East Leagues; Joint EWL and EML Management Meeting

Minutes of Meeting: 7.30, Thursday 20^th Oct 2011

Venue: Stansted Hilton Hotel, Round Coppice Road, Stansted, CM24 1SF

Present

Andy Barlow	X	Nick Hoyle	/	Russell Nutter	/
Chris Brown	X	Bob King	/	Rosemary Prince	/
David Burt	/	Neil Liversedge	/	David Roberts	/
Janet Goody	/	Sarah Mann	/	Pritpal Sagoo	/
Cliff Gulbis	/	Samantha Menear	X
Barry Harness	/	Richard Munns	/

Apologies: Andy Barlow, Chris Brown and Samantha Menear

Minutes of previous meeting: The minutes of the meetin7th April 2011 were accepted and any remaining action points were picked up during the course of this meeting.

1. Correspondence

1.1 Meeting of Regional Leagues and England Hockey

NL had attended a meeting, Chaired by Stephen Barlow, Competitions Manager of England Hockey gave an overview report of this meeting, in addition to the written report he had submitted to committee members by email on 2^nd August.

The main agenda item of that meeting was the need for flexibility of Regional Leagues following the 2012 London Olympics, in case there were late entries of new teams.

There was also a discussion about 3G pitches which is noted later in these minutes.

1.2 St Ives – Young Players

RP had received an email from a member of St Ives regarding other clubs playing players under the age of 13. RP had heard no more from the person, however it was underlined that the East League (in common with other regional leagues) does not have a specific rule about the age of players, as this is an England Hockey Policy. If a club decide to play an underage player they are breaking the national association policy.

2. Playing Matters

2.1 League Fees

Following the decision to make the deadline for league payment the same for all teams, there was only one club who failed to pay by the deadline. That club had been notified and penalty applied.

2.2 Indoor 2011

RP had a list of all clubs that had entered the indoor competitions this year. To date there were still some clubs that had not requested a cancellation from their league manager. It was reminded that where clubs with National League teams were entered into the Regional competition a cancellation would not be granted to the 2^nd X1 of that club.

2.3 Chelmsford

Chelmsford have been struggling with availability this season. After significant correspondence with RP, where various avenues about how Chelmsford could manage the situation were explored, they seem to have got things in order for now. They are going to review the situation on 5^th November.

2.4 Old Loughtonians

With the club having their pitches re-laid RP just wanted to touch review with League Managers any problems. There were none.

2.5 Wapping/John Orwell School

The John Orwell School pitch was taken out of service prior to a Premier Men’s League game, due to the poor state of repair to the pitch. Repairs have been carried out but following an inspection by senior umpires and the club the pitch is still unfit. Praise was given to the club for the way they have managed and communicated the issue, which given the number of teams they run has not been a small job.

2.6 Pelicans fine

Following there being an extension of the date for clubs to pay the League Entry Fee Pelicans Ladies had asked for an extension to notifying League Managers of their captains details after they had been issued with a fine. Their request was politely declined.

2.7 Transfer Policy

There was agreement for League Managers to work closer together regarding the transfer policy.

2.8 Team Withdrawals

A number of teams in the bottom divisions had withdrawn from the league due to lack of players.

2.9 League Managers Round Up

Samantha Menear had decided to resign her roles as League Manager in the EML and as Budget Officer but had decided to continue in her role as League Manager in the EWL. Following Samantha’s decision to give up these positions PS, CG and CB had decided to step up into 4, 5 and 6SE respectively and PS and Trevor Williams had volunteered to step up into the Budget Officers role.

RP thanked SM for her enormous contribution to in both EML and Budget Officers role; this was echoed by the rest of the committee.

JG (EWL Prem) all going well, raised a question about teams with first aid kits and what teams should have following an incident. The general feeling was that it is the home team’s responsibility. NL took up to have a look at the England Hockey guidelines.

SM (EWL 2 NE & NW) Sudbury had conceded one game at Div 2 level. SM also reported that she had experienced a few problems chasing fines following not receiving captain’s details. Other managers reported that using League Rule 2.3 usually resolved the problem.

RP (EWL 1 N & S) Havering reported that the behaviour of the crowd at Letchworth not being acceptable.

BH (EML 3-5 NW) No problems.

PS (EML 1, 2 N & S, 3 & 4 SE) Had a transfer issue from a national league club, just reminded the committee the need for the player to ensure that the National League club needed to deregister that player.

DB (EML 3-6NE) Opposition playing at UEA Sportspark had been charged 60p to each person to enter the site. NL to write to the home clubs involved.

RN (EML Prem A & B) No problems.

BK (EVL) is struggling for team numbers, due to veteran’s teams supporting other club teams. If Ipswich and Shefford and Sandy do not enter there may not be enough teams to warrant a league next season.

3. League Structure and Organisation

3.1 Team Numbers/Names

There have been issue (i.e. St Albans Citizens or Brentwood Academy) where it is not immediately clear, when a club has two teams in the same division and where one is named and the other is numbered, who the senior team is and what penalties should be applied if one of those teams concedes a game.

It was agreed that next season when clubs have named teams they will have to declare their teams in order of strength.

4. Finance

4.1 Budget Officers Role

It was agreed that Trevor Williams would act in the Budget Officers role and would help the committee in developing and implementing on-line invoicing method regarding affiliation fees. The process would follow the principle that clubs will enter their team details on-line by end of May (as they do now). The affiliation fee’s will be agreed at the League AGM in June (as they are now) and a short time following that the on-line invoices will be ready for the clubs to print off and pay by a specific date.

This will then give the opportunity to have a fixed deadline for clubs to adhere to and will take away the perceived unfairness that clubs feel where the league start dates are staggered. Also this process will improve the management of who has/hasn’t printed off their invoice and paid.

The committee agreed in principle to this specific change and could imagine the benefits to both the clubs and the committee.

5. Umpiring

5.1 Norfolk Pool

NL reported he had had a conversation with P Gallop of Norfolk CHUA. The CHUA were currently experiencing difficulty with clubs putting club umpires forwards to neutral appointments in Div 3NE (under East League Rule 5.1.2). NL advised that the aim of doing so was admirable. If clubs were struggling to provide umpires for Div 3NE games and there was a feeling that umpire numbers in general were falling then perhaps it is best for NCHUA to approach the clubs via the County Association to come up with a better solution.

BK stated in the meeting that some clubs in North Norfolk were willing to supply umpires but could not commit to them travelling, as they were player umpires.

It was agreed that this problem would be better resolved within county.

6. Discipline

6.1 Red’s and Yellow Cards

Richard Munns reported that so far this season there had been:

	EML	EWL
Red Cards	2	0
Yellow Card	228	48

7. Rules

7.1 3G pitches

During the meeting with England Hockey NL had been reminded that the regulations regarding FIH approved 3G pitches had been revised in 2010, and the sentence relating to leagues managing which divisions could use 3g pitches in had been withdrawn and EH had described which divisions 3g pitches could be used.

At the England Hockey meeting NL and the representative of the South Men’s League stated that the England Hockey website still referred to the regulations approved in 2009. It was also widely agreed that 3G pitches were not good for the progress of hockey and it was accepted that there was a contradiction in the regulations because England Hockey have stated that 3G pitches could not be used in England Hockey competitions.

Following on from that meeting Royston HC (who use the sand based pitch at Bassingbourn Army Barracks and the 3G pitch at the Meridian School) will have the Bassingbourn facility withdrawn from their use, as the whole barracks site is going to be going through a two year refurbishment program.

After a discussion NL was asked to liaise with Royston to ask them to try to organise a friendly on the 3G pitch at the highest level they can, so that the committee can re-assess the playability of the surface.

8. Presentation Day and AGM

RN reported that the AGM and presentation day went according to plan. He was still amazed and disappointed at the amount of division winners who did not attend the presentation part.

The task was now on to find a suitable venue for this season’s event. Date would be the second Sunday in June (10^th June).

9. East Management

RP had attended an East Management meeting the key point of feedback is that EH now have two Relationship Managers appointed to the East, Laura Swanson looking after the north of the region and Charlie Farrow looking after the south.

10. Any other business

10.1 It was asked if the Fines Pro-forma could be placed on the manager’s page of the website. NL needed an electronic copy of it and he would then speak to TW.

There being no further business the meeting was closed.

Next meeting would be 19^th January, venue to be confirmed.