Minutes of Management Meeting on 29 August 2008

The Management Committee of the National Stoolball Association (NSA) met at 53 Kings Road, Horsham, on Friday 29 August 2008 at 7.45pm.

Present

• Shirley Reed (President)
• John Price (Chairman)
• Kevin Hilliard (Vice-Chairman)
• Kay Price (Secretary)
• Peter Cheesman (Treasurer)
• Barbara Fitzpatrick (Marketing/Publicity)
• John Fitzpatrick (Umpires).

The Chairman welcomed everyone to the meeting, in particular Trevor Parsons from Adastra Stoolball Club who will be the Management Committee’s nomination to take over from Peter Cheesman when he retires at the AGM in November.

Apologies:

• Michael Ledwich (Insurance)
• Rick Mason (Website Administrator)

Minutes of the last Officers’ meeting

The minutes were signed and approved as a true record.

Matters arising from the last meeting

There was nothing to be raised under this section which would not appear later on the agenda.

Correspondence

1. Sussex County Sports Partnership: Sussex NGB Forum follow-up notes; August e-news; Sussex Sports Talk magazine; List of Coach and Club Development Workshops (Sept-Dec)
2. Central Council of Physical Recreation (CCPR): Daily bulletins; Policy Update August 2008; European Monitor August 2008; Business Networking event at Lord’s Cricket Ground on 5 November 2008; Notification of Sports Development Conference in Sheffield on 3^rd/4 September 2008; CCPR Membership Pack and contact information pro forma; Sport England Lottery Consultation document issued, CCPR request for NGB views; Games & Sports Division meeting on 16 September 2008
3. Brighton & Hove City Council: Sports Forum update; Sports awards on 2 October 2008
4. Google Statistics and Alerts: The statistics for August had not been issued. Google alert: new stoolball league involving local businesses set up in the Eastbourne area and a second alert about the new DVD being brought out by MLB called “Baseball Discovered” in which stoolball is featured.
5. Sport England: Correspondence discussed under Item 7.
6. Physical Education Matters: The summer edition of this Journal containing an NSA advertisement for stoolball was circulated to Officers. It was decided to run a similar advertisement in the March edition in 2009.
7. Major League Baseball: Prior to the public release of “Baseball Discovered”, all those players and officials who were interviewed for the DVD have been asked to sign “Consent, Assignment and Release” forms – a necessary formality.
8. Stoolball Memorabilia: The NSA has received a request for stoolball history and equipment from Beth Hise who is organising an international exhibition primarily about Baseball and Cricket which will be held at Lord’s Cricket Ground, in Melbourne, Australia and Cooperstown in the US.

Treasurer’s Report

Peter Cheesman reported a surplus of £3,366 for the period. He reported that the Investment Account was now closed, and the money placed in the NSA’s cheque account until it is decided where it is appropriate to place this money. The cheque account now contains £15,380.00. It was also decided that the BingoLotto money should be separately accounted for, so that there is a clear indication of how the money is being spent and allow us to report accurately to CCPR, if required.

Governing Body recognition

Following emails and telephone discussions with Richard Clarkson from Sport England, it was agreed at the last meeting to make the requested changes to the NSA Constitution. However, a more recent development concerned a request to change the name of the National Stoolball Association as the governing body of stoolball.

It was decided that it was important that the NSA should do all it could in order to get the approval of Sport England and if this involved changing the name of the NSA, then approval of this and other changes in the Constitution requested by Sport England would be put to an EGM at the end of September.

It was agreed that a draft copy of the new Constitution should be forwarded to Sport England for their comments and that other supporting documentation, i.e. Year 7 lesson plans, the NSA Five Year Plan should be added to the Application. It was also agreed that the EGM documentation should also include a proxy vote for those with voting rights who were unable to attend.

Marketing/Publicity/Website:

It was agreed that the proposed name change would impact on the logo, bi-fold Leaflet and the website and that these topics would need a full discussion in the November meeting.

Equipment

There followed a discussion on equipment requirements for next year and great concern was expressed about the problems with the current Waft ball.

John and Kay Price spoke about a visit to Hunts County bats in Huntingdon where they took pictures of a bat being made and talked to their craftsmen about the possibility of producing an oval handled bat again (in the style of the Curtis-Lloyd bat), in addition to the current round handled bat. It was a very enjoyable trip and they had absorbed a great deal about the manufacture of stoolball bats. A letter of thanks had been sent to the Hunts County Bat company.

EGM date and location

It was agreed that the Extraordinary General Meeting, followed by a General Committee meeting will be held in the Renshaw Room at Wivelsfield Village Hall on Sunday 28 September 2008, beginning at 11am.

It was also agreed that the Annual General Meeting will be held at the same venue on Sunday 16 November 2008, beginning at 11am.

Any other business

CRB checks – follow-up of CRB checks had been superseded by more pressing events in the last few months and Kevin Hilliard agreed to contact the Media Group in Nottingham to resume activity.

Date of next meeting

Extraordinary General Meeting, followed by a General Meeting, to be held at the Renshaw Room, Wivelsfield Village Hall on Sunday 28 September 2008 at 11am.

The meeting closed at 10.30pm.

Kay and John Price, 7 September 2008

Tags: meetings