Paul,
Why have you raised this issue publically on the basis of hearsay? Did you not consider getting in touch with the GB team direct, rather than criticising without being aware of the facts. I don’t know them myself, but there may be good reasons, or it may have been an oversight that can be changed. Perhaps as you suggest the calendar is chock a block and this was the least bad alternative, but as I said find out! I appreciate that you are frustrated and that the situation is not perfect, but publically calling out the UKU and it’s (unpaid, that’s right amateurs!) volunteers helps no one. It's also unlikely to endear you to the people you are asking to make a change to help you/your team out. Jaimie ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Paul Ruff <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]>, <[email protected]>, < [email protected]> Date: Wed, 12 Oct 2011 21:32:15 +0000 Subject: [BD] Junior GB Training I was dissapointed to learn that there is an Under 20's GB training session planned for the weekend of one of the Regional Indoor National Qualifiers on 19th November. This is a major clash. Last year my Under 20's team qualified for the Indoor Nationals and were really excited to try again this year with preparations in full swing. Now a 'compulsorary Under 20's session' has been added in which blows it out of the water. This is once again evidence of the disjointed nature of UK Ultimate. Quite frankly this would not happen in any other sport. The UKU should coordinate all sessions so as to avoid major clashes and not put Juniors in situations like this. I understand that the calended is chock-a-block but there are certain clashes which should be avoided. In the UKU we have a situation where the Junior section seems to opperate totally seperate from the governing body and steam rollers their own decisions and training dates accross the calender as they choose. It is an amature approach and one which does nothing for the reputation of the UKU as coaches are left wondering what else will be sprung upon them. My players are now dissapointed at not having a crack at the regionals and left wondering if they should play for GB or not. What kind of message are we sending out here? You can play for GB but it means you cant enter a National Indoor qualifier - very bizarre! This has not been a great year for the apparent fractured and disjointed GB junior scene and I would call upon the UKU to step in and try to sort this out. Communication between coaches, players and the UKU needs to be improved.A central calender needs to be produced to include ALL GB junior training dates well in advance so that plans can be made and clashes avoided.No GB team, should have the right to suddenly announce that there will be another training session on x date and that if you don't attend then you can't play for GB. That is just plain weird. As head of PE in my school, I deal with governing body's of many different sports. In each sport the National team is coordinated at all levels from head office and training and trials dates are set way in advance so that teachers and parents are clear on what is happening. Get this - they even talk to other sports to try to avoid clashes in their calenders. I would hope that the Under 20's organisers would either consider moving the date or this session or at least cut some players some slack if they want to spend the weekend trying to qualify for the indoor Nationals. Paul __________________________________________________ BritDisc mailing list [email protected] http://www.fysh.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/britdisc Staying informed - http://www.ukultimate.com/staying-informed
