East Youth Competitions Committee

 

Minutes of the Committee meeting held on March 14th postponed from February 8th 2007.

 

Present: L. Bant. Chair, F. Wheeler Secretary, B. Barr Lincs(b), K.Boulter Suffolk (b&g), S. Tippen Cambs (b&g), D. Menear Essex (g), K. Edwards Norfolk (g), David Hill Norfolk (b), Graeme Welch Herts (b)and C.Farrow East Development Officer.

Apologies were received from: J. Wood Herts (g), J.Pagliaro Beds (b), and P. Bellehew (Umpires).

 

1.The Minutes were agreed by those who had been present at the previous

   meeting and signed.

2. Matters arising.  It was thought that the Womens’ Championships were to be

   at Chelmsford.  The East Summer Camps are to take place at Culford. Child

  Welfare issues  were to come up later in the meeting.

3. Correspondence . Sheila George had sent an e-mail complaining about the

    state of the venue for the U15 Girls League Finals  league day at UEA. This

    will be passed on to the Sportspark for comment.

4. C. Farrow updated the Committee on Welfare issues. Alison Hogg was now

    in charge of this. A new welfare book containing  all the paper work and

    procedures that are now required  will be published in May.  

    C. Farrow gave a presentation on the running of the Mini Competitions now

    we had Yazoo as sponsors.  A Youth panel is to be set up to organise the

    festivities which will be provided at each venue.  Clothing will be provided

    for the Youth Umpires and Leaders.  Not all of this is available this year due

    to a lack of time and the early  dates of the East rounds.  Programmes will be

    provided.  There was some unease amongst Committee members that there

    was to be no money towards pitch costs.  The Youth panel would work with

    the Committee for next season’s Minis. 

5. Reports: England and East -  dealt with above.  There was no report from the

    Umpires although there was subsequently an e-mail from B. Pollard  with a

    comment from P.Bellehew that there were too many fixtures for boys and

    girls on the same day which meant that the Young umpires would be playing

    and unable to umpire.  He also wondered why we chose Mother’s Day for the

    U13 minis. 

6.  Norfolk produced Programmes for the U21s on April 22nd and entries were

     confirmed.

7. Next Season’s calendar.  The Draft Calendar had been sent to all Committee

    members for their perusal before the meeting.  England’s decision to have

    regional training for U14,U15, U16and U17 players on 4 dates in March and 

April has meant that the season for both the Boys and Girls County Competitions has had to be completed before December.  The proposals have been sent back to the counties for discussion. 

Boys Schools Competition . L. Alcock of the England Competitions Committee has suggested that all the matches except the Finals be played mid week on a single match basis.  A suggestion was put forward that the quarter finals be played on this basis, but that the semi-finals and finals of the East round be played on a Sunday.

Indoor There have been three week-ends set aside for these.  The proposal for the girls is that a week-end is used, whilst the boys prefer the first two Sundays.

The Costs of this competition this year led the boys to want to return to Bedford, whist the girls will hope to go to Colchester.  The Secretary is to work on this.

 

Girls’ Representatives meeting

Competitions report.  The Competitions secretary gave a written report with the latest results on.  Suffolk girls who had won the U13 league  were congratulated. However, The u13,u14 and u15 leagues had suffered as the Lincs teams for those age groups had withdrawn.  This had led to other teams travelling a long way for just one game.  It was put forward that there may have to be a system of fines put in for next year.  There was also concern expressed that the Lincs girls Representative had not been present at any of this year’s meetings.

Written reports were provided by Essex, Cambs and Suffolk with Herts sending one by e-mail to all Committee Members.

Essex listed the achievements of the Essex teams with the U15 and U17 County teams representing the East in April. Our good wishes go to them.

Cambs.  The U16/u17 B Tournament has been arranged for march 18th at the Leys school.  They are also worried about the rule  awarding a team a 3-0 win if the match does not take place. This can be discussed at the next meeting.  Their Community Coach is having a one day training day for County /Regional players in April.

Suffolk were pleased that their U13 won the league.  David Walsh and Ian reed are standing down from their administrative posts . Sapphire Cutting is trying to find volunteers to take up the posts.

Herts. Herts detailed their results and the fact that trials for u15 and u17 would take place in April/May.

 

Boys representatives.

The Competitions report was given out and also the costs of the Indoor.  The member for Herts wondered if the East could provide more help with the costs although a subsidy of £150 had been given. It was also suggested that a return to Bedford would be less expensive an option to be investigated. 

Reports were handed out by: -

Essex , who listed their results and the appointment of Stuart Hendy as their Hockey Development Officer.

Cambs who are very proud of Perse Boys who became the U16 National Boys Indoor Champions.

Lincs. Lincs are worried by the number of young umpires passing their exams but are rarely available to umpire at the league fixtures. (see Umpires report).

Beavers and badgers Competitions have been played but they are not as well attended as hoped for with a lack of volunteers from the clubs.  After 12 years Barry Barr is to retire as Lincs secretary and Competitions Representative.  We wish him well in his new abode.

Herts Details for next season’s trials were given as well as thanking the coaches of the u11,u12 and u13 squads training for their respective festivals.

Suffolk who were proud of Ipswich Boys who won the u18 National Boys Indoor Championship. 

 

Thanks were given to Sally Tippen  who hosted the meeting at the Cambs Hockey and Tennis Club

The meeting finished at 9.00pm

 

The next Meeting is on April 25th  at the University of Cambridge Sports Ground.