Dear Field Hockey BC Member,
Ahead of the 2020 FHBC Annual General Meeting, please find below the Notice of Motions.
This document can also be download as a PDF file here or in the “Documents” page, under Annual General Meeting Documents.
Field Hockey BC Annual General Meeting
Monday 10 February 2020
Notice of Motions
Non-Bylaw Motions
The following motions were approved by the Field Hockey BC Board of Directors on Monday 27 January 2020:
Motion 1 – That the Audited Financial Statement to August 31, 2019 be received
Rationale: AGM Motion required under Field Hockey BC bylaw 3.1.1 (b)
Proposed: Joanna Mukai, Finance Director
Seconded: Megan Robertson, Umpiring Director
Motion 2 – That the Auditors for Field Hockey BC for 2019-2020 be Burgess Kilpatrick Chartered Professional Accountants
Rationale: AGM Motion required under Field Hockey BC bylaw 3.1.1 (d)
Proposed: Joanna Mukai, Finance Director
Seconded: Margaret Johnson, Vice-President
Motion 3 – That there be no change to the Field Hockey BC Membership Fee schedule for the membership year 2020-2021
Rationale: AGM Motion required under Field Hockey BC bylaw 3.1.1 (e)
Proposed: Brian Groos, Marketing Director
Seconded: Margaret Johnson, Vice-President
The following motions were presented by the Field Hockey BC membership on Monday 27 January 2020:
Motion 4 – That Field Hockey BC immediately amend its Selection Process to no longer require participation in its Train to Train (U15) and Train to Compete (U18) Regional Programs as a condition of selection for the corresponding Provincial Programs, that it provide equal opportunity for all eligible athletes to be selected to its Provincial Programs, and that it clearly communicate this policy change to all eligible athletes.
Rationale: The current Field Hockey BC selection policy effectively requires athletes to become year-round field hockey players if they wish to compete in the Provincial Programs. This excludes multi-sport athletes who choose to compete in other sports through the fall and winter, and encourages early specialization. This runs directly counter to Field Hockey Canada’s Long-Term Athlete Development (LTAD) pathway, which “actively discourages early specialization since premature specialization contributes to imbalanced physical development, overuse injuries, early burnout, and inadequate development of movement and sports skills.” 1
While the Regional Program may still remain the preferred player development pathway, the Field Hockey BC selection policy should provide an equal opportunity for all athletes with the skills and desire to compete for this province, regardless of whether or not they participate in the Regional Program.
1 Source: http://lthd.fieldhockey.ca/en/whatisltad
Proposed: Taylor Curran, West Vancouver Field Hockey Club
Seconded: Ranbir Kahlon (Elite FHC), Gary Sangha (India Club), Jasbir Singh Saran (Surinder Lions Field Hockey), Andrew Dewberry (Vancouver Hawks)
Motion 5 – That Field Hockey BC immediately amend its Athlete Attendance Policy to require all athletes to prioritize club hockey during Spring League and to attend their club commitments in the event of any conflicts with Field Hockey BC programs during this period. This motion is to be implemented and take effect before Field Hockey BC’s 2020 Provincial Programs but should not apply to the 2020 Regional Tournaments.
Rationale: The current Field Hockey BC Athlete Attendance Policy has resulted in a high level of game forfeitures and cancellations, reduced registration numbers, and a diminished Spring League experience that does not support the development and growth of the sport. The effects extend beyond the players that are directly participating in Regional and Provincial Programs to impact coaches, umpires, other players, and clubs across the region:
- Regional and Provincial Program players are unable to compete for their clubs and play with their friends.
- Games are cancelled or forfeit because of conflicts with Regional and Provincial Programs.
- Teams are left to compete without many of their best players.
- Coaches and administrators are scrambling to try to reschedule games or find enough players to field a team.
- Umpires are frustrated and inconvenienced by frequent game cancellations and forfeitures.
- Players are opting to train with the Regional and Provincial Programs rather than participate in Spring League.
The clubs of the GVJFHL are prepared to work collaboratively with Field Hockey BC to reduce conflicts between its Regional and Provincial Programs and Spring League. These efforts notwithstanding, because of the short duration of Spring League and its central importance to field hockey in this province, we believe that participation in Spring League must take precedent over all other field hockey commitments for its duration.
Proposed: Jasbir Singh Saran, Surinder Lions Field Hockey
Seconded: Gary Sangha (India Club) Andrew Dewberry (Vancouver Hawks), Mark Vaughan (West Vancouver Field Hockey Club), Ranbir Kahlon (Elite FHC)
Motion 6 – That, beginning with the 2020-2021 season, Field Hockey BC schedule all Regional Tournaments before the start of April to eliminate conflicts with Spring League.
Rationale: Over the past few seasons, the practice of scheduling Regional Tournaments during the Spring League season, like the Field Hockey BC Athlete Attendance Policy discussed in Motion 5 above, has resulted in a high level of game forfeitures and cancellations, reduced registration numbers, and a poorer Spring League experience that has impacted players, coaches, umpires, and clubs across the province.
Spring League is an extremely short season that is fundamental to the growth and development of field hockey in BC. To prevent it from being disrupted and diminished, Field Hockey BC should schedule all Regional Tournaments before Spring League. In support of this motion, the clubs of the GVJFHL are prepared to work with Field Hockey BC to provide it with the field bookings necessary to run its regional tournaments during this period.
Proposed: Andrew Dewberry, Vancouver Hawks
Seconded: Brian Bryson (West Vancouver Field Hockey Club), Ranbir Kahlon (Elite FHC), Gary Sangha (India Club), Jasbir Singh Saran (Surinder Lions Field Hockey)
Motion 7 – That Field Hockey BC, beginning with the 2019-2020 season, in conjunction with host clubs, organize annual Club Championships in the U12, U14, U16, and U18 age divisions and schedule them for the final four weekends of the Spring League season.
Rationale: We believe that Club Championships should be the capstone of the Spring League season and a celebration of field hockey in BC.
Holding Club Championships during the final weeks of the short Spring League season will provide sufficient time for players to develop technical skills, tactical knowledge, and team camaraderie. This is particularly important for the many players who are new to the sport or only play field hockey during Spring League, and for the many teams who only play together during Spring League.
Furthermore, aligning the Club Championships age divisions with the GVJFHL age divisions will better allow teams that play together in Spring League to compete together at Club Championships, particularly on the boys’ side. It will also reduce the severe disruption and large number of Spring League forfeitures that occur as clubs pull players from two Spring League age divisions to field a single Club Championships team.
In support of this motion and our vision for Club Championships, the clubs of the GVJFHL are prepared to provide additional support to Field Hockey BC in hosting these events.
Proposed: Gary Sangha, India Club
Seconded: Andrew Dewberry (Vancouver Hawks), Margi Spooner (West Vancouver Field Hockey Club), Ranbir Kahlon (Elite FHC), Jasbir Singh Saran (Surinder Lions Field Hockey)