ERHA Performance Group Exec Meeting
16 September 2005,
Wyboston Conference & Training Centre
1. Present:
John Hendy (Chair)
Steve Baker
Phil Hurst
Ian Le Page
2. Apologies Received:
Neil Deans
Sarah Fretwell
3. Introduction:
JH opened the meeting by highlighting the huge strides that have taken place in the last 12 months and outlining the exciting opportunities that lie ahead.
The meeting agreed to the date, time and location of future meetings. Friday night, 7:30 pm start at Wyboston - approx 12 days prior to East management meetings.
· Management dates since announced – so Performance Group dates will be – 16 Sept 2005, 25nd November 2005, 10 March 2006 and 28 April 2006
The chair also announced that he would not be in office beyond the 2007 AGM and it was agreed by all present that we must ensure that a succession was in place for all positions within the performance group. Our continued success is wholly dependent on the continued growth and development that new ideas and new blood can and will bring to the group at all levels.
4. Publication of Minutes:
It was agreed that, from this meeting onward, Exec minutes would be posted on the East Hockey website as requested by the management group. In addition other documents of interest would be posted as part of a developing/current info performance web-site e.g. Contact lists, Squad lists, Camp reports, photos, discussion papers, competition results, national squad honors etc
5. Group Communication, liaison and roles:
There was a open discussion about the Performance Group, the East Coaching & Youth set-up and other related organisations.
In summary, it was agreed that -
o it is of paramount importance to ensure that liaison with the Competitions and Development Groups was maintained at all times
§ there are natural areas of cross-over where two-way communication is essential.
§ It was noted that there are also clear boundaries where the 3 groups had sole responsibility.
o It is essential that regular communication between Performance and Management be maintained.
o Whilst It is important to have a good liaison with England Hockey (World Class Unit), it is stressed that this should not hamper the Performance Group’s planned progress i.e. we must ensure that our programmes are established and sustainable before trying to integrate other schemes.
The following structure was agreed – subject to acceptance by the persons selected:
§ Chair & Squad Manager liaison (John Hendy)
§ Secretary (Sarah Fretwell TBC)
§ Performance Group Senior Coach & Coach-technical advisor (Steve Baker)
§ Squad Sports Science liaison & Individual Development Prog (Ian Le Page)
§ Think Tank co-ordinator (Neil Deans)
§ Squad and East performance programme Kit (Phil Hurst)
6. Current Issues –
6.1 U15/U17 Squads 2005:
SB reported no known concerns from the Coaches / Managers.
ILP to publish details on the East website of the 4 squads, once known and announced to players.
PH to ensure that all kit issues are resolved.
6.2 Camps 2005 Feedback:
LP reported the Camps had been an overwhelming success.
Two main changes being implemented –
1) focus on individual development and
2) a young person centred approach off the pitch.
Other significant changes included the introduction of “Leaders” in to the staff structure; which was also highly successful.
The Camps achieved gender equality for the first time.
Stats: approx 500 attendees, 40+ staff, and turnover of £80K+.
A full report will be produced with a full list of recommendations.
Two were highlighted at this stage:
§ 1. The quality of all the staff was phenomenal.
§ We have a substantial human resource pool of highly competent and confident individuals at various stages on the development path.
§ The East has an unique opportunity and a duty to enhance and offer back support and investment to this group by providing them with Continual Professional Development.
§ We stress that this group includes Managers, Welfare Officers, Sports Therapists, Leaders and Coaches.
§ We recommended and request that a budget of at least this year’s H’bury ‘surplus’ is provided for and ploughed back into a CPD scheme for the development of performance group staff.
§ Without this we will fail to hit the basic standards and certifications that we require of the staff for the 2006 camps and for the 2007 squads.
§ We can provide much of our own resources for coach education from within the Performance group and, handled this way, we can act quickly and inexpensively.
§ We have 40+ enthusiastic individuals for whom and in whom we can invest with confidence for the future.
§ 2. The Individual Development aspect of the camps was a resounding success.
§ This must now fit into an overall East Scheme with “player pathways” clearly defined.
§ We recommend, and have already begun work on, a scheme of yearly individual development programmes for our young performers, in which the camps are but a part, for launch in January 2006.
7. Future Direction - The Development of the East Performance Scheme:
Introduction of an overall scheme – ILP indicated that a change of mindset was now required.
It is insufficient to just run squads and camps and expect wholly developed players to emerge. The ethos we have followed requires all of the programmes to linked into one overall East Scheme that flows throughout the year and seamlessly from year to year. At present we have a disjointed program that jerks unsteadily from squad assessment to squad assessment.
It will be based on a 12 month rolling / spiralling system of programmes and it will focus on individual development. This will not necessarily involve more contact, but will be a more holistic approach and will include an increase in guidance / education, involve the family, school, club and other player support mechanisms and will touch on and affect all aspects of the player’s life.
The scheme is designed to have 4 levels of programmes:
Start (U12’s) containing approx 140 players 140
Potential (U13 and U14’s) containing approx 60 per age group 120
Performance (U13, U14, U15 and U17) containing approx 50 players per age group 200
EYE (East Youth Elite) ((U14, U15 and U17 - containing a handful of players) 20
Total – approx 480
(This reflects the number of youngsters who were nominated and selected to attend the Camps this year – a number that we feel is close to the maximum for an annual rolling programme) A shadow system for staff would also be created. Squad staff also have aspirations!
A full discussion will be held over the next 2 months, during which time JH will attend meeting with D Faulkner, and a more substantial report will be submitted to the December Management meeting
8. Other Issues -
8.1 East U21 Squads:
Whilst England Hockey continue to organise the events we will enter squads with the following provisos
1. The Squads will be self-funding,
2) There will be no preparation programme (due to player commitments) ie turn up and play.
3) Selection will be made appropriately i.e. not pick U17’s.
8.2 Calendar for 2006:
Calendar for 2005 agreed with Competition Group, including U14 Boys for 2006.
SB to co-ordinate squad dates and East Calendar for 2006 for all other squads.
§ East / East Performance group will write to UK Lions informing them that
· we wish them to have no involvement with our players and
· we will not be involved in any nomination process or information passing to them.
§ East performance group will write to all players for whom this may be an issue informing them of our concerns.
§ All East individuals who have any concerns MUST formally feed them back to Cath Arter, England Hockey as this is their legal duty and obligation.
9. Performance appointments for 2006:
For the sake of continuity positions will not be re-advertised for 2006. They will be based on the 2005 appointments, however there will inevitably be some minor adjustments.
The process will be, in most circumstances, to appoint the Head Coach first. They would then have a strong voice as to who the Manager and Assistant Coach would be. However, it was agreed that these should come from within the pool of personnel now quality assured through their involvement in the Camp i.e. already mentored by the Performance Group Senior Coach.
The appointments were recommended, but prior to Management Group approval, all are TBC and confidential until accepted by the nominees.
10. Minimum Standards:
“Minimum Standards” will be introduced – WITHOUT EXCEPTION – for the appointments at the East Camps 2006 and East Squads 2007. See CPD requirements noted above.
Following the discussion about the introduction of the East Individual Development Scheme, the following East Kit policy was recommended:
1. All players involved with the scheme will have the opportunity, and will be expected, to purchase a Navy East Polo-shirt (undated and un-squadded) with their name on the back.
2. All players involved at the Performance level will have the opportunity, and will be expected, to purchase an East Tracksuit (navy, yellow motifs/piping)
3. Players involved in ANY East Representative Squad will have the opportunity, and will be expected, to purchase an East Rain-top and a ‘Hotel’ shirt ( Navy blue, dated and squadded on the front , named and squad numbered on the back)
4. All players will provide navy playing shorts/skirt and
5. Squad managers will provide squad members with yellow socks as part of the tournament fee..
6. The East will purchase a set of yellow and a set of white shirts for each squad, together with GK smocks – all of which will be numbered – 1to16 (nos 1 and 16 being theGKs) These remain with the Manager as property of the East.
7. It is possible that an annual white T shirt (with players name on back and programme (start, potential, performance, eye) and year on the front. This would be useful as an alternate colour to the navy for practice games and easier to organised than an annual Camp shirt.
8. Items 1,2,3,4, and 7 could be dealt with as east merchandise through a suppliers web site.
PH – to present new designs with costs from various suppliers for Exec Group to decide upon.
12. Next Meeting:
§ Next meeting Friday 25 Nov, 7:30, Wyboston