DEVON HOCKEY UMPIRES ASSOCIATION
MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE MEETING
DATE: 14th August 2017
TIME: 7.30pm
VENUE: The Dolphin Inn, Bovey Tracey TQ13 9AL
PRESENT:
Bob Whitell (BW), Pete Hammond (PH), Richard Hill (RH),
Graham Woolcock (GW), Denise Aplin (DA), Matt Reynolds (MR),
Jackie Brooks (JB), Jamie Oxley (JO)
1. APOLOGIES:
Neil Foster (NF), Sam Tallowin (ST), Jon Drew (JD)
Before commencing the meeting BW brought everyone’s attention to the recent passing of Roger Reffell.
Roger had been a long serving umpire and was a Vice-President having also served for as President of DHUA some years ago.
He was a familiar face in Devon Hockey for a very long period and his contribution to DHUA and to hockey in Devon was significant.
DHUA will be represented by BW and other umpire colleagues at the funeral next week.
2. MINUTES FROM LAST MEETING:
Held on: 15th May 2017
Proposed: Graham Woolcock
Seconded: Richard Hill
3. MATTERS ARISING FROM MINUTES:
There were no matters arising from the Minutes
4. MATTERS ARISING FROM THE DHUA AGM HELD ON FRIDAY 19TH MAY 2017 AND ANY ACTIONS REQUIRED:
There were no matters arising from the AGM that required further discussion.
5. MATTERS TO BE BROUGHT TO THE ATTENTION OF THE COMMITTEE BY THE PRESIDENT:
a. Committee Organisation for new season:
Roles and responsibilities and dates for season calendar.
BW welcomed our new Committee Members. Bob explained that during the meeting there may be some roles and tasks discussed that will require members to oversee and take responsibility for.
Dates for Management Meetings for the season were agreed by the Committee.
b. Umpire Development: Including Youth Umpiring/Grant Request/Understanding of Roles:
BW asked RH to explain his new role within Devon Hockey.
JO explained that RH will looking to get courses for schools running to get those that might be interested in umpiring.
BW expressed the view that DHUA should try to support this and that we would need the dates of the proposed tournaments/festivals so that we can plan the required support for the young umpires. Martyn Harvey will oversee this aspect as part of his new role.
Grant request: JO asked if DHUA would be willing to contribute funding to Young Umpiring . It would be used in the main to purchase resources for umpiring. It was proposed by BW and seconded by GW that we set aside a budget of £2000. This was agreed by the meeting.
It was discussed that as part of an incentive for young umpires that we provide them with an umpire’s shirt separate from the normal style. RH will to investigate potential kit for the young umpires.
c. Devon Primary Festival – Sponsorship request
Nothing to report
d. New Membership update:
BW informed the meeting that Paddy Porter has retired from umpiring and has thanked him for all he has contributed to DHUA.
Andy Butcher and Peter Filewod have also retired from active umpiring this season. BW has also sent messages of gratitude to them.
e. Cornwall HUA/Tournament – support request
GW attended some games and offered support to some Cornwall umpires and they really appreciated this. Subsequently Cornwall HUA has asked if we could support a tournament. Unfortunately this is not possible and we suggested that they should come and watch a NPUA game. We are offering Cornwall Umpires some involvement in our forthcoming Tournament.
BW emphasised that as an Association we should welcome opportunities to work with, and sometimes support, other HUAs when it is possible to do so.
f. Website Enhancement
MR informed the meeting that there is some enhancements for the website that we need to agree upon as a Committee because of the financial implications.
· Enhancement 1: A new L1 Assessment Form:
Cost £350. All agreed to go ahead with this improved resource.
· Enhancement 2: Security of system update:
Cost £340 for the 1st year and £60 each year thereafter. It was agreed that security was a priority consideration and that we should split the cost 50/50 with DHA.
MR will go ahead and order these.
BW thanked MR for his willing efforts as our new Webmaster.
g. The Club Agreement/Update on club matters
MR explained the Club Agreement to the committee and pointed out that some clubs would see a difference to their club status this year.
MR is working on a review of the Club Agreement and will bring recommendations to the next meeting. This will be applied in the 2018/19 season.
JO asked could we get the UDOs to work together on this and to possibly meet and try and see if they can get more fixtures covered.
It was also mentioned that 55 umpires have become inactive this season.
BW informed the meeting that he is in the process of arranging the UDO Meeting to cover these matters.
h. Discipline Update
There was an incident in Cornwall involving a Devon Club and other personnel. BW has written to England Hockey expressing concern about the subsequent process. England Hockey wrote to the West and as yet there is no response!
Teign HC:BW received a letter from the Chairman of Teign HC.
The Club has applied internal disciplinary measures in response to our concerns.
Plymouth University HC:BW wrote a detailed letter to Club officials in February/March 2017 expressing our concerns re behavior on/off the pitch and the poor response to supporting umpiring provision. After a further reminder BW received letter from their new chairman indicating that the Club will try and address the issues outlined.
BW explained that all Clubs were reminded twice during the season about Club and individual responsibilities related to the England Hockey Respect document.
JO asked about could we do something about spectators being on the same side as the teams. BW indicated that this would be included in the UDO Meeting as a suggestion for improving matters in the future.
i. DHA Awards Evening:
Nothing to report.
j. DHUA: Kit update:
JD is looking into the possible provision of before/after the game polo shirts.
GW had been contacted by another local supplier re. our clothing needs and suggested that this supplier could be considered re.the polo shirt.
k. Devon Tournament: organisation update
Ladies Tournament: Saturday 2nd September
Mens Tournament: Sunday 3rd September
· Ladies draw will go on to the website Tuesday 15th August..
· Timings for each tournament 9 – 5pm
· Teams who are starting at 9am will need to come changed as changing rooms are not opening until 9am.
· BW thanked JO for hosting the tournament.
· JO hopeful the camera system will be up and running and working for the tournament.
· Pitches are close together so will try to use 2 different types of whistle.
· All documents will be on the website for clubs to see.
· Penalty Shuffles will be used instead of flicks.
6. REPORTS FROM COMMITTEE MEMBERS AND CHAIRS OF SUB- COMMITTEES:
Secretary:
Nothing to report.
Treasurer:
JB is to work with MR regarding the fees for the forthcoming Tournament.
All umpire appointment fees have been paid by all in the Exeter Mixed summer league.
£30,000 in the bank account at the moment
1 club has not paid for 2nd half of the season
1 club has not paid for the 1st half of the season
Bournemouth still to pay £25 for umpire appointment
After the passing of Roger Reffell it was noted that there was £88 remaining in unclaimed expenses. It was agreed by all that DHUA should donate this money to charity and BW will follow this up with RR’s family.
Membership Secretary:
Report attached by DA
Chief Coach:
Report attached by PH
Level 1 Umpires Course Coordinator:
We have 4 courses booked next season, 2 in Exeter & 2 in Plymouth.
BW is going to be running a course in Bridgwater which could be useful to some Devon Clubs.
Appointments Secretary:
GW reported that not many clubs have been requesting umpires for pre-season friendly games.
GW informed the meeting that he will be on holiday from 8th to 25th September and PH will oversee the appointments in his absence.
BUCS Appointments Secretary:
BW will be away from 20th September to10th October…he will organise BUCS appointments for October in advance and PH/GW will make any amendments necessary for the first week of those games.
Disciplinary officer:
Nothing to report
DHA Representative Report:
Nothing to report, apart from enquiring as to who is going to replace KD on the West Council. BW to reply to this.
Devon Forum Representative:
Nothing to report
West Representative:
PH informed the meeting that West is still struggling to operate as they have no chairman or welfare officer they are trying but not a lot is happening.
Webmaster:
MR has suggested that we cut the time to input availability into the website from 14 days to 10 days. This was agreed as a useful amendment.
7. ANY OTHER BUSINESS:
BW informed the meeting that England Hockey has sent out a couple of documents regarding transgender umpires, and players BW to put on the website.
DR asked MR, regarding the website, as to why it is coming up with the visitors?
MR said this will be switched off after the tournament as we have some umpires from out of county at the tournament.
Also queried as to why the Improper Combinations is coming up?
MR said that he had looked at this issue but have had more now come up and will sort.
Roger Triscott informed BW at the AGM that it would continue on the committee if needed but if no space would be happy to step in when and if needed.
Meeting closed at 9.21pm
Report from Membership Secretary (Denise Aplin)
Assessed Umpires
Rob Ware – Tiverton
John Lilley - Ashmoor
Claire Guard – K&Salcombe
Maggie Heal – S&O
Samuel Gray U18 – Marjon
Transfers
In – Mark Ross (inactive) from Middlesex to ECVH
In – Michael Lewis (Plymouth Univ) – awaiting reply
U21 & U18
The website on 1st June and every so often throws up all those that need to change age groups. Duly amended.
Activity Sweep for 16/17
Inactives:-
Tancock – Ashmoor
Shute – Exe
Hodgson – ECVH
Isca - Hutchings, Norman, Jackson, Tollafield, Claxton, Palfrey, Laxon, Tremlett, Jenkins, Gelder, Gelder, Skinner and Starling
OPM – Large, Chalmers
Plym Valley – Smith and Stanton
East Devon – Evans
Honiton – Stone
Okehampton Columbines– Jones and Sim
Marjon – Aked and Neve
PGSOB – N Triscott, Van Bevern and Wood
S & O – Baker, Jolly and Posta
Taw Valley – Smith and Keeley Jones
Teign – Dallas and Robinson
Torbay Ladies – Bremner
Plymouth Univ – Chappell, Visser, Ives and Maggs
Exeter Univ Women – Hyde, Sands and Morganti
Exeter Univ Men – Bannister, Childs, Dudley, Manton-Jones, Bryans, Clarke, Cole, Dawson Elder, Georgevic, Richards, Roberts, Rose, Sharples, Simmons, Speller, Van Zijl, Watson and Wright
Others - Stannard
Have awarded the active status to several with mitigating circumstances
Rulebooks 2017
Distributing
Resignations
Angela Baker – Tiverton White Eagles
Margaret Sampson – Tiverton White Eagles
Selection and Coaching Committee Report
Report to DHUA Committee 14th August 2017
The Committee met prior to the main Committee meeting to discuss our plans and priorities for the season ahead.
Paddy Porter has resigned from the Committee having retired from hockey umpiring – our thanks go to Paddy for everything he has done over many years to further the development of hockey umpires – his input to our discussions and involvement in our plans will be sorely missed.
For this season, the SCC will be made up of the following members:
Pete Hammond – Chief Coach and Chair
Graham Woolcock – L2 coach and fixtures secretary
Martyn Harvey – Umpire Developer and Junior Umpire Representative
Neil Foster – Umpire Developer
Also – our President, Bob Whitell will attend when matters dictate his presence is required.
Each Neutral Panel has a member of the SCC as a named representative
Each Area Panel has a named representative who report to the SCC via the Chief Coach
The website has been updated to show these representatives
The SCC then discussed the membership of the various panels and agreed changes to be implemented prior to the season (PH to update website) and priorities for coaching and assessment for pre-season and the first few weeks of appointments (PH and GW to work together to appoint as appropriate)
The SCC agreed that we would organise development opportunities on matches for all members to attend as well as a specific event for invited umpires 1 before and 1 after Christmas – PH to identify dates and set the ball rolling.
The need for Club Umpire Developers was deemed a priority for this season – PH to set up courses and invite specific clubs to send a delegate and invite specific individuals who have expressed an interest in coaching
The SCC draft action plan was adopted as written (PH to send to the Webmaster for publication)
Meeting Closed.
Peter Hammond