GSWP 47 – Feedback from the Annual GSWP Fixtures meeting on 12 June 2008

1) Attended: St Dunstan’s, St Stithian’s Girls, Edenvale High, St Peters College, Parktown Boys, Crawford College, St Mary’s, Kingsmead College, Jeppe Boys, Roedean College, St Johns College, Marian College, Afrikaanse Hoër Seunsskool, St Albans, King Edward VII School, Fourways High, Randpark High, St David’s Marist Inanda, Krugersdorp High, Pretoria Boys High, St Stithian’s Boys

2) Absent & Apologies: Beaulieu College, Pecanwood College, Mondeor High, Jeppe Girls High, Hyde Park High, Benoni High, St Benedicts.

3) Schools registration. Schools were thanked for their efforts to register their players. Schools who have not yet done so are urged to register ASAP. Schools checked their teams available for Term 3 in 2008 and Term 1 in 2009 as well as their contact details and events hosted by schools.

4) Trials. Trials will carry certain pre trial criteria which will be age group related. A panel was elected to draw up said and will consist of; Vlado Trininic, Kevin O Brien, Ryan Weideman, Kerry Wait, Lionel Randall, Stan Gospodinov, Brian Webster, Jane Samson, Anita Trininic. Vlado Trininic will be responsible for heading the group who draw up age group related criteria for boys trials and Anita Trininic fro the girls trials. The criteria will be presented in draft form for discussion and comment by 12 July 2008.

5) Quota players. There is a severe shortage of players and the existing players are overused and squabbled over. The cause stems from a small pool of players. The MIC’s are of the opinion that the way forward is for water polo playing schools to offer a bursary to a senior and junior player. It is difficult to uplift polo in Black, Coloured and Indian areas because of travel problems. Mr. Marius Buys is to write a proposal to schools in this regard. The MIC’s also felt that a fear of water is an inherent problem that needs to be addressed in specifically the Black culture. Anita Trninic submitted that pupils at Roedean College teach swimming as part of community service. The question was asked if the Macro Sport Bodies was aware of the critical shortage of quota players and the stifling effect the setting of unattainable quota criteria had on the sport and its participants in general. (The problem is particularly present at elite level such as Olympic and World Game level) Mr. Buys Reminded the MIC’s to focus on the problem from many angles and that the quota system was not likely to just go away.

6) Coaches Appointment system. The MIC’s agreed that the system works but that there should be greater scope for coaches to be appointed with more decree from a committee. Mr. Buys reminded the MIC’s that previously there was much debate around which the best coach was for which team and that the system successfully addressed the matter with enough criteria in place to entice new coaches and motivate entrenched coaches. Mr. Buys asked for written suggestions to improve the system.

7) B team coaches and managers. The MIC’s decided that all managers and coaches must aspire to enter into the provincial coaching system by attending courses and should not be appointed towards development just because they are from a small school.

8) Travel to East London. GSWP will explore flying to PE and traveling to EL via bus in order to lower flight costs.

9) Archivist, Secretary and Treasurer. Mr. Buys asked for nominations for persons to fulfill the positions and reminded that if none was forthcoming that professional persons or parents would need to be approached. The MIC’s were asked to submit suitable persons by 30 June 2008.

10) Web and Blog sites. The website will be redesigned to carry information that does not change often. GSWP trials and practice squads are being successfully organized through the Vice Chairpersons Blog sites. A Communications, Contacts and Events Blog will also be introduced soon.

11) A Sanctions Blog will be introduced where players that have been red carded will be listed and will carry a two week non playing penalty from the date of the sanction. Schools can check the site if any of their schools opposition has been sanctioned. If a sanctioned player is found to be playing the school will forfeit the match by 0 -5. Players will not be permanently listed on the Blog but removed from time to time. The site will be http://www.gswpsanctiions.blogspot.com and will be administered by Mr Marius Buys on buysm@stdavids.co.za 076 800 6983

12) Referee DVD. Mr. Marius Buys informed the MIC’s of a grading system that will be implemented for GSWP referees. Level 1 will reflect that a referee has knowledge of the rules. Level 2 will mean that the referee has passed the situation oriented multiple choice exam. Level 3 is awarded by a percentage vote from MIC’s each year to highly competent referees. The DVD which will be commercially available will aim to show video footage from a camera strapped to a referee’s head which will then ask the viewer to make a call based on what the viewer saw in the video clip. Hugh Farrel fro Red cherry productions will produce the DVD in association with Mr. Marius Buys.

13) GSWP Official Accreditation. GSWP will attempt to phase in accreditation and certification for referees, coaches and table officials.

14) Players may play up and in two teams. The proviso is that the movement must be warranted and that the MIC must inform the opposition MIC who must approve of said. this is to enable smaller schools to compete against more sides that larger schools offer. Players may not play up if it means that another player of a team will loose water time.

15) Provincial players may play up if they so choose. The attending MIC’s were put to a vote to decide the matter. There was also voted against forcing a player to play down in their own age group if the player did not want to play down but that the team needed the player.

16) The GSWP Constitution. A draft form is in the process of being prepared by Mr. Marius Buys and will be circulated for comment later in the year. When an accepted version of The GSWP Constitution starts to emerge a Special General Meeting will be called to vote The GSWP Constitution in.

Mr. Marius Buys thanked the MIC’s for their energy and input which concluded the meeting.

Yours in polo

Marius Buys
Chairman
12 June 2008