAI Rules or Code shall apply. 

b.  Membership of the Club shall consist of:

1. Active members of the Management Team (the Management)

2. The President

3. Sponsors, being persons or firms who are interested in the work of the Club and contribute to its financial requirements.

4. Parents and other persons who are interested in the work of and are willing to offer their expertise and help in, the running of the Club.

5. Junior and Juvenile members aged from 9 to 19.

Categories (1), (2) & (3) shall be termed ordinary members.

Categories (4), (5) & (6) shall be termed associate members and shall be admitted to membership on application to and sanction by the Management.

c.  The Management Team reserves the right to refuse admission to the Club, if, in the opinion of Management, the applicant is not a fit person to join the club.This section refers to renewal of membership as well as to new applicants.

                                                                            Article IV

The Management

a.      The management shall be elected each year at the annual general meeting and shall discharge the affairs of the club between general meetings.

b.      The Management shall be elected by ballot or if unopposed by a proposer and seconder at the Annual General Meeting of the Club.

c.      The management shall consist of six (6) members as follows:

• Finance Manager
• Administration Manager
• Coaching Manager
• Public Relations Manager
• Development Manager
• Events Manager                                                                   

d.   The management shall appoint a chairperson as necessary

                                                                            Article V

Functions of the Management

• The Management shall run the affairs of the Club in close co-operation and consultation between all Managers and Club members as appropriate. The Management is held accountable to the Annual General Meeting for carrying out their functions in an efficient, effective and transparent manner.
• The Management may hold meetings during each period in office as necessary. These meetings may be requested by any Manager with the agreement of any other Manager(s) or on request by the President.
• The Management shall have power to deal with such matters concerning the Club as are not dealt with in the Constitution, including the setting up of any sub-committees which shall be deemed necessary including, but not limited to, a Disciplinary Sub-Committee.
• The Management may disburse Club funds as it sees fit.
• Any Manager may appoint Club members or non-members to carry out any task or fill any position they consider necessary during the term of office. When the office term is complete the member shall be discharged from the task or duty allotted.

                                                                              Article VI

The President

The President of the Club shall be elected by the Club members at the Annual General Meeting and shall take office on cessation in office of the incumbent President. The elected president shall relinquish the position having completed a term of three years maximum.

Rules

                                                                            Rule 1.

Affiliation

Members of the club shall be required to pay an annual subscription as set by the Management.  Membership fees shall be payable on 2^nd January each year.  Members who by the 2^nd of February (2^nd March in the case of juvenile and junior athletes) have not paid their membership fee in full will not be permitted to compete in Club/AAI competitions until such time as their membership is paid.

                                                                            Rule 2

Voting

• All elections shall be by secret ballot.
• Voting in all other matters may be by secret ballot.

                                                                            Rule 3

Meetings

• The Annual General Meeting shall be held not later than the 30^th November each year.
• While any interested person shall be permitted to attend the Annual General Meeting only ordinary members of the Club may vote.
• At least 14 days notice should be given of the Annual General Meeting.
• All nominations to the Management Team and all motions must be with the Administration Manager not later than 7 days before the Annual General Meeting.
• An Extraordinary General Meeting may be called at any time by a written request by 10 members of the Club to the Administration Manager or by written instructions of the President. Notice of the Extraordinary General Meeting may be as little as two days.

                                                                            Rule 4

Conduct

• All Club athletes must wear the AAI approved Club gear when competing at AAI events.
• All members of the Club are expected to conduct themselves in a manner unlikely to bring discredit to the Club.
• Any actions or behaviour by a member deemed by the Management to discredit the Club or to be prejudicial to the reputation of the interests of the Club will be subject to such sanctions as may apply at the discretion of the Management and subject to the disciplinary procedure as set out at 4d below.
• The Management will be responsible for determining whether a member has breached the Constitution or Rules of the Club and the following disciplinary procedure will be used where the Management determines that such a breach has occurred:

(i) Stage I: In the event of a first breach, the member will receive a verbal warning from the chairperson of the Club and this verbal warning will be recorded by the chairperson. The chairperson will only take such action having received the approval of a majority of the Management.

(ii) Stage 2: In the event of a second breach, the member will receive a written warning from the chairperson of the Club and this will be recorded by the chairperson of the Club. The chairperson of the Club will only take such action having received the approval of the majority of the Management.

(iii) Stage 3: In the event of a third or subsequent breach, a Disciplinary Sub-Committee of the Club comprising three club members, one of which may be the chairperson of the club, shall consider the conduct complained of. The Disciplinary Sub-Committee shall, having first made the allegations known to the member in writing, call upon the said member to give an explanation in writing within 7 days of being requested to do so by the Disciplinary Sub-Committee. If the member fails to provide a satisfactory explanation the Disciplinary Sub-Committee may impose a sanction upon the member.

(iv) The Disciplinary Sub-Committee may impose any sanction which it considers appropriate in the circumstances, ranging from admonishment to suspension or expulsion for any breach of the Constitution or the Rules of the Club, subject only to a right of appeal by the member as set out below.

(v) The member can appeal in writing within 7 days to the Management and the Management shall have the power to reverse or confirm the decision of the Disciplinary Sub-Committee. Either party may request a face-to-face meeting between the parties prior to the Management reaching it’s decision and which meeting, if requested, shall take place with 10 days of receiving the member’s notice of appeal. The decision of the Management shall be final and the member will be notified in writing of such decision within a further 7 days.

• All athletes should note the times and venues of AAI events and attend punctually.

                                                                            Rule 5

Duties of the Management Team

Administration Manager

• Convene meetings in consultation with the other Managers.
• Keep minutes of meetings as required.
• Keep the Management informed of all activities related to the Club including the reading of correspondence to the Club.
• Prepare and send out relevant correspondence to Dublin County Board, Athletics Leinster and the AAI on behalf of the Club.
• Prepare an annual report of all Club activities for submission to the Annual General Meeting.
• Ensure the entries to championship events in which the Club wishes to compete are properly made before the closing date.
• Receive affiliations and registrations for Club members.
• Complete forms and ensure authenticity of age, transfers, etc, and carry out the necessary correspondence with the Dublin Athletic Board.
• Maintain a complete record of membership.
• Transmit to the Finance Manager all monies received for affiliation and registration with written statement of account.
• Organise social functions including the Christmas party and other non athletic events.
• Be responsible for adequate representation of the Club at all Dublin County Board, Athletics Leinster and the AAI meetings and report back to the Management on these meetings.

Finance Manager

• Be responsible for the proper administration of the funds of the Club.
• Maintain a record of the income and expenditure of the Club and copy these to the Management Team on a monthly basis.
• Prepare a yearly Statement of Accounts and Financial Balance for submission to the Annual General Meeting. These Financial Statements are to be produced to year ending 30^th.September.
• Organise fund raising on a local and corporate scale as required by the Development Manager.
• Co-ordinate the purchase of all Club gear including vests, shorts and tracksuits.
• Carry out other duties delegated to him/her by the Management.
• Ensure cheques are available for payment of accounts as they become due. Cheques can be signed by the Finance Manager, Administration Manager or Coaching Manager.

Coaching Manager

• Carry out and/or co-ordinate all coaching activities in the Club.
• Prepare a Club Coaching programme in co-operation with the other coaches and implement it.
• Liaise with the Development Manager on recruitment of new members.
• Prepare a report of all Club coaching activities for submission to the Annual General Meeting.
• Appoint Club men and ladies captains where appropriate. Appoint child welfare officers.
• In consultation with Club captains pick all senior and master teams to compete in AAI championship and other AAI affiliated events.
• Ensure sufficient team management is available for all AAI events which Club teams are participating in.
• Pick all teams where juvenile athletes are participating.
• Ensure all Club athletes have transport available to take them to and from events at which they are representing the Club.
• Be responsible for the purchase of athletic equipment for the Club in co-operation with the Development and Finance Managers.

Public Relations Manager

• Responsible for projecting the image of the Club in a positive and progressive light.
• Publicise the aims and success of the Club and its members through the public media (national and regional papers, radio and television) and through the Club’s website and social media networks.
• Keep the Club’s website and social media networks up to date.
• Prepare articles on Club results and activities for the national press (e.g. Evening Herald, Irish Independent etc.) and athletics press (e.g. Irish Runner etc.)
• Act as spokesperson of the Club with the public media when required.
• Liaise with the Events Manager to promote athletic events sponsored by the Club.
• Prepare a report of all Club PR activities for submission to the Annual General Meeting.
• Carry out any other duties as assigned to him/her by the Management.

Events Manager

• Organise all Club sponsored athletic events as they arise e.g. the 5k Club road race, county, regional and national cross country events, race stewarding for Marathon etc.
• Prepare a development plan for the Club’s 5k road race and submit it to the Management for ratification and implementation.
• Correspond with the Gardai and other Public Bodies in regard to the organisation of these events.
• Liaise with the Development Manager to obtain sponsorship for these events.
• Prepare a report of all Club Events for submission to the Annual General Meeting.
• Carry out other duties as assigned to him/her by the Management.

Development Manager

• Prepare a recruitment plan in consultation with the Coaching Manager.
• Responsible for the development, repair and painting of the Clubhouse, its furnishings and training equipment.
• Liaise with the Coaching and Finance Managers in the purchase of athletic equipment for the Club.
• Develop a plan for ensuring greater community involvement in the Club and promote the Club to the local community when ever possible.
• Develop plans for upgrading club facilities including training, Clubhouse etc.

                                                                              Rule 6

Duties of the President

• Represent the Club at all official functions and with the media.
• Motivate the Management and Club members to achieve excellence in everything they do on behalf of the Club.
• Have a working knowledge of and access to the AAI and International Association of Athletic Federations (IAAF) Constitution, Code of Ethics and Competition Rules.
• Be familiar with the activities of the Club and be in a position to advise the Management and Club members as necessary.

                                                                              Rule 7 

There is no limit to the number of terms in office members of the Management team may serve, except for the President who may serve only one consecutive term.           

                                                                               Rule 8

Changes and or amendments to the Constitution

Changes or amendments to the constitution may only be enacted at the Annual General Meeting and then only by a 2/3 majority.