Claire Bradburn (Chair), Owen Davie (Secretary), Brian Smith (Treasurer)
Hataitai - no representative
Horowhenua - Bill Lidstone
Kapiti - Kath Alison, Kaye Alison, Helen-Mary Foley, Gwen Hill, Beverley Mason, Jan McHardy, Pat Scholes
Khandallah - Michael Rocks
Manawatu - Barrie Sinclair, Ngaere Sinclair
Masterton - Graeme Morris
Otaki - Gary Brunton, Bob Wilde
Park Avenue - Enoka Smiler
Silverstream - Claire Bradburn
Upper Hutt - see apologies
Wanganui East - Richard Turfrey
Windy Hills - Myles Cowper
PNZ LNI Representative - Fay Doyle
Kathy Taylor (Upper Hutt), Dirk Winnie (Khandallah), Alison and Ralph Priddle (Masterton).
The motion was put that the minutes of the meeting on 1 May 2008 be taken as read (Jan McHardy/Kath Alison). Carried.
The motion was then put that the minutes be confirmed (Brian Smith/Jan McHardy). Carried.
None.
Claire said that the APA response to our letter suggested the PNZ AGM Minutes were wrong. However, the minutes cannot be corrected until the next AGM. Claire added that she expected a full reply from PNZ and if not received, the WPA should follow up.
Owen Davie said that an updated Contact list would be put out in late July after the last Club AGM.
Brian Smith presented his report.
The Financial situation of the WPA is in good health. The bulk of the funds, affiliation fees, come in early in the year and money received later on is from tournament entry fees. The level of fees could be reviewed at the end of the financial year.
Brian advised assistance had been given in past years to Wellington representatives in the Trans-Tasman Tournament. This was $100 per player if the competition is held in New Zealand and $200 if overseas.
The motion was put that the WPA give a grant of $100 to Wellington Trans-Tasman representatives (Brian Smith/Richard Turfrey). Carried.
Claire reported on the WPA Ladies Doubles and Triples at Wanganui East. They were a great success and Wanganui did an excellent job looking after competitors. The competition started late and finished in the dark, but Wanganui managed to organise lights. Fay Doyle suggested that it was advisable for clubs hosting tournaments in Winter to have lights. Claire added that there was a large turnout at night (24) to watch the final.
Graeme Morris reported on Interclub. Zoning was successful, although it perhaps loses something not to have everyone playing at the same venue. However, at present there was nowhere big enough. Congratulations to the winning club, Otaki.
Graeme also mentioned the Winter Doubles. About 33 combinations competed in the first round and numbers reduced slightly to 27/28 pairs in the second round. Richard Turfrey said that the Winter Doubles were well structured and well run.
Claire announced the composition of the Wellington team selected by Dirk Winnie, to play Auckland in Auckland on 23/24 August:
Graeme Morris (Captain), Barbara Johnston, Claire Wilson and Joan Miller from Masterton; Sebastien Merval, Nikki Winnie, Andrew Joe and Myles Cowper from Windy Hills; Nick Jegousse and Enoka Smiler from Park Avenue; Christine Strichen and Richard Turfrey from Wanganui East.
Ineligible to play are Dirk Winnie, Claire Bradburn, Helene Hay, Lorraine Gibbon and Monica Smiler.
Graeme said that he would put out an email requesting shirt sizes, and/or shirts for embroidering with the Wellington insignia.
Fay Doyle said there was nothing to report as the PNZ does not meet until this coming weekend.
However, completed voting forms for the Achievement Awards need to be with Fay by tomorrow (27 June). There are 4 categories: Official of the Year, Player of the Year, Volunteer of the Year and Team of the Year.
Nominations for each category are:
Richard Turfrey reported that the WPA Ladies Doubles and Triples was a good weekend, but unfortunately drew a low response. This was disappointing as Wanganui East travels to support other tournaments, but this support was not reciprocated. Five new terrains will be put in later this year or early next year.
There is a proposal to Chartered Clubs to host the North Island Clubs Pétanque Championships in February/March 2009. Wanganui East and Castlecliff are chartered clubs. There is a possibility of alignment with bowling clubs and if it happens it will be interesting to see where it goes. They were delighted to knock the defending champions out of contention for the Interclub trophy this year.
Barrie Sinclair thanked players who attended the Opening Day for the new terrain on 10 May. A great amount of voluntary effort went into preparations for this event. Manawatu are interested in inviting representatives from a different club each month to come and play at Manawatu. A class from QEC visited to play recently.
Enoka Smiler said that Park Avenue wanted to put their name forward to host the National Triples in 2009. If successful, this meant that Park Avenue would also host the WPA Triples.
Owen Davie is to write to PNZ to obtain their consent to this arrangement.
Graeme Morris reported that Park Avenue would be challenging for the Jacques Cochonnet trophy this coming weekend. The tournament at Clareville was a success and the WBS Open Triples scheduled for 28 February/1 March 2009 could be brought forward to 21/22 February.
The Interclub finals were held on 24 May and Kapiti won the Obut Cup.
Enhance classes have been held regularly with good numbers participating. A film evening was staged for Kapiti players who missed the French players' visit and a DVD of the World Championships was shown.
The AGM was held at Kapiti Bowling Club. There is no change in President and Club Captain. Helen-Mary Foley is the contact as there is no Secretary at present.
A successful Memorial Mêlée was held on 22 June with 76 competitors. Seven club members are joining the New Zealand group travelling to the United States to play at clubs over there.
Bill Lidstone said that Masterton's visit for the Jacques Cochonnet was much appreciated. The Mid Winter Triples on Sunday had 25 entries. Horowhenua has a problem with coaching. The current coach is not right for new players and the club would welcome help in this area.
Myles Cowper reported that club membership is now 25. Wednesday nights were a playing time earlier in the year and it is planned to resume these in September when the weather will be better. There has been considerable interest from passers-by as sandwich boards advertising the club are put out. At least one new member has joined as a result.
Owen Davie mentioned that the visit from Masterton for the Jacques Cochonnet trophy was very successful. Club members competed in Interclub and the Winter Doubles when they could.
Wednesday and Sunday afternoon playing times are usually well supported. Lesser numbers turn up on Saturdays.
A maintenance programme painting seats surrounding the pistes and the bus shelter has been completed. As a result, the club areas are looking much better.
Barrie Sinclair said that the PNZ CEO's report has been out for 4 months but he had just read it in the PNZ Newsletter. The report might have been put on the PNZ Website, but not everyone had access to the internet. Brian Smith advised him to contact the PNZ secretary and hard copies would be sent out. Claire commented that important matters should be sent out by email or hard copy before they were included on the website. Myles Cowper said that in this day and age, it was assumed people had access to the internet and it was up to clubs to contact PNZ to send material out in hard copy.
Michael Rocks commented that 13 months ago PNZ held a coaching course at Kapiti but nothing had happened since. The latest newsletter contained information about the coaching structure, but nothing about coaching itself. Michael suggested that the WPA should organise its own coaching and umpiring structure. Fay Doyle responded that this was unreasonable. PNZ was trying to set up a new coaching and umpiring structure which was in the early stages of development. Brian Smith said David Lippard and Murray Porter had a mandate from PNZ to establish a national coaching structure. He added that it is important for someone to coordinate coaching as otherwise nothing gets done.
Claire said she understood David Lippard from PNZ had approached people to be regional coaches. If an overarching group was being established it was up to PNZ to do this. However, it was not appropriate for PNZ to decide who runs coaching in our region.
Graeme Morris said that he had been approached by David Lippard to be a regional coaching coordinator. Graeme mentioned that he had no wish to intervene in any coaching structure set up by the WPA, and had only agreed to take on the role because it was better than nothing happening at all in the region. His role for PNZ was as a coaching co-ordinator and mentor, not to be involved in coaching itself.
Michael suggested that qualified coaches and umpires in the WPA region get together and see what comes of it.
Claire commented that the PNZ and WPA coaching roles were different and suggested that Michael went ahead and brought coaches in the WPA area together. He agreed to do this. Gwen Hill could do the same with umpires. Graeme Morris would continue to give support to the National Director of Coaching.
Claire suggested pétanque could be used for team building by a small group or large company. Myles Cowper mentioned that it happens 2 or 3 times a year at Hataitai.
Claire proposed clubs contact their community newspapers to publish results and other information. Kaye Alison advised that Kapiti had a wonderful relationship with the local paper, reports appearing twice weekly. Graeme Morris said that Michael Rocks does an excellent job in getting results of WPA competitions in the Dominion Post.
Michael commented that there are 17 regional sports trusts and each has a website with club contacts. However, the WPA is not listed on the Wellington Sports Trust site and the only mention of petanque is on the Manawatu Sports Trust site. Michael said he would contact clubs and update the information on the WPA website. He would also contact Sport Wellington to register the WPA with them.
Michael added that if petanque clubs intended to contact the New Zealand Community Trust for funds, that body would require proof the club belonged to a regional and national structure. The Trust was unlikely to give money to unincorporated societies.
Claire pointed out that with the new PNZ Governance structure, it was important to determine regional boundaries. A notice would be sent out asking clubs if they wished to remain within the WPA, and stating that representatives must have a written mandate from the clubs they represent. Fay Doyle told the meeting that the new structure would not commence until the AGM next year. Claire replied that the WPA should look to the future and get it done in advance.
Brian commented that clubs did not have to belong to the WPA.
Michael said he had handed out sample standing orders at the Meeting for feedback. Claire said that unlike an incorporated body such as PNZ, the WPA did not need to conduct its affairs with full formality. If it did, representatives would only be able to speak once on an issue.
Michael commented on statistics on national membership. Numbers had been expanding, but over the last 2 years there has been a decline in Auckland, such that there are now smaller numbers there than 6 years ago. Brian mentioned that some clubs no longer existed, like Timaru RSA. Michael said the question facing pétanque in New Zealand is where do we go from here?
The meeting ended at 9:30 pm
Owen Davie