ACTUA meeting next Monday - clubs policy?

Hi Folks,

There will be an ACTUA meeting on Monday the 10th, 7:00, House o' Twits (38 Scrivener Street O'Connor). Come along and say stuff if you've got stuff to say. Email me or leave a comment if you want to bring anything up.

I'll be proposing a clubs policy which should standardise ACTUA's relationship with the local clubs. Currently the clubs sometimes get money to help cover fields, sometimes they run tournaments and sometimes ACTUA and the clubs each pretend the other isn't there. In fact, I got into frisbee admin by making dubiously legitmate field bookings under ACTUA's name (and without their knowledge) while running Verfremdung in the 07 mixed season.

So, I reckon that it would be easier for everyone if there was something clear we could all use to work out how to treat each other. An arrangement which finally allows us to change our facebook status to "in a relationship" rather than "its complicated". I'm hoping for something simple that lets the clubs leech some money out of ACTUA and lets ACTUA finally get a concrete return on any money it gives away. Here's my idea:

ACTUA agrees to give local representative clubs something like $500 each season (which they seem to do most seasons anyway) on the condition that the clubs do ACTUA's development dirty work.

The development stuff might include: Getting a certain number of new players to tournaments. Running clinics at a level appropriate to league players. Getting new players to regular club training sessions. (I reckon all three are appropriate.)

For ACTUA this ensures that some player development gets done on top of running leagues. It gives players an opportunity to improve their skills for league (at clinics) or build tournament level skills by attending training. Plus it gets new players to tournaments which is a great way to get them more involved in the sport. Players are more likely to volunteer to help ACTUA out if they're totally addicted to ultimate in this way.

For the clubs it provides a way of bridging the gap between league and club level ultimate. It gives the clubs a presence at the league level of the sport which helps with recruitment and visibility and it ensures they're working to bring fresh blood into their ranks. Of course it'll be harder for them to get new players to tourneys and training in some years but we can be reasonable if something tricky comes up. The clubs are the best people to do this development because they're the part of the frisbee community with the coaches and know-how to run sessions and teach skills. They know what kind of development is needed to move between league and club level ulty. It also gives the clubs an opportunity to develop and practice their teaching and coaching.

We should also include an understanding of who is responsible for running tournaments and how the proceeds of those tourneys should be distributed. Fyshwick United will be running the CB Invitational in February and possible running Bationals in April and these could be big money-spinners for the club. How much should go to ACTUA (who will provide shade tents, water drums, BBQs and other stuff as well as (in all likelihood) volunteers) and how much should go to the club (who will run the show and who are responsible for bringing the tourney to Canberra in the first place)?

The devil is (as always) in the details: How much should ACTUA pay clubs? How much development is enough? Should we double the amount in the mixed season when the Kaboom juggernaut stirs to life? Should I declare my incredible conflict of interest on this issue*? Should this policy also extend to the ANU or is something else more appropriate for them?

I think the Kaboom season provides a good model. We ran 5 weeks of clinics aimed at league players. Our club training was tailored to accommodate a broad range of experience and skill levels. It was attended by a bunch of new players, some of whom went on to Mixed Nats in Brisbane. Two of the people who got more involved in frisbee with Kaboom are now helping Sonia to run Divs 2 and 3 (thanks Harry and Jo (and Sonia)). It was great for the club's image at league. We're more visible and accessible than Fyshwick United or Factory Girls and we've got contacts across a bunch of league teams that will help to feed our recruitment next year.

Of course it's also a lot of work. It would have been much easier to get the usual suspects to training and have more managable sessions at a higher level. I think a $500 sweetener for fields or whatever would motivate the clubs to put this kind of effort in each season.

Anyway, tell me your thoughts. Leave some comments or email me because this kind of idea should definitely be something the broader community considers. What do YOU want to get out of the local clubs? How much are you willing to have ACTUA pay for it? Tell us what you think.

* I'm now involved in planning or coaching for Fyshwick United, Factory Girls and Kaboom and I'm also the ACTUA secretary. Soon I'll even be able to PLAY ultimate, rather than just talk about it.