Notes of East Men’s and Women’s Leagues Annual General Meeting 9th June 2008

 

Apologies for absence

Neil Liversedge, Barry Harness, David Burt, Alford HC, Thurrock HC, Crostyx HC, and Upminster HC.

 

Present:  49 persons, representative of 22 clubs.

 

Postal voting:  51 postal voting papers were received, 31 from EML and 20 from EWL  clubs.

 

1.  Chairman’s welcome

On behalf of the EML and the EWL Chairman Russell Nutter welcomed all present.

 

2.  Chairman’s League Reports for season

The major event this year was the offer of sponsorship by the new hockey website NE14Hockey, a company formed by a former East League Chairman, Steve Buckley.  NE14Hockey will as a result be official sponsors of the East Leagues for at least three seasons, with the benefit to our participating Clubs of reduced league fees..

Not all news has been good, and it is with regret that we learned that after many years’ service, Jim Morris was to retire from League Management due to the increasing pressures of his job.  Jim has completed ten years as a League Secretary/Manager, and we wish him all the best after such sterling service to hockey.  Fortunately we have had volunteers to take up the task in the coming season.

As regards major rule changes, we introduced a rule that all umpires must be listed by clubs on the East website, that they must be Level 1, and should be fully paid up members of their Associations.  The introduction of this rule has been very successful, with very few clubs not fully complying, and as a result umpiring resources and qualifications can be better monitored. 

On a less happy note, some considerable time has been spent on dealing with complaints received about some team selections by some of our National League clubs, and as a result there are some rule change proposals to be discussed later that will address the issues arising from these events.

 

3. Election of Officers

The following had been nominated by the League Committees.  There were no other nominations.

Chairman:  Russell Nutter

Secretary:  Trevor Williams

EML League Managers:  David Burt, Cliff Gulbis, Barry Harness, Neil Liversedge, Samantha Menear, Nick Hoyle , Pritpal Sagoo, Robert Southgate.

EML Results Coordinator:  Richard Munns

EMVL League Manager: Bob King

EWL League Managers:  Janet Goody, Sarah Mann, Rosemary Prince

EWL Results Coordinator:  Sarah Mann

Budget Officer:  Samantha Menear

 

The Officers as listed were therefore elected.

 

4. League fees 2008-9 season

The proposed fee for of £12.50 per team (£18.75 for late entries) was agreed unanimously.

 

5. Amendments to League Rules
The rule amendments proposed by the League Committees were discussed.  During the discussion on changes to the rule on EHL clubs, and following the Chairman’s review of the season, there was considerable debate about the selection of 1st team EHL players in East League 2nd teams during the past season, which had occurred to the extent that the League had felt it necessary to reverse a number of results in EWL Premier and EML Premier B.  Two of the clubs penalised, Sevenoaks and Chelmsford, made strong representations to the meeting that some of the criticism directed at their selection policies had been unjustified.  League representatives and representatives of other clubs present disagreed.  Both sides of the debate however agreed that the approach embodied in the new rule 3.1 proposal was a step forward from the present starred player system.

Voting on all rule proposals at the meeting and by post gave the results tabulated below, and all changes were therefore carried by a considerable margin.

 

RULE

Summary of proposed change

Y

N

1.2  Committee

Removes the outdated requirement that League Managers be of the same gender as the League in which they manage. 

64

0

2.  Club eligibility (EWL)

Removes the outdated requirement that a Club may have only one team in any one division in the EWL.

26

7

3.1  EHL Clubs

12 of the selected national league squad may not play East League in the same weekend.

58

1

3.3.2  Bench players

Minor wording changes to clarify the intent of the rule, particularly  in relation to the changes proposed in Rule 3.1 

55

2

4.4  Teamsheets

Requires national league clubs to send EHL teamsheets to their 2nd team League Manager.

55

1

4.5  Postponements: Indoor

Sets out more precisely the slip dates to be used when matches are postponed for indoor, and introduces a one point penalty for failing to properly notify a postponement.

43

0

5.2  Club umpires.

The requirement that umpires must be UA members is amended to should be members.

60

2

6.3  East Women’s League

Changes the structure to include four divisions 2 and makes changes in promotion/relegation numbers based on the assumption of one relegation from EHL to East each season. 

26

0

6.4  East Men’s League

Makes changes in promotion/relegation numbers based on the assumption of one relegation from EHL to East each season. 

37

0

6.4  East Men’s League

Add a requirement that teams from Clubs playing in the London League may be admitted to the East League at Committee discretion, but other than 1st teams may not play higher than Division 3.

34

2