Have you guys seen the NZCPA Annual Report?

[vish]

I checked it out on the NZCPA website:
http://www.canoepolonz.org.nz

It makes some interesting reading, but there isn't information in it yet about the 2002 World Championship teams. I guess that will come next year... There is, however, a list of the selected Youth and Junior players (who got certificates, lucky them, however I will not weep over that again).

And the difference between the regions is huge. I can't believe how difficult it is for Northern to get up and running while these other regions have several clubs. I've personally been disappointed by the lack of official contacts to other clubs in Northern. We hear rumours of people playing in Coromandel, Whakatane (I even played there and I know those guys haven't been around since) and Rotorua but they don't affiliate and the contacts seem to disappear into a black hole. Even Tauranga doesn't seem to have a proper affiliation to the Region. I'm not in any way happy with this- we can only provide a service as an Association if people support our efforts, so we have to get some sort of official back up from these clubs. I reckon the first main step is to check out the various Canoeing Associations memberships and see which clubs are in the region that are affiliated to other associations. I'm going to get onto that now.

If you read this forum, and you're from any cities in the geographical area between Whakatane and Taupo, then you are represented by Northern Canoe Polo Association. (Whether you join, let us know you're alive, or even, god forbid, pay your $5 affiliation fee, you are represented- and if it's not going the way you like, you might like to step up to your club leadership and ask THEM why not). Check out the Northern Online site:
http://www.geocities.com/northerncp/
and the forum there that ensures you get a chance to air your views if you feel the need.

Check out the competitions we ran in the Annual Report. See how many Northern players were in the Senior World Championship teams, look at all the information available to you on the webpage and the opportunities you have to get help, funding, coaching education, refereeing education and player development. JOIN!!!! (argh!)

vish
http://www.geocities.com/northerncp/

[becks.c]

Northern (and other seemingly under-represented regions) has so much potential! Aside from the obvious advantage of population base, there are some dedicated and long serving individuals eager to see polo get ahead in their region.

The old adage; if you want something done properly do it yourself means that keen bunnies often end up with far too much on their plate.

I definately think we need to focus on recruitment of new blood, but at the same time we have to let go of the mistaken idea that SOMEONE IS BETTER THAN NO ONE.

This just simply is not true, due to the low number of dedicated individuals volutneering, we are often too eager to coopt people who really don't want to be coopted, do not realise the commitment involved or who simply do not consider themselves to be accountable for non performance due to the volunteer nature of their role.

I don't know what the answer is.

Membership is a key issue for our association.
$10 or $20 is such a small amount to affiliate to your national body (see basketball national affiliation)
Perhaps we need to be a bit more proactive about educating people on membership and the benefits.