VBCA Newsletter - May 2007
Hi again everybody, it seems like a good time to tell you a few things that are happening or have happened since my last update.
Firstly, congratulations to Matt Horsey and his partner Sandy on the birth of their baby girl. All are doing well.
For those who didn’t know, our condolences go to the Scott family after the death a couple of weeks ago of one of our ex umpires Keith Scott after a battle with cancer.
PRESENTATION NIGHT
Thank you to all who attended the V.B.C.A. presentation night, there were 80 people in attendance this year, the best we have had for a long time, and congratulations to all those who won awards.
PORTFOLIO’S.
Having had discussions with all the board members, I have decided to alter the board portfolios around a little to ensure that board members are given the portfolio that best suits their level of expertise, and to ensure that board members continue to stay fresh and focused, ensuring that the best is done for our association.
I will let you all know shortly who will be responsible for which portfolio, and briefly what that role entails.
GROUNDS.
Some meetings ago, we discussed the possibility of installing a water tank of some kind to assist with keeping the grounds soft and green during the summer.
Although nothing has been officially announced, there may be a possibility that underground tanks of about 100,000 litres each could be installed under our grounds to catch run off from the Vision Australia roofs, which would then be used to supply water for not only our grounds, but for Vision Australia requirements, and possibly the pavilion.
If I hear anything further on this one, I will let you know.
If this project comes to fruition, we would end up with exceptionally good surfaces on our grounds.
Let’s hope it all works out.
NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS.
Nick will send a letter out shortly to everybody either by email, or mail asking anybody interested in going to Canberra as supporters for the championships to contact Sandra Clemens within the next month to enable us to finalise bookings for both accommodation, and air fares.
As the above paragraph implies, we did not have the championships allocated to us for two reasons, the first being that VISACT managed to secure the use of an alternative ground to accommodate New Zealand playing in the Championships, but secondly, it appears that for reasons undisclosed by them, New Zealand may not be represented by their own choosing.
RULES COMMITTEE.
It is proposed that the rules committee be convened for a meeting in the next few weeks to discuss any minor changes which may need to be made to rules to ensure our game continues to provide a high standard of competition, and to report to the board at our next meeting on June 2nd.
REUNION
Following the July board meeting which will be held on Saturday July 14th 2007, we are going to hold a past player reunion.
It is proposed that after the board meeting, where nominations will be called for the three board positions which become vacant in August, and to which all current members are invited that we have a few drinks and a barbecue or similar where we can get to meet some of the past players and swap stories from today and yesteryear.
We need your help to be able to locate as many past players as possible, and ask that if you know the addresses and phone numbers of such people, that you contact Nick Pepper by Sunday May 20th to allow us to send personal invitations to them leaving enough time to get responses to allow adequate catering arrangements to be made, along with setting of a meal price.
Although most reunions are sit down affairs, we feel that for the first one, we would like to make it an informal affair.
RECRUITMENT
In an effort to recruit more players and particularly younger players, I have written letters to the Ombudsman in an attempt to gain some exemption to the privacy legislation to allow us to access information from schools as to where there may be legally blind students we can speak to with a view to involving them in blind sports but from our point of view, particularly Cricket.
I have also written to the minister for education in an effort to gain some assistance in having our brochure and information given to every public and private school principal in Melbourne, Geelong, Ballarat and Bendigo in the hope that whether we obtain our own exemption or not, they will pass this information on to their vision impaired students on our behalf and encourage them to contact us.
Sports Radio SEN have a segment on their morning glory programme which offers to assist sporting clubs to overcome problems they may be experiencing, and I have sent an email to them requesting their assistance in promotion and recruitment for Blind Cricket.
I am also about to speak with Roberta Ashby at Vision Australia Radio to work out the finer details of recording a community service announcement to be aired frequently over the next few months, and ongoing with a view to gaining interested players through that medium also.
The board is not sitting on its hands any more, but taking action to ensure our game survives into the future, however, we cannot do it alone, and encourage ALL clubs, and individuals to endeavor to find new members as well.
Remember, if we all work together on this problem instead of all throwing our hands up in despair, our future can be a bright one indeed, as I believe the potential members are out there, it is up to us all to ferret them out and encourage them to play.
We can, and will if we need to, develop a junior competition of some kind to act as a funnel to channel players to the main competition.
Thank you for taking the time to read this bulletin, and remember, I am always prepared to listen to your ideas and feedback.
My contact details can be obtained from our website at www.vbca.org.au or I can be contacted at the numbers listed below, and my direct email aoneill1@bigpond.net.au
That's it for the moment, but as information comes to me, I will circulate it so you the members stay as well informed as possible.
Alf O'Neill
President.
PH. Home 9386 2167 after 8pm
Mobile 0411 705 111 at any time