16/09/2008 - Meeting of the Malaga Provincial Committee

Santa Maria Bowls Club

16/09/08

Tony Winterton opened the meeting at 10.35am and welcomed the representatives.

Present were;-

Tony Winterton  (TW)

Murray Johns (MJ) & Tony Frowd, (TF) Competition Committee

Diane Chambers, (DC) Secretary

Jimmy Chalmers, (JC) Santa Maria

Ken McBride, (KM) Benavista

Dave Jones, (DJ) Superbowl,

Geoff Wright, (GW) Los Amigos,

Trevor Burgin, (TB) Belplaya

Jimmy Taylor, (JT) Mijas

Apologies were received from Ken Talbot, Lauro Bowls Club due to problems laying the new green and DC informed the Committee that she was acting as representative for Benalmadena and would take any correspondence back to the club.

1)     Minutes of the last meeting and matters arising.

As any matters arising were covered in the Agenda for the present meeting, the said minutes were approved and passed.

2)     Kings Cup & National Final 30^th October

At the last National Executive meeting at the beginning of September, Alicante had informed MJ and TW that they would not be attending this event as their members were not prepared to travel and MJ had received an email from Almeria yesterday informing the Malaga Committee that they would not be attending.

The representatives present were disappointed by this decision and KM asked if Benavista would receive the title of National Champions by default?

It was agreed by the Committee that this should be the case and TW stated that he would write to the National Executive expressing the feelings of the Malaga Committee.

3)     Tri-Provincial Report & Proposals for 2009

MJ stated that Malaga put up a good performance and those who participated thoroughly enjoyed the experience, which was briefly marred by the car accident involving Tony & Linda Frowd and Diane Chambers, who were lucky to walk away intact. Thanks were extended to Alan Henshaw and Sandra Kyle from Almeria Province for stepping in as substitutes for the Malaga Team.

At the last Malaga Committee Meeting, MJ had only nineteen names and he thanked the five members from Los Amigos for stepping in at the penultimate hour and making the team up to full strength.

Due to the suggestion from DC that it be made a criterion that the two away teams play the first match,  Almeria were fourteen shots behind going into the last game and Costa Blanca were victorious for the first time since the tournament began.

The Costa Blanca proposed dates be put back for 2009 as hotel accommodation would be cheaper. Almeria has now firmed up these dates to be 11^th/13^th September which means we now have to liaise with the Provincial Owner’s Committee as it will affect the dates for Benavista’s Summer pairs and, possibly the Summer Championships..

4)     Champion of Champions, Indalo B.C. Mojacar 12/15^th October

MJ informed the Committee that seven club champions would be taking part from Malaga Province;-

Denise Davis, Belplaya       

Dorrian Ives, Los Amigos

Kate Morris, Benalmadena

Wendy Pemberton, Benavista

John Carr, Mijas

D J Hilton, Santa Maria

Tony Frowd, Superbowl

TB from Belplaya informed the Committee that although he would like to attend, he was unable to do so as he was looking after his elderly mother.

MJ stated that he was awaiting prices for Hotels and would distribute them as soon as he had the details. TF stated that rooms were available in the Mojacar Playa Hotel and he understood that they would be slightly cheaper than for the Tri- Provincial, although this was unconfirmed.

The Committee was aware that some Federated members had dual membership and had participated in each club’s Single’s Championship. It was clarified that a bowler could only compete for ONE club in the Singles Tournament which resulted in qualification for the Provincial Champion of Champions and this was the one that he/she held Federated membership.

5)     Visit by National Squad  November 1^st/2^nd

MJ had received the nominations from each bowls club and the appointed Selection Committee would meet later at 2pm. Practice sessions would be arranged and any Federated member picked had to be available for these.Practice sessions were also available to the National squad and lunch would be provided by the Federation

The Malaga team dress code had been agreed at the previous meeting to be all white and each player selected would provide a white shirt for an official Malaga badge with the player’s name to be embroidered. The cost of this would be paid by the Federation.

MJ would extend an invitation to all members selected.

6) Malaga Cup 29^th Nov/ 9^th December

TW asked if those present knew of potential sponsors for this event and several Committee members agreed to approach known contacts before the next meeting.

The entry fee would remain at 7€ with the format as previously agreed. MJ would specify the dress code in accordance with that adopted for the 2008 National Championships and would circularize the Committee for approval of the proposal. MJ would advise TW of the new ‘Perpetual Trophies’ required and it was agreed the prizes for winners and losing finalists would be engraved crystal.

7)     Xmas Hamper  Santa Maria 13^th December

This was a Federated event and all players in a team had to come from the same club.  This entry fee would remain at 7€ and the dress code would be specified on the entry form.

JC informed the meeting that only the top green would be in use this coming season and MJ advised, as a consequence, he may have to restrict the entry

8)     National Championships 2009, Qualifiers, dates and venues

TW reported that Andalucia’s representatives on the National Executive committee have been concerned for some time that the holding of the National Championships in their present form could not continue as they had become too unwieldy, took up too much time and basically precluded entries from non host regions due to the expense. (2008 -460 players. Over 1,600 entries.)  

The Executive started to address this problem by instituting qualifying rounds held in each region for ladies and men’s single in 2008.   It was anticipated that qualifying rounds would be extended to all disciplines for the 2009 Championships and it was on this basis that your committee put in a bid for the Finals to be held in Malaga in May 2009.

To our surprise Alicante did not wish the format to change and when put to the vote carried the day by one vote.

As a result the Committee decided that they would encourage members to attend but at the same time use the time allocated to the qualifying rounds in Malaga to hold a full Provincial Championship. It was also proposed that  a letter should be sent to the National Executive requesting that the National Championships in their present form be discontinued  as they are no longer representative and that a new format be established to determine Spain’s National Champions starting for season 2009/10.. This letter to be sent when clubs had considered the matter and proposed alternatives formats.

T.W. also reported that the new Spanish Open proposed for 2010 which had previously been allocated to Alicante had been transferred to Malaga as being a location more attractive to tourists. January/February had been suggested and this matter to be taken up with the owners committee to see where it could be fitted in.

9)     Coaching

MJ advised that Ruth Compton was close to completing her programme. The aim was to identify and train new coaches within the Province, who would then, in turn, be able to train new coaches at club level. The Federation would totally fund this programme for Federated members.

Trevor Burgin made his apologies to the meeting as he had to leave due to prior commitments.

10) Marker’s Workshop

MJ informed members present that Benavista had completed the course, Los Amigos had booked a session and Mijas and Superbowl were to make arrangements. DC said she would approach Benalmadena about a commitment to the scheme.

11) Federation fees for 2009

These were 32€ for individual membership and 21€ for corporate membership.

12 ) Federation Funding  

T.W. reported that due to a large increase in membership arising from the introduction of Corporate membership would be reported to the Junta de Andalucia in March 2009 when they received the FAB’s accounts for the year ended 31^st. December.. We have to submit our application for funding in November and as we can anticipate a steady increase, we need to find an outlet for the funds. J.C. stated that he would like to see more money channelled into Markers/Course. It was agreed to seek a meeting with the owners committee to exchange views as we needed to avoid the situation that arose in 2006 when the FAB was obliged to return 25% of its grant (7.500 Euros) as it was not possible to justify its use.

13. New Governing Body.

T.W. issued an information note regarding a change in governing bodies that was being considered for clubs to comment on.  

14) Summer League 2009

A letter had been received from Los Amigos who had made a decision not to join with Belplaya and although they had asked for certain conditions with the Federation fees, these would be as stipulated as in the previous paragraph.

Los Amigos had expressed a preference for morning games and MJ asked clubs for their input at the next meeting to decide the times, morning or evening, for the 2009 season and any rule changes that were felt necessary.

15) Andalucian Championships

In pursuit of Regional qualification for all non- Provincial Tournaments, the local Committee had already proposed to Almeria that only our finalists would travel to Mojacar for the latter stages- This means that the dates allocated would be used to identify qualifiers within Malaga Province.

16) Duties of Club Reps

a)     Collecting fees for 2009

b)     Controlling entry sheets for competitions, collecting entry fees and advising Competition Committee of entries before draw date.

c)      Checking that entrants are federated.

17) AOB

2008/9 Costa del Sol handbook;-T.W apologised for the fact that the Federation’s entry was wrong. New people had taken on the preparation this year and unfortunately they had omitted to send him a proof copy for checking. For some reason, reference to the Federation had been removed from the cover. He would take this up as it was there to indicate that the Federation is the governing body and the game is played under Federation Laws.

All business concluded, the date was set for the next meeting at 10.30am Thursday 13^th November at Santa Maria Bowls Club and Tony Winterton thanked all members for attending and closed the meeting at 1.25pm.