Privacy Policy

Last updated: 15 October 2025

This Privacy Policy explains how Desert Thistle FC (“Desert Thistle FC,” “we,” “us,” “our”) collects, uses, shares, and protects your information when you use our website desertthistlefc.com, contact us, or take part in our programs and events.

What information we collect

Information you give us

Contact & account details: name, email, phone, address, child’s name and age (for academy enquiries/registration), emergency contact, medical notes you choose to share, and any messages you send through our forms or email.
Enrollment & payments: session selections, package choices, transactions (handled by our payment provider), and billing details.
Media & testimonials: photos/videos you submit or allow us to capture, and quotes/testimonials you provide for marketing.

Information we get automatically

Usage & device data: pages viewed, time on site, clicks, approximate location (city/country), browser and device type, IP address, and identifiers to recognize your browser/app across sessions.
Cookies and similar technologies: small files stored on your device that help the site function, remember choices, measure performance, and support marketing.

Information from third parties

Service providers: (e.g., payment, hosting, analytics, email/SMS).
Social/media platforms: if you interact with our content or ads there and the platform shares aggregated or de-identified insights.
Leagues/venues/partners: limited information to coordinate fixtures, events, and logistics (e.g., squad lists, timings).

We do not knowingly collect information from children without the permission of a parent/guardian. If you believe a child provided personal data without consent, contact us.

How we use your information

We use your information to:

Provide our website and services
Run the site, respond to enquiries, manage trials/registrations, schedule sessions, coordinate leagues and events, and deliver customer support.
Process payments and orders
Handle invoices, confirmations, and transaction-related communication.
Communicate with you
Send service messages (e.g., session updates, schedule changes, policy changes).
Send marketing communications (emails/SMS/online ads) about programs, events, offers, and news—you can opt out at any time.
Improve and secure our services
Measure website performance, understand which pages are most useful, fix errors, and keep the site secure and reliable.
Personalize your experience
Show relevant content and information based on how you use the site.
Legal, compliance, and safety
Meet legal obligations, resolve disputes, and protect our rights, users, staff, players, and the public.

Legal bases

Depending on your location and the context, we rely on one or more of the following:
Your consent (e.g., for marketing, cookies that are not strictly necessary, photos/testimonials).
Contract (to process registrations, provide sessions/events you’ve asked for).
Legitimate interests to run and improve the site, keep it secure, and send you relevant information about similar services you already use.
Legal obligations where we must keep certain records.
You can withdraw consent or object to certain uses at any time.

How we share information

We do not sell your personal data. We share it only as needed:

Service providers: website hosting, analytics/measurement, communications (email/SMS), customer support tools, and payment processing. They can only use your data to provide services to us.
Events/leagues/venues: limited details required for match registration, access control, or scheduling.
Legal & safety: to comply with laws, enforce our terms, or protect people and property.
Business changes: if we undergo a merger, reorganisation, or asset transfer, your data may be part of the transfer, subject to the same protections.

Cookies & consent

What are cookies? Small text files stored on your device that help the site work and let us remember you.

Types we use:

Strictly necessary: required for the site to function (e.g., security, load balancing, forms).
Performance & analytics: help us understand site usage so we can improve.
Personalization & marketing: help us show content and offers that may interest you and measure the effectiveness of our campaigns.

Your choices:

When you first visit, we show a cookie banner where you can accept all, reject non-essential, or manage preferences by category. You can change your choices anytime via Cookie Settings or your browser settings (which may delete or block cookies). If you block some cookies, parts of the site may not work properly.
We also use privacy preserving methods to measure aggregated behavior and ad performance without identifying you directly unless you’ve given us explicit permission.

Marketing preferences

We may send you updates about programs, events, offers, and news. You can unsubscribe at any time by clicking the link in our emails or by contacting us. If you opt-out, you may still receive non-marketing messages (e.g., schedule changes, safety notices, invoices).

Data retention

We keep your information only as long as needed for the purposes above, including:

Enrollment/transaction data: kept for legal, tax, and accounting requirements.
Communication records: kept to manage your requests and demonstrate compliance.
Marketing preferences: kept to honour your opt-out.

When data is no longer needed, we securely delete or anonymize it.

Security

We use administrative, technical, and physical safeguards to protect your information. No system is 100% secure; if something happens, we will take appropriate steps and, where required, notify you and regulators.

Your choices & rights

You may have some or all of the following rights, depending on your location:

Access the personal data we hold about you.
Correct inaccurate or incomplete data.
Delete your data (where applicable).
Object to or restrict certain processing (e.g., marketing).
Withdraw consent where we rely on consent.
Portability of certain data you provided.

To exercise these rights, contact us by filling up the form on our contact page. We may ask you to verify your identity and we’ll respond within a reasonable time. For players under the age of consent, a parent/guardian must manage preferences and rights requests.

Third-party sites & services

Our site may link to other websites or services. Their privacy practices are their own, please review their policies.

Changes to this Policy

We may update this Policy from time to time. When we make material changes, we’ll update the “Last updated” date and, where appropriate, provide additional notice. Your continued use of the site means you accept the updated Policy.