2006 Council Meeting Reports

PNZ Council Meeting 24 & 25 November 2006

Selection process

The whole of Saturday 25^th and part of Sunday 26^th morning was devoted to the evaluation of the 2006 process, and proposals for future processes. The outcomes have been reported elsewhere.

Umpiring

Neil Goodwin has had 30 expressions of interest in doing the Umpire’s exam. All applicants have been sent the Umpire’s Handbook.

The umpiring exam questions will be subdivided into 3 or 4 exams of 30-40 questions; people will not know in advance which set of questions they will be getting (similar to the Driver Licensing Test).

The Australians have produced an umpiring DVD, and PNZ will look at purchasing this.

Neil will arrange a “pilot” practical exam in the Central region.

A list of qualified umpires will be made publicly available (e.g. on the website) so that tournament organisers know who they can ask to officiate at events.

FIPJP rules

These were amended at the FIPJP meeting in September. The main changes are around allowing the use of plastic circles; the distance before a coch or boule is “dead” when applying on marked terrains; and defining deadball lines for back-to-back pistes.

However, some questions around the new rules have been raised by Australia. PNZ will keep using the old rules until these issues have been clarified.

National Tournament Coordinator

This position was formally established.  It is to be advertised via the website, magazine and email notice to clubs. Closing date end of January 2007.  Brian Smith, who currently carries out this role, will work alongside the new person to help them into the role.

2007 National Triples

The 2007 National Triples will be held at Rotorua, Saturday 31^st March & Sunday 1^st April.

2007 Trans Tasman Challenge

Michael Rocks is liaising with Andre Deramond (President Australian Petanque).

• New Zealand’s preferred/suggested date is 21/22 April.

• We have requested that the Senior/Veterans section be an official competition. It was agreed that if this is accepted, PNZ will provide a trophy (the Australians provided the Open trophy).  This will have a flow-on effect on how to determine the overall winner; whether it will be the winner of the Open section, or combine the open and senior results to get the overall champion.

• Number of players in a team to remain at 12.

PNZ will advertise for a manager of the Trans Tasman team.

Financial support

• Clubs/regions

  The issue of PNZ support for regional activities that help achieve PNZ’s objectives was discussed. It was agreed that $500 per region per year be available, on application to PNZ, to be used by the region for the promotion and/or development of petanque. The region will be required to report back           to PNZ, within 3 months of the end of the financial year, on what the money was used for. If this      criteria is not met, the region will not be eligible for further funding.

• Players

  Current policy is that PNZ does not contribute to sending teams overseas, except for paying for uniforms. However, if we are sending teams overseas because we believe that there are benefits to PNZ and NZ petanque from participating in international competition, perhaps we should, in   recognition of that benefit, be contributing something towards the costs.

   

  The Council agreed that there was merit in this, but PNZ has also stated that PNZ funds are not used to send teams to the World Championships. Changing this policy is likely to be a big issue for smaller clubs with mostly non-competitive players.

   

  There is also the issue of expecting other people – coaches, managers – to pay their own way to do a job for PNZ. This is a broader strategic issue for a voluntary organisation. People contribute their time and effort, but you can’t expect them to personally fork out large sums of money for the benefit of the organisation.

   

  It was agreed that this could be the subject of an article for the magazine, to try and get a handle on what the membership view might be.

New Subcommittee

PNZ wants to set up a Financial Strategy Subcommittee, consisting of the Treasurer, a Council member, and another “independent” person with financial planning skills and knowledge. The latter position is to be filled from within PNZ membership if possible. This committee would provide an overview of finances, set a longer-term financial strategy, make general policy recommendations and explain to membership what we are trying to do. It would not be involved operationally at a day-to-day level at all.

We would like to have this committee in place by the 2007 AGM, so if you are interested in helping out in this manner, or know of someone who would fit the bill, please email the Secretary.

Gift policy – international tournaments

• Player exchange gifts (for overseas teams to give to their counterparts) are to be at players expense.

• Federation-to-federation gifts, to be at PNZ expense. Any such gifts received are to be recorded as to what was received, who from, and who holds them.

Invitations to overseas tournaments.

It was agreed that we will set out a year in advance which tournaments PNZ will be sending teams to. Any other tournament invitations that come in during the year will go into the “pot’ for consideration for inclusion in the calendar.

World Petanque Day

The FIPJP has declared 2 June 2007 as World Petanque Day. 

Barbara Whittington

Secretary                                                                                                                     back to top

PNZ Council Meeting 24 & 25 June 2006

Administration

The position of Chief Executive is to be re-advertised, via the website, magazine, and email direct to Clubs.

The Deputy Chief Executive position will, for day-to-day operating purposes, now be known as Operations Manager, with responsibility for publicity, sponsorship, tournaments, and seeing that Council policy decisions are put into operation at regional level. Joanne Lippard has been appointed to this position.

Selection process

Council noted that this is an evolving process, and will be subject to review each year in the light of experience.  This annual review will include a feedback process. Everyone, whether involved in the process or not, will have an opportunity to comment. A feedback form for this year will be available shortly.

Trans Tasman

The Council moved a formal vote of thanks to all those involved in this event for a great result. It was a very well organised event, and the terrains stood up well to the decidedly inclement weather.

Funding

Our success at international level is starting to pay off, with increased recognition of our sport in the media, and impacting on funding:

• SPARC have given PNZ an additional one-off $4000 this year, tagged to the achievement of our coaching and umpiring goals.

• Peugeot have agreed to renew their sponsorship for PNZ at $4,000 for 2006 and will consider increasing this funding in 2007. They are looking to work more closely with PNZ, and have a higher profile at our events and amongst their dealerships.

• The Minister of Sports has made a very generous grant of $2000 towards the costs of this year’s World Championships campaign, noting our success at the 2005 Oceania Championships and more recently in the Trans Tasman Challenge.

Senior Petanque Championship

The Council approved a proposal from the Senior Sub-Committee to establish a National Senior Petanque Championship. The first event is scheduled to be held on 9/10 December, venue TBA.

For more information contact: Trevor Nielson (trevorandsue@xtra.co.nz) or Murray Porter (murray.porter@nzhjheinz.com)

National Championships

Wellington Petanque Association have advised that the venue for the 2006 Peugeot National Singles Championship, to be held on 7/8 October, is the Kapiti Club, Aorangi Domain, Paraparaumu.

As from the 2006 National Singles, PNZ will pay the host club for the use of venues, at the rate of $100 plus $5 per player/entrant for National Championships, and a flat fee of $200 for International events.

Venues: with the addition of the National Senior Championships to the calendar, the geographical allocation of all national tournaments from next year on was re-considered with the following tentatively proposed:

• 2007

  April - Triples - Wellington

  October - Singles - Auckland

  November - Doubles - Central

  December - Seniors - South Island

• 2008

  April - Triples - Auckland

  October - Singles - South Island

  November - Doubles - Wellington

  December - Seniors - Central

A survey is to be carried out to gauge members’ views on issues including:

• The timing of national championships;

• A suggestion that to ease congestion on the Calendar, all Regional Championships should be held on same day(s), e.g. two weeks before National Championships.

Oceania 2006

There is a tentative date of 31^st October for this event, but it is not certain that it will go ahead. Petanque Australia are not interested, and have left it up to the NSW Petanque League to organise if they want to. We have not received an invitation or any other information.

National Petanque Week

Will again run from the Saturday of Labour Weekend (21^st October) to the following Sunday (29^th).

Drugs and alcohol in sport

There is currently a Bill before Parliament setting up a new agency and legislation for drug-free sport in New Zealand. The World Anti-Doping Agency Prohibited Items list includes many items that may be relevant to petanque players, particularly more senior players. Neil Goodwin is writing an article on this for the next magazine. Council noted that our Constitution requires us to abide by the Anti-Doping Code, and that if petanque were an Olympic sport, we would have to be completely alcohol-free.

The next Council meeting will be held on 24 & 25 November.

Barbara Whittington

Secretary                                                                                                                     back to top

PNZ Council Meeting 25 & 26 March 2006

Changes in Administration

Michael Rocks has been elected as Chair of the National Council. Neil Goodwin (Petanque Bay of Plenty) is the new Delegate for the Central Region.

The positions of Chief Executive and Deputy CEO remain unfilled. In the interim Michael Rocks will be acting CEO.

Joanne Evans (Herne Bay Club member and Auckland Petanque Association Secretary) has been co-opted onto the Executive.

Areas of responsibility

The Council has set up the following areas (portfolios) that represent PNZ’s core roles, and allocated an area to a Council/Executive member to take overall responsibility for. They will not necessarily be doing the work involved themselves, but will co-ordinate activities and be a central contact point.

Portfolios:

• Jean Pascal Cuer: Membership Services; Communication (website, magazine); Sport growth/delivery/development

• Neil Goodwin: Umpiring; Education, Coaching, Training

• Michael Rocks: Tournaments - national & international; Selection process & policies; International relationships

• Brian Smith: Finance; Sponsorship/funding

• Joanne Evans: Publicity/marketing; SPARC/sponsorship relationships

• Michael Rocks & Barbara Whittington: Policy development

• Barbara Whittington: Administration; Disputes resolution

Life membership

Graeme Morris has been made a Life Member of Petanque New Zealand in recognition of his contribution to the organisation over the 7 years he has served on the Executive. Graeme has committed a huge amount of time, energy and personal resources to fostering the growth and development of petanque in New Zealand, and also international relationships.

Player Code of Behaviour

PNZ has adopted a Code of Behaviour for players.  It applies to all members of PNZ-affiliated Clubs, at all events (i.e. Club, regional and national level events, social and competitive). It is available on the website and a copy will be sent to all clubs.

International tournaments

It was decided to send a team to the 2006 World Championships; and in principle to the Women’s World Championships (which are being held in conjunction with the Open tournament), subject to there being enough players meeting selection criteria available, and funding.

Airfares will need to be booked as early as possible and no later than 31^st July. This means the teams will need to be selected by 31^st May, in order to give players and PNZ enough time to arrange funding. The selected players will be asked to sign a contract, and pay for the airfares by their due date.

National Championships

The following is to be added to Tournament Conditions:

The maximum break between games is to be 10 minutes i.e. this is the maximum time allowed once both teams due to start have finished their previous games.

A query was raised as to what happens if one team has to withdraw during a game (e.g. for medical/family emergency reasons). One suggestion was that the result be deemed to be a 13-7 win to the remaining team, or the existing score, whichever is greater. The Council decided that this issue should be considered further, as there may be instances where the proposed method would not give a fair result. It may need to be decided on a case-by-case basis by the Disputes Committee.

The random draw for team numbers will be done publicly at the tournament venue on the evening before the event. Teams who have members present will draw their own number; for teams who are not present an independent person will draw on their behalf.

A registration desk will be implemented as from the 2006 Singles, for all players to check in their arrival and sign acceptance of the tournament conditions. Boules inspection and compliance with tournament conditions (e.g. footwear, player eligibility) may also be done.

Reminder

The 2006 Peugeot National Singles Championship will be held on 7& 8 October in the Wellington Region; exact venue to be advised by end April.

The 2006 Peugeot National Doubles Championship will be held on November 11 & 12 at the Hagley Park terrain of Christchurch Petanque.

Barbara Whittington

Secretary                                                                                                                     back to top