BUSA Polo 2004 Dates?

[Norf]

After the discussions a few months back about changing the BUSA dates, what was decided?

Are we sticking with the second weekend in May or moving the Champs earlier?

One of those things that *should have* filtered through the Union to the clubs but has failed to so far?!

Cheers

Rob

[BUSA Organiser]

Hi Rob,
Im currently awaiting confirmation from the Venture Scouts (caterers) that they can make the 23rd-25th April.
But all being well we should be going for the earlier weekend.

Ill well be sending an e-mail out via BUSA to all clubs and posting on here, once Ive confirmed what date the event will be on.

Chris

[BUSA Organiser]

All is now confirmed BUSA 2004 will be on the weekend of 23rd-25th April
I will be sending an e-mail out through BUSA with more details shortly.

Looking forward to seeing you all there.
Chris Walder

[Norf]

Thanks Chris! I take it that means we're playing on the friday too now?

looking forward to it - hope there's an even bigger turnout than last year!

[BUSA Organiser]

We've not totally made a decision on wether we will play on the Friday or not because there are a few teams who wont be able to make it due to having Post Grads & Doctors etc who can't take the day off.

My current thinking is that those teams that can play the Friday will do & those that can't wont start until the Saturday morning. However, this could potentially cause problems with seedings and groups. What do you think?

[Norf]

i reckon its worth trying to get games in on friday if possible - if only to ease the congestion later in the weekend.

That said, i can see how it could become a logistical nightmare depending on who can make it.

Regarding people taking time off, i think the vast majority of people had to take at least part of friday off this year anyway (we met up arouns 12 i think), so it may not be as much of an issue as you fear!

Guess its worth asking the clubs and seeing who says what - if they say yes, then no turning back!

Good luck!

[guest]

Is reading sending a team?

: )

Janet

[Shaq]

can anybody shed any light on when the national league playoffs are?

[BUSA Organiser]

Shaq,
Currently as far as I understand it the playoffs for Div 3 & 4 are scheduled for the same weekend as BUSA i.e. 23rd-25th April.

However, it is highly likely that they will be moved following a complete shake up of the national league structure which is expected to happen after the BCU polo committee agm.
Im not sure when they will be moved to though.
Hope this is of use.
Chris

[BUSA Organiser]

Hi All,
Entry forms & covering letter should be out next Tuesday through the BUSA weekly mail out.
Any problems getting hold of them please let me know.
Chris

[motormouth1729]

:bfire:
So if some-one finds them-selves at the play-off's they could'nt realistically play busa this year, don't you think that it's a bit unfair on both the uni's and the individuals (especially scince it'll probably involve the stronger players from the stronger uni's which could seriously effect the results.

On a more serious point, mustering teams this soon after easter will also be a problem, especially as i believe (although could be mistaken) that freshers move back into halls on this very same w/e!!!

And one last note, it's still pretty cold to be playing outdoors at that time of year i think that the more novice players may be put off by this!! :frosty:.... and most of the guys who don't care about the cold will probably be at playoffs

[BUSA Organiser]

I have been in discussion today with the new organiser of the national leagues and we have both agreed that we will do all we can to help teams with players in both events.

Providing we are given enough notice I will try as best as possible to bring the games forward for teams wishing to go to the playoffs and he will put them as late as possible.

This is an unfotunate problem that we will just have to work around this year.


As for your other comments, you are right freshers do move back into hall on that weekend this year (well certainly in Loughborough they do). However, it was decided that following the feedback received from last years teams it would benefit the event to move it to this weekend.
Especially as it was felt by all involved that bringing it further away from exams would encourage more to get involved and the only other option would of been the bank holiday weekend which a lot of people seem reluctant to give up.

[PoloAlex]

i agree with chris on this one. the whole point in bringing BUSA forward was to encourage more teams to participate.

as for training and playing outside - its gonna be april! stop being such a pansy! its nearly tropical in april! me, the guys from uni and blakedown have been training outside all winter and its not cold. southerners!

im looking forward to seeing everyone at BUSA - good luck with the organisation, Chris. try training outside, its not that bad - if you find it cold then wear a helly hansen!

Alex
Cambridge Uni/Blakedown A

[little tim]

The general opinion at Leeds seems to be that it was at a much better time before.

We normally manage to get a really good turnout for Busa polo - last year we managed to get an 'a team', 2 'b teams', a girls team and an 'old boys team'.

It looks like we're going to find it seriously hard to get any freshers there this year. This was traditionally a way to get people who had never considered polo before to take a look at it.

We've worked hard to get new kit this year, as after playing in plastic boats for so long we pressured the Union into part-funding glass ones. Our good results at last years Busa event went a long way to persuading them. Unfortunately it looks like we'll dissapoint them this year.

Tim Stevenson
LUUCC Treasurer

[Polo_Dan]

It's only three weeks earlier than last year and with the unpredictable british weather could be just as warm/cold. Given that most uni polo players also enjoy the cold moving water stuff it shouldn't be to much of a problem. Or just get the beer jackets on.

The clash with play-off's is unfortunate, but too late for this year. Not that many teams are involved this year due to the new structure next year (about 15 out of 90) Given that the choice of date was made following feed back from teams last year it should suit most uni's (or at least those that replied).

Anyway - bristol will be there,

Dan

ps

the guys from uni and blakedown have been training outside all winter and its not cold.
Alex should know, SWIMMER!!!!:eek:

[motormouth1729]

A) Three weeks can make a huge differance to the temperature at that time of year!

B) I am no pansy since i train out doors all year round regardless of the weather, and have tried to break 1/2" ice in order to train although that's not the point, i'm really more concerned about less experienced players, and in my experience a fair number of them don't do white water, and it could seriously put people off!!!

C) The freshers, Halls issue is also a major one 1/3rd of our teams live in halls and we're not a campus uni... although if your worried about too many entries this is one solution to the problem.

D) Logistically organising teams to be there before term is hell, let alone sorting out mini-bus's and drivers!!

Lastly i am not saying that i will not attempt to send teams, but i am 99% sure that i am going to have a huge headache sorting out more than 1 team (if that)... we had 4 last year & were considering trying to enter 5 this year!!!

If you don't take this into account this year then please strongly consider it for next year.

Fran
Southampton Uni

[King of Bongo]

:waah: whatever.

Where's the polo spirit???

It won't be much colder, once you're on you're fine. If it is, it will encourage beginners to keep moving!
- quite a large proportion of people do paddle rivers throughout the whole year (I know this is the case for a lot of clubs)- some polo on semi-warm flat water in april isn't really going to be a big deal. People who are cold can wear kags and thermals (a bit of cold never hurt anyone).

:thumbup: I think its fantastic the dates have been moved forwards. One of the biggest problems we get every year is people complaining about Busa being so close to exams (especially first years). Two years ago we only managed to get five of us out there. nuff said.

I agree that freshers coming back to uni that weekend might be a bit of a problem, but I don't think that giving up a few days at the end of the easter holiday is going to hurt anyone and would be preferable to a weekend nearing exams. Freshers can arrange to get back to uni a day before if you give them enough notice.

It is unfortunate that it clashes with the playoffs, but all clubs are in the same boat... if anything maybe this will help to even teams out :matrix:

these are the dates- if you need the time to organize it, stop grumbling and start now! :rolleyes:

When there's a will, there's a way.

cheers
MexBen
Bristol Uni

[BUSA Organiser]

Loughborough Canoe Club now has a new website (cheers Dave) complete with BUSA Polo page where you can download the entry forms from to save you waiting for your AUs to send them to you.
Also rankings, groupings etc will appear on there before they go out through BUSA.

On there is also a forum complete with BUSA section so if you have comments/ questions feel free to register and post on there.
I will check it regularly along with this site and take in to consideration all of your comments, for this and next years event.

Keep posting & paddling
Chris

[BUSA Organiser]

Ok would of helped Im sure if Id actually told you all what the web address of our new site is!
http://www.geocities.com/lufbrascc/

[Cat]

So long as we all make an effort to T-rescue any non-hand-rollers to avoid swimmage I don't see a problem about the cold!

[Cat]

re: Lufbra website:

Circuit training for canoeing - you're keen! How popular is that then? :silly:

[jellybelly]

My only concern is with the Friday games. I appreciate that we do need to get more games in. It is harsh on the guys who are knocked out in earlier rounds and our ladies team consistently play very few games at BUSA :(. What I'm thinking about is the groups and seeding of the competition. Surely seeding the groups fairly becomes impossible when you can only have some teams there on the Friday?

I would be interested to hear how you intend to go about this.

For the record, Bath will not be able to send teams on the Friday as we have a few annoying but nevertheless necessary postgrads.

Although it does give less preparation time to freshers, moving earlier is a great idea. Maybe this year I'll be able to do some work towards my exams...

A) Three weeks can make a huge differance to the temperature at that time of year!

As Polo Dan pointed out, with the variation in climate we have anyway, it does not make a big difference!

B) i'm really more concerned about less experienced players, and in my experience a fair number of them don't do white water

More fool them.

Moral of the story: get them out on the river now and by the time April comes, they'll be bitching about the water being too warm.

[artful_bodger]

Originally posted by Cat
re: Lufbra website:

Circuit training for canoeing - you're keen! How popular is that then? :silly:

Keen!? :eek:

You'd be suprised quite how popular it really is!! On average we get about 15 to 20 people attending once a week, mainly to build stamina, which isn't bad for a club on paper of 90 members. We also try and include some dryside polo skills into it on the run up to BUSA (which is obviously our winning strategy based on past performance! - lol).

Dav

(Vice chair - Lufbra students canoe club)

[Cat]

(Kneels and kisses floor) :headbang:

[King of Bongo]

Originally posted by artful_bodger build stamina... try and include some dryside polo skills[/B]
does that involve a lot of fun and frolicks in a pub?
hmmm... maybe thats where we're going wrong cat...
hehe :bang: :silly:

:cheers: = :barbell:
teehee

[Cat]

Doh! Must be it.

Race you to the pub Ben! My kind of exercise.

[Barabus]

Hi,

Just thought i'd add the nottingham point of view since everyone's chipping in....

We haven't had any problems attracting freshers, they're all eager beavers! Mainly because i told them there's a bar though. It's probably helped us that we go back after easter a week before BUSA. Can see how that's a big problem for some freshers.

I don't think the cold weather will be a problem, just take lots of clothes. BUSA was later last year and it was well cold. Went out paddlin yesterday and it was unbelievably cold...but for most of January it was really mild. It's just pot luck really!

Unfortunate about the play-offs too but at least all the players going to the play-offs will be back for Sunday, if they played their group games Friday or early Saturday there wouldn't be a problem.

See you all there.

[artful_bodger]

Hey all,

I hear loads of unis are going back a week before busa - maybe its just us at Lufbra, who get a nice long break!?

If anyone is however in the same position, and has freshers needing to move back into halls, I suggets they start talking to wardens now. I know if someones playing in BUSA for the uni, they are allowed special dates for moving in, to make sure it doesn't cause the uni to drop team members!

Hope it helps

Dav

(Lufbra Chair)

[Polo_Dan]

Seems there are going to be no play-offs after all,

http://www.canoepolo.org.uk/news/national-league-reorganisation.pdf

[BUSA Organiser]

Phew, well thats at least 1 less organisation headache Ive got to put up with! :D
Now all I need to do is work out how to get 73 teams a decent amount of games over the weekend!!!