MRHA News Archive - January 2006

Coaching Solutions Hockey League
Secretary League Circular - January 2006

Handbooks

Our first handbook without Ken Russell at the helm was produced on time in early September.
It is a joint effort, Laurie Alcock (Hon Sec MRHA), Michael Hooper, Chris Forde and the Hon Secs of MRHUA, BCHUA and EMHUA all made their considerable contributions and the help from our new printer Graham Hollway, himself a hockey player, and his staff at Prontaprint made the task both easier and enjoyable. I am not so sure we do so well with regard to distribution. We might consider sending them all out to clubs by parcel post next season.

October to December ...

Good weather saw the leagues run to schedule until the frozen pitches of November 19th took out about one third of the fixtures. It just takes the shadow of a building or trees to prevent part of the pitch from thawing out and the games are off and the problems of rearrangements begin, as many leisure centres have regular bookings on Sundays. A check on the website reveals that nearly all the postponed matches have now been played.

Transfers

Over 190 on the website; to check go to Rules then click on Transfers 2005/6 which reveals all transfers completed.
There are a couple in Worcestershire that are at a standstill until outstanding debts (from last season) have been paid.
They had better hurry up, as the deadline is 31st January 2006.

Fines

Too many. Nearly every one for late phone calls by 1st X1s with the result, (Midland Premier and Midland Division 1 by 4.30pm and other divisions by 5.00pm), or late returns of match sheets to Divisional Secretaries by Tuesday.

Red and Yellow cards

The review after 7 matches showed an increase compared with 2004/5.
Reds 12 + 3 MMOs (last year 10) Yellows 428 (last year 377). This is a concern; the numbers had been falling every
year since 1999.   Warning letters went out to 7 clubs; all but one had received warnings in past seasons.
Four clubs had points deducted because of their indiscipline. Both the League Committee and Umpire Associations
are becoming increasingly concerned by the attitude of some players towards umpires.
Clubs that do not treat umpires correctly could find that they do not receive appointments.

Dates for your diary

31st January 2006 Transfer deadline.
1st April 2006 Deadline for applications to join the league.
19th April 2006 LC meeting to consider applications.
24th April 2006 Despatch to club secretaries of handbook entry for updating
and invoices for Affiliation Fees and Handbooks.
31st May 2006 Deadline for return of updated handbook entries and payment of invoices.

League Saturdays 2006/7

The leagues will run:
from weeks 5-15 (30th September to 9th December 2006) and weeks 20-30 (13th January to 24th March 2007);
please inform your fixture secretary.   The LC will continue the concession to university sides that fixtures falling in their vacations will be rearranged on Sundays during term time. Where a term ends on a Friday university teams will have to fulfil fixtures on the following day.
Fixtures will be posted on the website at the end of June.

Applications to join the league.

An application form to increase the number of teams a club has in the league has been sent to club secretaries
to be returned to me by 1st April 2006.

New Divisional Secretaries

The League Committee members are appointed by Midland CHA, the eight County Associations and the three Umpire Associations, but the Second, Third and Central Leagues are run by Divisional Secretaries who are all volunteers.
Some run two divisions because they want to, some because we have expanded and new volunteers have not come forward.
Last year we had to turn away a number of teams that wanted to join the Central League as we had no one to run even one extra division. I have sent every club a form should any member wish to volunteer to be a Divisional Secretary.

End of Season Presentation

No decision has been made on date; venue or even if this event will take place.
The views of our sponsors will be sought and details will be posted here on the website.

Peter Cranswick (Hon Secretary)   -   January 2006