RichardHowells posted on May 05, 2009 17:25
Chairman’s Report 2008/09
In our 25th season we have again managed to run 3 teams in the Wiltshire Leagues.
To accommodate this, the club has run
3hour Sunday night training sessions to give dedicated training time to
each team, and has managed to add in more junior sessions this year.
Players from the club have also
played in higher leagues as well as playing for the club ---- A good
measure of the club attracting and developing players.
The ‘B’ Team have played in their 1st ever season in the Premiere Division.
The club has again organised all Wiltshire Tournaments this season and the Dave Kinder Cup.
The club has attracted new players to
the club at the start and during the season, but some of these players
have not remained at the club. We will also loose some players at the
end of this season and will hopefully pick up more players at the start
of next season.
There have been some social events
throughout the year: the Christmas bash, farewell parties, and we are
starting to organise the clubs’25th anniversary party. Pub attendance
for a social drink after training has not been as good as in previous
years probably due to the different split training session finishing
times and later finish of the longer session .
Volleyball will continue outdoors
throughout the summer on beach and grass, and teams are being entered
for various summer tournaments.
The club will also be involved with
promoting volleyball to the local community through the Swindon Youth
festival and Challenge Swindon.
Last May the club organised the first
ever foreign tour to Italy -----In fact the first ever tour ----- and
will again venture into Europe ,this time to Austria.
The club seems to be in good
health, however I believe that for the future the club needs to provide
an outlet for higher level players and beginners and juniors if it is to
flourish ,as well as being a social and fun club to be in ,while
maintaining our ethos that the club exists to develop players to play
competitive volleyball. ------- Perhaps this is something we should
strive to achieve in the future? As a club we are loosing out on
Junior/beginner development with opportunities to play in the League
and are we not catering as a club for players to progress beyond the
Wilts’ Premier Division. (Although Wiltshire Mavericks are providing an
outlet )
There are lots to think about for the future including how we organise ourselves as a club and how we pay for our volleyball.
As I have intonated I am intending to
stand down and hand over the reins of the club, (after several years as
Chairman a few more injuries and less free time on my hands), to a
fresh face whom, has the energy time and commitment to see through some
of these ideas and come up with new ideas for the future health of the
club. So I would ask that those of you who are not involved with the
running of the club to step up to the mark to “do a little bit for your club”.
Irwin Aiken
Club Chairman 2008/09