Black Gold League
Annual General Meeting
May 10, 2014
1.0 Attendance
Glen Dennis (President BGL), Sandra Fenton (Treasurer BGL), Jackie Reich (Vice President BGL), Brian Davis (Scheduler BGL), Lana Fix (Statistician BGL), Gary Lovegren (Hinton), Stacey Stahl (Hinton), Todd McDonald (SPRA), Darren Poole (SPRA), Jen Rogers (SPRA), Darcy Brown (Red Deer), Trevor Boe (Fort McMurray), Pam Horn (Leduc), Ron Pischke (Drayton Valley), Linda Gillespie (Zone 5 AA), Jackie Shimko (Beaumont), Janice Tymkow (Pembina), Kyla George (Pembina), Brian Hoyano (EFCLRA), Kelly Keylor (EFCLRA / ERC), Marilyn Alexander (SGRA), Ronda Kew (SGRA / BGL), Sylvie Dubois (FSRA), Reverdi Darda (SARA)
Guest Speaker: David Meyers, Ringette Alberta
2.0 Meeting Called to Order
-9.05am by Glen Dennis
3.0 All members introduced themselves.
4.0 Additions made to 2014 Agenda
-Clarification around BGL critical dates for 2014-2015. (Jackie Reich)
5.0 Review of 2013 BGL AGM Minutes
-Copies of minutes were distributed to all members in attendance. No amendments were made.
MOTION:
Move to adopt the Minutes from the 2013 BGL AGM.
Moved: Kelly Keylor
Second: Brian Davies
All in Favour – Carried
6.0 1st Call for Nominations
President: Glen Dennis is nominated. Glen accepts. Moved Jackie Reich and seconded Brian Hoyano.
Vice President: Jackie Reich resigns after finishing term.
Kelly Keylor is nominated. Kelly accepts. Moved Glen Dennis and seconded Jackie Reich.
Secretary: Melissa Scott not in attendance; position open for nomination.
No nominations.
Treasurer: Sandra Fenton is nominated. Sandra accepts. Moved Brian Davies and seconded Brian Hoyano.
RAB Zone 5 Rep: Todd McDonald resigns after finishing term.
Darren Poole is nominated. Darren accepts. Moved Todd McDonald and seconded Jackie Shimko.
7.0 Executive Report
President (Glen Dennis)
Glen was happy with his first year as BGL President.
There is a need for policy updates with all the changes that have occurred with the Zone Structure, Alberta Winter Games and policy updates from Ringette Alberta. There will be recommended changes to the BGL Operating Procedures to be discussed and approved at the August Board meeting. Please see written report.
Glen wanted it noted that Vice President, Jackie Reich, was a valuable mentor and a huge support for him and her leadership will be missed by not only him but all of the BGL membership.
Vice President (Jackie Reich)
Not many concerns this year in regards to communication between the BGL Board and the Zone 5 Associations. The Association Representatives to Zone 5 (BGL) did a very good job.
We had two coaching suspensions this past season. It was noted that we need to formalize the following procedures.
Need a more formal response from BGL to all members associated with the incident.
Need a better channel and more formal way of communicating with NAARA.
The channel of communication should be referred to Association RIC, to BGL, to NAARA to BGL. There is also a requirement that Ringette Alberta be notified as subsequent disciplinary action may be taken depending on the breach of the Code of Conduct.
See report.
Secretary (Melissa Scott)
Not in attendance.
No report.
Treasurer (Sandra Fenton)
Year End is April 30th.
We had (1) $500.00 fine assessed this year.
Revenue for BGL stayed static from the previous year.
Proposed new AGM date could be May 1, 2015.
BGL should keep moving forward with the honorarium for the BGL Statistician.
NAARA retainer is paid every year in advance of the season. BGL gets the retainer back once all the Associations have paid their NAARA invoice. Until this is achieved the retainer is consider an expense on the balance sheet.
Plamondon traveling costs for NAARA could move from $0.02 to $0.04 per km.
Medals
-Medals are supposed to go to U10 and U9 BGL divisions. BGL thought they had enough in inventory to cover.
-When the fourth pool of U10 was added and the re-pooling meeting this created a shortage of medals. None were ordered at that time. As a result, only U9 divisions got medals for the 2013-2014 playing season.
-Medals were also not procured for the winners of the U12-U19 divisions. As a result, no division winners from U12-U19 were awarded BGL medals.
-BGL has agreed to send an email to each of the winners from the U12-U19 BGL Divisions to determine if they want a medal from the 2013-2014 playing season. If so, BGL will make arrangements for a medal to be delivered to those Associations to pass on to their team.
-Medals will be awarded to the team that accumulates the most points after BGL league play is finished.
-Medals for Provincial Play-Downs will not be provided for by BGL. Provincial Play-Downs is a RAB initiative.
-The last purchase of medals cost BGL $3,513.00. Medals are about $4.50 / ea.
-Sandra Fenton would like to order medals in advance and inventory them.
-Would like no dates on medals so they can be used from year to year.
-U9 Divisions: all players receive a gold medal
-U10 Divisions: Gold and Silver medals awarded to first and second place in each division.
-Revised: U12 – U19 medal situation to be tabled to the August 2014 BGL meeting until there is a clearer understanding of how BGL league play will work with RAB Play-Downs.
MOTION: (Sandra Fenton)
BGL to have available gold medals for the U12-U19 Associations 2013-2014 division winners to be distributed to each Association at their discretion.
Moved: Jackie Reich
Second: Todd McDonald
All in Favour: Carried
Play-Down Ice Cost Balance
-BGL received and used ice from Fort Saskatchewan, Spruce Grove, St. Albert and Sherwood Park for theU10 Play-Downs.
-Play-Down balance should read zero on the balance sheet once all Associations submit their expenses. As of AGM date, Fort Saskatchewan still has not submitted Play-Down expenses.
RAB Play-Downs created a confused ending to the BGL season. Many of the play-downs occurred prior to the end of the regular season for BGL. BGL had no play-offs this past season.
Final balance sheet will be presented in the BGL Board meeting in August.
MOTION: (Sandra Fenton)
Move to accept the DRAFT Financials for the 2013 – 2014 BGL playing season.
Moved: Trevor Boe
Second: Glen Dennis
All in favour: Carried
BGL Scheduler (Brain Davies)
Nothing to report, the same scheduling format used for this past season will apply for the upcoming season.
Schedule of Important Dates:
See BGL Critical Dates Calendar 2014-2015 (tentative).
All Associations need a BGL point of contact.
Potential BGL regular season start date is Oct 1, 2014.
Potential Christmas black out date: Friday, Dec 19th to Friday, Jan 2nd.
BGL meetings for 2014-2105 season to be held at the Percy Page Building. It will be the BGL Secretary role to book the meeting rooms via RAB’s Kristen McWatters.
8.0 Coffee Break 10.30am – 10.45am
9.0 AA Playing in BGL
Zone 5 AA (Linda Gillespie) – all fine, nothing to report.
ERC AA (Kelly Keylor) – all fine, nothing to report.
Central – no representation, no report available.
MOTION: (Linda Gillespie)
- Move that the BGL registered U14AA teams to play within the U16A BGL division for the 2014-2015 playing season.
Moved: Lana Fix
Second: Kelly Keylor
All in favour: Carried
- Move that the BGL registered U16AA teams to play within the U19A BGL division for the 2014-2015 playing season.
Moved: Lana Fix
Second: Kelly Keylor
All in favour: Carried
Other discussion points:
Is there the potential to have the U14AA division teams play in their own division? There was consensus that the teams benefit from playing within the U16A Division as they play several other teams.
The Lacombe U12A team that moved up to the BGL U14A division at the November, 2013 re-pooling meeting did not fare well. The other U14A teams did not enjoy playing them and did not feel they offered adequate competition. Lacombe appreciated the support.
Re-pooling meeting:
-It is imperative that all the Associations have their team’s reports the scores.
-Is it possible to use the Universal Athletic Assessment (UAA) tool to help pool teams?
10.0Ringette Alberta (RAB) Update: (David Meyers)
RAB would like to continue to improve its communication with all of its contributing Associations.
Last year RAB hosted (3) meetings throughout the province with the various Ringette Associations. The agenda included discussions with respect to the implementation of the Long Term Athletic Development (LTAD) plan. As a result of these meetings, many recommendations have been set forth that RAB will now put together and present to all the Associations.
RAB has also been working on two other initiatives; Universal Athletic Assessment and Provincial Play-Downs.
Universal Athletic Assessment (UAA) and Provincial Play-Downs
With the initial trail implementation last season and after consulting with various Ringette Associations some recommendations have been made for the future implementation of UAA and the Provincial Play Down format. Here are some of the highlights of those recommendations.
-That U10, U12 and U14 with the exception of U14AA look to implement UAA for the 2015-2016 playing season. This should help with the competitive equity for league play, tournaments and provincials. Some thought will have to be given that both the northern and southern Alberta teams and leagues re-pool at the same time.
-Scoring ranges need to be set. Associations will have to send in their player UAA test results in a timely manner so RAB can establish score ranges. The question is what is that date? BGL potential start date for league play in Oct 1, 2014 and it could take up to two weeks for RAB to review all the Associations UAA results and finalize the team scoring ranges.
-RAB is considering using more of “Player readiness” versus a chronological date for U8, U9, and U10 players moving from one playing level to the next. The Association will look to RAB to set those guidelines to state when a player is ready to move from one playing level to the next.
-RAB is looking to implement a way of assigning teams in the U14A division who are too strong and offer a completive imbalance to the U14AA division. If a team does get moved from the U14A division to the U14AA division, then they can compete in the U14AA Provincials but not at the Westerns.
-RAB not to be responsible for advance or retreat process. Individual leagues will be responsible for this.
-At U10, there should be no full time goalies allowed. A goalie rotation should be instituted. At U12, a goalie can be used for no more than 50% of the games. At U14, full time goalies can be used.
-All Associations would like to see the best teams compete at Provincials.
-RAB to work to give more advance notice to Associations as to when the Provincial dates will be held and how many teams. RAB would like to see a year notice be given to all Associations of Provincial dates so more Associations can bid and retain ice for Provincial hosting.
-At Provincials, at the U12-U19 divisions to keep meaningful consolation games in place.
-When determining Play downs, RAB will be looking to give more consideration in creating pools that take into account the team league play standings and geography.
11.0Lunch was called at 12.15pm by Glen Dennis
12.0Reconvened at 12.35pm
13.0BGL Website (Rhonda Kew)
-Rhonda Kew reviewed the state of the current BGL website and what other options are available which included RAMP and Goal Line.
-It was determined that the current BGL web site was old and too hard to work with and did not offer enough technical support.
-After looking at both RAMP and Goal Line, Rhonda recommended that RAMP offered the appropriate type of web formatting and technical support. The initial set up with be $500.00 and the yearly maintenance fee would be $500.00. There is a chance should the BGL executive decide to add advertisements to the web site which would generate additional revenue. RAMP is a two year contract.
MOTION:
BGL to negotiate a contract with RAMP to create and support and new website for BGL as per the proposal made.
Moved: Glen Dennis
Second: Darcy Brown
All in favour: Carried
14.0Second Call for Nominations.
-No nominations received.
15.0BGL Operating Procedures Update (Glen Dennis)
-BGL will continue to refine and add policies to fit with the RAB Play-down format.
-BGL will refine and add new language to its policies for the league re-pooling format.
-BGL will look into what it can do to stop U9 games from starting too late.
MOTION:
To declare the August 26, 2014 meeting as a Special General Meeting to update the BGL Operating Policies and to approve the final financial statements.
Moved: Brian Hoyano
Second: Rhonda Kew
All in favour: Carried
16.0Third Call for Nominations
President: Glen Dennis
Vice President: Kelly Keylor
Secretary: Vacant
Treasurer: Sandra Fenton
Zone 5 RAB Rep: Darren Poole
BGL Scheduler: Brian Davis
BGL Statistician: Lana Fix
BGL RIC: Vacant (the BGL Board will work to clarify the duties and scope of this position)
-BGL to hold another meeting in later June to finalize BGL Critical Dates schedule.
17.0Association Round Table
Leduc:
-Tournament dates are Jan 9-11.
-Bid to host National in 2017.
Sherwood Park:
- Tournament dates are Nov 7-9.
Zone 5 AA:
-Going to create a U12 development program. Want to attend Zone 5 Association team practices.
-June 5, 2015 will be an Open house.
-Westerns to be held in Calgary this upcoming season and the U14AA division will be included.
Red Deer
-Tournament dates are Jan 2-4.
Beaumont
-Tournament dates are Oct 23-26.
St. Albert
-Turkey Ring dates are Oct 9-13
-Looking to possible host an AA tournament on the 1st or 2nd weekend of October. If this occurs there will not be a “AA” Division in the Turkey Ring.
-Frozen ring Tournament dates are Feb 6-8. This will include U12 divisions and down.
Fort McMurray
-Tournament dates are Nov 28-30
-Hosting CRC’s in April
-Working to host (3) NRL games during the Association tournament
-Floated the concept of having visiting teams come up to Fort McMurray for their homes games instead of using Plamondon. They will look to play multiple games and could help in the arrangement of hotel accommodations if required. Budget cost to rent a bus would be $2,700.00.
Fort Saskatchewan
-Nothing to report
Hinton
-Tournament dates are Jan 17-19.
Drayton Valley
-Tournament dates are Nov 21-23.
RAB
-Dave Meyers would be willing to attend any Association Board meeting if asked.
Spruce Grove
-Tournament dates are Feb 13-16.
Edmonton (EFCLRA)
-Tournament dates are Jan 30 – Feb 1.
Edmonton Ringette Club (ERC)
-Tournament dates are Nov 21-23
18.0Meeting Adjourned at 2.05pm
Moved: Glen Dennis
Second: Todd McDonald
Minutes Recorded By:
Kelly Keylor, Vice President
Next Meeting: August 26, 2014.
Glen Dennis, PresidentKelly Keylor, Vice President
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