Central Aussie trip in jeopardy

[Kris]

The Central trip to Aussie in April may have to be cancelled, as only 2 deposits have been received. The due dates for deposits was 28 December!
If you still want to go, contact the tour manager Christine, on 06 8449401 ASAP.

[Jac]

I find it interesting that deposits are due for this by the 28th December yet I have heard nothing about it until now. Jason (who is the senior women's coach) has also heard nothing.

[David Peter]

Who is in charge of the teams an information i would be keen but havn't heard anything as of yet please can some one infrom me on the whats happening for both Youth an Mens
Thank You

[Alan]

Phil Parry is the coach of the Youth womens team and I am the coach of the youth mens team. We emailed out too the Central regional youth and junior teams on the 17th November outlining the training camps and costs, I have had 5 replies Robin Russell, Tim Tracey, Cameron & Bradley Lewis & Robin Beauchamp. The first training camp was to be held on the 25th Jan but this clashed with the NZ youth training camp being held in Otaki. The high cost of this trip has put players off.

[James]

What has been done for the senior teams? No-one I know of been contacted with any information? Christine is the over-all manager.........whats happened!

I must say that I am dissapointed that the Hawkes bay based administration seems to have forgotten the senior ranks, especially after all the efforts that many of these same seniors to help out the youth and juniors over the years through out the region.

Was any further attemps made to contact youth and junior people that haven't replied? what happened to contacting david in wellington? Many of the clubs have good internal communication channels, perhaps these need to be better utilised.

[Alan]

Have just checked my emails, emailed David twice along with all other Central youth/junior players on 16/17Nov maybe he has changed email add. As far as the Seniors go these are the minutes from the Central AGM
5. 2003 Australian Trip
* proposal from Richard Wiley received, discussed and accepted
* moved that “Christine Bigg be overall tour manager in consultation with coaches and other interested parties” LL/EF Agree
Who are the senior women/mens coach?
why no consultation with Christine?
I will ring all Central youth/junior players players when after I have spoken to phill Parry when he gets back from the South Island on the 21st Jan.

If you are a Central youth/junior player and intend going to training camps for this trip please contact me Alan Neilson ph 068798864 a.j.neilson@xtra.co.nz

Central youth/junior players females contact Phil Parry

[Jac]

I emailed Christine on November 18 asking for information. This is part of the email I sent:

Hi there Christine,
Just wondering if you could fill me in a bit, I am primarily interested in the senior grade as I would like us to start training for this now....
Is Jason papps still the Senior Womens coach for this?
Are you organising the whole tour (including senior teams)?
Are you organising selections?
Do you need any help at all?
Where is the venue in Adelaide as e have a few supporters that would like to book accomodation now.

The reply that I got is summarised below:

Trying to gain info
Only thing have at moment is date
If you have info or any contacts please pass on.
Phil advises that Jason is still the Senior womans coach, Phil and
Alan will look after the youth teams, and I believe the senior men will look after their selves
If they have enough interest yes I will organise for the whole tour seniors also.
At the moment I would like a list of all those possibly going and contact emails
I will have nothing to do with selection, I will however hassle coaches to organise training camps
As soon as I have anything I will let you know

So I emailed a list of all the women that I had already contacted and were interested(including email addresses) and didn't hear anything since that last email.

I was disappointed to see the post therefore that the tour would be canned. We have succesfully taken teams to Australia two years in a row and I agree that the cost is higher getting to Adelaide than elsewhere in Australia but I think that there was a lack in communication....

[becks.c]

I was present as an observer at the Central AGM, where desisions were made regarding the 2003 tour by Central

I was particularly interested in the coordination regarding the Australian IS trip in easter as I had been involved in organising trips in 2000 (with NZ wmns squad) & 2001 with Central SW.

There seemed to be a large amount of controversy over the 2002 IS Central tour, which due to outstanding financial information from third parties, was not able to be clarified by the 2002 mgr (who was not able to make the meeting due to work commitments)

I was very surprised by the total lack of information on the Central tour after this meeting.

Alan states taht A proposal by Rico Wiley for the 2003 tour was "accepted". However Christine Biggs was offered the position of Squad manager and accepted.
The proposal which was also accepted at the AGM (approx 5 pages off the top of my head) was quite detailed and even included dates for notification of players, deposit dates + amounts. It also discussed issues such as boat transport, travel options... in short it was detailed and well layed out in terms of what was required to be done by what date.

Certainly for myself - as a previous central rep returning to competitive play, I was interested in what selection activities and information was to be available. To discover that the Central Region womens coach (The top snr wmns regional team in the country) was not contacted by the Central region Squad manager regarding the tour is very disapointing.


Over the years I have been involved with Central, I have had contact with Christine Biggs in her role as Central Treasurer and have found her commitment and attention to detail to be excellent. Its disapointing that she has probably found herself dumped in at the deep end. Lets hope she hasn't been too put off!

Perhaps now there is more of a realisation of the pure scale of a job such as Squad manager? It may be useful in future to have position descriptions for short term assignments. - And to be very clear about who is responsible for what.

At this late stage it would seem irresponsible to try and go ahead with the tour. :confused:

[Eaon]

I know of sereval youth keen to attend this tour, but it was presumed the deposit would not be required until the selection was completed, and there has not been a date set for this yet.

[James]

conatct phil parr on behalf of these players asap!!

[Alan]

Easter 2003 17th – 23rd April, Central will be sending teams to Adelaide to compete in the Australian Interstates.
I am now asking you if you are interested in being involved.
The time line for this trip is:

Dec 1 deadline for players (Youth Men) applications to be sent to Alan Neilson 269 Twyford Rd Hastings, with email address

Youth women send info too philparry@xtra.co.nz
2 Glenpark Place Havelock Nth

Dec (late) short listed players notified $50 first camp fee paid to Christine Bigg 15 Ryan Cres Greenmeadows Napier Cheque made out to Central Canoe Polo
Jan 18th first training camp ( not happening now)
Jan 31 $1000 to be paid by all 12 players selected from first training camp
5 players not selected to travel will be refunded their $1000
Feb Training camp $50
Feb Training camp $50
March Training camp $50
March 31 Remainder of tour cost due from final 7 travelling players

Payment must be made on or before due dates to Christine Bigg No cash

We did hope that we could start training camps in December but time does not allow this to happen.
The camps will only be for one day for a start, being held at Clive pool which we are able to get at a good rate allowing us to keep the cost of the camps at a reasonable rate.

If anyone has a good contact with pub charities for money please start applying for money.

The final cost for this trip could be around $2000

Thanks Alan

[Alan]

Most of the Central Youth team will be at Otaki next weekend at the NZ training camp could someone please get a list of players and contact me if they intend going on this trip over too Australia

[becks.c]

What are the aims and objectives of this trip?
What is the coaching and management ideology?

More importantly, has a thorough analysis been made of how the VERY late organisation of of this trip will impact upon Central Region players in the near future.

Although I feel somewhat uncomfortable going into this type of detail on a public forum, I do so in the hope that all those involved in the running of this planned trip are publicly seen to be a little more accountable.

I'm puzzled that a proposal was accepted at the Central AGM, but now dates are being changed significantly from those specified (and accepted). I'm sure the proposal at the AGM indicated that the dates given were the bare minimum for the trip to go ahead successfully.- There was even concern expressed that the original dates did not leave enough time to get everything done?

****Would the proposal have been accepted at the AGM if the dates were given as those now being used and it was stated that a significant number of the top youth players would not be going?

As a parent, how would you feel if your child came home saying they needed $1000 by 31st Jan, so they could represent their Region in Adelaide
(knowing already that your child had missed out on selection for the NZ Inter Regionals in the very same team)??

- Perhaps there is work going on behind the scenes that is not apparent from your communication here. Would you might consider putting together some formal information on this tour and having it available from the National website.

I'm sure your heart is in the right place, but good intentions can often be very damaging.

This is not a personal attack on you Alan, but really a msg to all involved in organising this late trip. I hope I have got the wrong end of the stick, I hope everything is running smoothly and to the original plan - perhaps those involved can shed some light on the situation and change the perception that this tour has major internal communication problems.

Recall the whole point of sending youth teams to Australian IS:
to give Central's top youth players competition they couldn't get here.

If we aren't sending those top players, but are sending players who didn't make the rep team: then doesn't that just negate the whole reason behind sending the youth teams?

Would it be worth considering doing an internal tour or camp instead?