IWHC - Meeting April 2016 - Officer Reports

IWHC - meeting April 2016 - Officer reports

Chairman

We are drawing to the end of what, in my view, is a successful playing season.

From my experience there is a good team spirit within each team.

However this sense of belonging and goodwill does not seem to permeate beyond each team. Each seems to operate as a separate unit, with little communication across teams. There is a sense of suspicion about motives and decisions made relevant to teams which are not "one's own".

I believe a large element of this is due to not having a club house where players can gather after playing away; a place to share experiences, disappointments and successes. There have been times when teams have been pitch-side, supporting others, but that doesn't seem to carry over into a meeting place after games.

The men have had infrequent, but useful selection meetings. These gave the opportunity to share views, even if there was disagreement. At least individual player's performance was discussed, and options considered. I have seen a lot of quality hockey skills shown in the side I umpire. I wonder if that talent has been recognised, discussed, or used by the First team. Again, it raises the question, is there enough inter-team communication?

As Chairman I have tried to "bridge" various factions and disagreements. I am aware of the privilege of being in this role. I am humbled by the trust members place on me. I have remained neutral and often put another party's views to explain a situation. This has usually been successful. However, there has been an occasion when I expressed a differing view, that I was accused of being "too close" to a certain team.

The men's ones have been accused of arranging exclusive socials. But then, as far as I'm aware, that's a good thing. I, myself, am looking forward to a Ladies' 2s social. I believe the men's 2s are doing something similar.

The Social Committee has worked hard to arrange activities to suit all members. They sought views on what members would like to be offered. Here were opportunities to meld the club together. If members choose not to attend, that is their choice, and no fault of the organisers. Opportunities for extended socialising have been missed by members. If something specific to younger ones, or even "more mature ones", is needed, make the group aware of what is wanted. They are not mind readers. I appreciate their sorting of the Presentation Dinner, and am looking forward to it.

In umpiring the Ladies' 2s, it's no news to Aly, that I have missed the social after match, side of the sport. Do the Ladies' 1s meet? I don't know. Both men's teams socialise after a game; an opportunity to reflect on the match and individual performances.

Continuing with a lack of communication...... neither the Treasurer, nor Secretary seems to have up-to-date records of payments or membership. Most men's details are up-to-date, but I am led to believe there are gaps in the ladies' details. The latest situation will be revealed, hopefully, at this final committee meeting. We will then know if potentially efficient systems, put in place at the beginning of the year, have worked.

HSK April 2016

Secretary

Well it’s been an interesting season, but in general things have run fairly smoothly until as seems to be the norm, the AGM information is issued - see later

I have passed all information on to the relevant committee members and as far as I know it has been dealt with. As always getting reports for meetings is a last minute chase round - it just makes it so much easier for the minutes and also to speed up the meetings.

Kate has prepared a letter to be sent to the Hampshire Ladies League Secretary regarding starred players. I would also suggest that we send a letter to the Hants Men’s League Secretary as last year regarding the start times in relation to our travel - it seems to affect the 2s more as the lower teams are usually given either early or late starts.

Hampshire

The Hampshire Ladies AGM is on the 9th May and the Hampshire HA AGM is on 21st June - both at Trojans.

England Hockey AGM was in March and I sent apologies on behalf of the Club.

A couple of points that seem to occur every year is the lack of members willing to take on committee roles and the lack of communication .

I would like to suggest that our IWHC members’ Facebook page is restricted to just that (not all the members are on the facebook page and those on the page are not all members) - members only, as we have the other page for non-members to get in touch and also our webpage for people to find out about us. I don’t think that we should let everyone see some of the messages that are posted, in particular the youngsters and their parents. It is not a good advert for the club.

I fail to understand why some people are getting so fired up and negative about the club and its rules. People sign up for membership and sign a declaration that they will abide by and comply with the club rules etc, but of course they don’t actually read the T and Cs and then suddenly decide that they are not what they want when AGM time comes around. It seems to happen every year despite notice of the meeting this year being given on the 1st March. However, hopefully, the committee will agree that we have correct ways of changing the Constitution and that must be adhered to.

I would also like to record the fact that I do not have a full list of members and their contact information as it goes to the Treasurer and does not get to me; so I would like to suggest that all membership forms are directed through the Secretary in future, so that a complete record can be kept.

The other concerning matter is the lack of any development and how we can take the club forward. There are a lot of youngsters going to training, but we need to ensure that we keep their interest and offer them some competitive hockey or they will lose interest.

AMA

Treasurer

Fixture Secretaries

I believe that it was not a bad season for fixtures, Ryde School teachers caused an unorganised spell before Christmas which Jackie (Ryde School Admin) and I quickly sorted out but not without heart failure a few times! I have asked Andrew (Ryde School Bursar) about the dugouts but he stated that a parent offered to repair them and that is where it stopped. I believe the Ryde School parents have complained about this too and I can email again if you need me to. Obviously, there was also a lot of issues re lights which made life harder but seem to have settled down. Jackie at Ryde School has been brilliant, I cannot thank her enough for organising the teachers and our fixtures. Not a lot more to say than that. I do have a request re a change of time for the men's training in September, could the men start at 6.30 and finish when the ladies do at 8, this would mean that Ryde Saints could use the pitch after us. New rules mean that different sports are not allowed to share the pitch, so no hockey one end and football the other, it has to be the same sport so Jackie informed me. Please let me know if this is okay or not and I will inform Jackie.

Nicky

Ladies Club Captain

The ladies season has seen a mixed bag of results however I think we have by far exceeded expectations in our club development.

We have had significant movements of players in and out of the club which has made fielding two teams challenging at certain times in the season. I know many smaller clubs are beginning to question the starring system Hampshire have and certainly the fact that 9 of our 1st XI are unable to ever be available for the 2nd XI has certainly been frustrating - especially as it doesn’t appear to stop other larger clubs from playing illegible players. However, thanks to the hard work of Kate and Aly we have got to the end of the season with both teams retaining their league positions and a club’s side of both players looking to earn a place at Hampshire finals day.

The triumph lies in the significant numbers of junior players we can boast in both the 1st XI and 2nd XI. Whilst the coaching of Jon is an obvious factor, it is without doubt due to the presence of the ladies – Kate, Aly, myself, Kirsty (when she can) and Mackensie - on Monday nights that the ‘jump’ up to 2nd XI hockey is no longer viewed as a big step because we are familiar faces. As such we have seen the influx of the u14 squad eager to be playing on Saturday as soon as they turn 13. I can only thank the girls for giving up even more of their time and say how incredibly proud I am of the set-up we have put in to motion.

Onwards and upwards!

Looking to next season our biggest challenge is going to be umpiring. With Neil’s news that he is stepping away from the club, the Ladies 1st XI are now in a difficult situation. We have to have a qualified umpire for our fixtures so this needs to be addressed as a matter of urgency. Jon and Adam are happy to help on the odd weekend however I know Jon will want to support the junior girls on their journey into senior hockey and likewise Adam will not want to give up a huge number of playing opportunities. I have mentioned this in the hockey circles and ‘getting Harry qualified is easy’ is the number one response or ‘we don’t need umpires’ or ‘I hate umpiring’. As per normal NOBODY wants to step up - this is fairly obvious with the silence Aly’s regular pleas were met with on a normally pretty vocal Facebook page! We need as a club to begin to recognise that without umpires we CANNOT play. Umpires do not last forever and certainly we cannot expect Derrick and Harry to give up every weekend just because players just want to turn up and play. If each team had a number of qualified players, who on home games can rotate to support other teams, then it would be very rare for anyone to be asked to miss playing opportunities. I think we need to find ways of making the job appealing - perhaps through cheaper match fees on days when you umpire – but also stress the importance and necessity.

Finally I would like to finish on a big thank you. Nicky Richardson has had the unenviable task of communicating with Ryde School on a regular basis and I know has found the role of Fixtures Secretary (for both sides of the club) time consuming, frustrating and exhausting. I am incredibly impressed that she hasn’t ended losing it at times because that is testament to her lovely nature. I don’t think people fully appreciate what goes on behind the scenes and rarely say a big enough thank you. So from me and the ladies a huge thank you and I hope you can wake up on match days without panicking that pitches aren’t booked or that Ryde School will have ignored our bookings!

Men’s Club Captain

Let’s start with the good bits – overall a good solid season for both men’s sides, who both sustained a promotion challenge but both we’re pipped at the end, with the 1s just missing out on points, and the 2s fate effectively sealed by a plainly ridiculous decision by the Hampshire League Secretary.

Unfortunately, that’s about it for good news this season.

As colleagues will know by now, I am not seeking re-election as men’s section captain. I have an increase in workload due to a new job and far less spare time to commit to the role. I have enjoyed my two years in post, but the club is not heading in the direction I had hoped and it is time someone else is given an opportunity. I wish the incoming Men’s Section Captain luck.

On the field, we still have issues regarding the non-selection of some 2s players to play in the 1s. There was also the situation with the 2s captain resigning and moving up to the 1s which caused a huge knock on effect to the 2s, resulting in them losing an outfield player and a driver when resources were already very limited and saw them go out short a number of times. It also resulted in the club losing a valued member, and indirectly the 1st XI coach. The situation could have been handled much better.

When I came into post, I envisaged a men’s section that worked together, that gave opportunities to every member, which socialised together and supported each other and did not have any political bias. Sadly, we have a fractured section with two teams effectively playing as two separate clubs, a lack of opportunities, no effective selection, a lack of social opportunities and ongoing political biases.

An effective men’s section should work together, players should regularly move between teams to make training viable and ensure ongoing progress, and no one - I repeat - no one, should not be considered for a team. The phrase ‘not good enough’ is not an excuse but is used almost on a weekly basis and discriminating against fully paid up members by deliberately not picking them when short, and more often than not calling on non-members to play, is absolutely unacceptable, yet is has again continued this season despite assurances in September that it would not. I have been involved in a number of sports clubs down the years, and I have never, ever known a club pick non-members over members on such a regular basis.

Hockey is an expensive sport and it is simply not fair people are not given a chance to play despite paying their money or turning up to training every week. If we were a club of 5 men’s teams, it wouldn’t be an issue, but we are not, and the first XI need to accept that the second XI players are the ones to step up when needed regardless of who they are. The 1st XI choosing to play a friendly with 10 players, rather than ask some members of the 2s to play, is a shocking example of this.