Leicestershire Squash League.
Minutes of the Forty-fifth Annual General Meeting. Held on Monday 12th August 2019 at Leicester Squash Club 189 London Road.
Present :- R.Clements (Chairman), G.Hill (Treasurer), D.New (I.T.Administrator),
M.Blasdale (Secretary) and 21 representatives from 16 member clubs.
Apologies :- Loughborough Students - Ollie Wood - Cathy Brown - Rachel Calver.
Matters Arising :- None
Report - Chairman - Robin Clements
This last year Leicestershire Squash has lost Alan Hawkins (Slater St and Enderby),
John Batty (Squash Leicester and Leicester Squash), Colin Fisher (Stoney Stanton
and L.R.H.) Colin Calvert (New Parks and GEC)
A special remembrance of Alec Duffy a founder Leicestershire League committee
man. One of the driving forces behind creating the league. Served as Treasurer for
the first 3 years than Chairman for a further 9. Stalwart member of Hinckley Squash
Club as a longstanding committee man and Trustee.
The Chairman asked the meeting to observe a minutes silence in their memory,
which was duly observed.
Robin then thanked the County Committee for all their work during the year and
outlined the tasks they performed. Simon Rolington as a general County member,
Rachel Calver as Ladies Team manager and County Ladies representative, Ollie
Wood for running the County Competitions, Dave New as our I.T. Leader, Gary Hill
for being Treasurer and Mike Blasdale as Secretary.
Cathy Brown had taken over as Chairwomen of the County Juniors.
Alex Cummings has moved away from the area to forge a new career and has
stepped down from Media Communications, and we thank him for his work in
establishing our various media vehicles.
This season the committee achieved it's long held aim of bringing all areas of squash
under the county umbrella. The Ladies have joined with the county, Men's League
and Juniors to form a solid Squash Committee.
We now have the opportunity to move Squash in Leicestershire forward as a unit,
speaking with one voice.
Report - Treasurer - Gary Hill
Gary had issued the accounts prior to the meeting for each of the League, County
and Juniors.
He gave a detailed breakdown of income and expenditure for each area.
He had 2 recommendations for the coming season, to hold the team fee at £40 per
team in the men’s league and to donate £500 to the County to balance the books.
The accounts were proposed by Heath Jennings and seconded by Alison Avil and
agreed unanimously.
Report – I.T. Administrator – Dave New
Another successful year for the system. Injury adjustment to squash levels can be
made but must be done via the County Committee, not direct to Richard Bickers of
Squash Levels.
County competitions are to be paid by use of PayPal for future events.
This year's Order of Merit lists would be unlocked around 19th August.
As previous years allowance will be made for usual circumstances.
It is not planned to change the system very much, if at all this year.
Report - Competitions Manager - Ollie Wood
Ollie was unable to attend due to family holiday, but asked if Club Secretaries could
really push players to enter the County Competitions.
Congratulations to Luke Parker and Rachel Calver on winning the County
Championships.
Report - Junior Chair - Cathy Brown
Cathy was away on holiday but had provided a report to Mike, which he duly read
out. She outlined the 5 year plan for Juniors.
Thanks were given to Andrea Gee for her help with competitions.
County kit had been sourced and would used by all county teams.
Ideas were welcome and could be passed on via Hinckley Squash Club or direct to
Cathy.
Report - Secretary - Mike Blasdale
There were no disciplinary problems during the last season.
Only 3 matches were conceded and there were also only 3 fines for late results.
If you are aware that your team will not be stopping for food, please advise the
home team 2 days before so they don't waste money unnecessarily.
Similarly if anyone in your team has special dietary requirements you must give
adequate notice to the home team.
Events and decisions are taking place over which the league has no control, and
some of these effect the playing of the game, and contradict the Rules of the League.
This is entirely in the Leisure Centre area and is potentially going to cause problems.
Last year David Lloyd managers altered the kitchen opening hours by reducing the
closing time.
New Parks have removed all the bar staff in the evenings and imposed a closing
time of 10-00 to shut the place every night. This will also effect Slater Street who play
there. It is no consolation that a source at Slater Street has admitted it was a mistake
to remove squash from their offered activities. Realising now that it's squash players
who support the bar and club in general.
Charnwood management have been to say the least awkward in helping Charnwood
Squash relocate to the Leisure Centre on Brown's Lane. They have finally due to
Malcolm Young's sterling work been allocated Wednesdays and Thursdays for team
matches but with no discount and fixed times.
The main effect is that we can no longer insist on an earliest start time of 7-00 pm
during the week and still expect the same conditions to apply.
Therefore under Rules of the League you will be asked to remove the start time rule.
Clubs will be free to start at a time that gives them the ability to see the matches
completed and allow time for socialising afterwards. These clubs should bare in mind
the distances that need to be travelled when setting their start times but I'm sure we
can all come to a sensible arrangements with a bit of thought.
Assuming this change takes place, and club wishing to alter their start time MUST
advice the Secretary at the A.G.M.
The committee also wish to bring in the "Loan System" which has been successfully
used by the Ladies League for several seasons. The discussion document has been
circulated by the E.C. earlier in the year and it is hoped will provide extra "insurance"
for teams that might struggle to put out a full side during the year.
Rules of the League :-
The "Loan" system, as per circulated document.
Voted in with 1 abstention
It was agreed the "Loan List" would be posted on the website.
Start time as per circulated document.
Voted in unanimously.
Presentations :
This year Robin Clements, our Chairmen made the trophy presentation.
The winning teams for the season just ended were as follows
Winter League 2018/2019
Division 1 - Hinckley Squash
Division 2 - University of Leicester
Division 3 - Burton Squash
Division 4 - Market Harbough 3
Division 5 - Charnwood 3
Critchlow Fellowship Cup
Division 1 - Hinckley Squash 9.43
Division 2 - Market Harborough 2 9.25
Division 3 - Hinckley Squash 4 & New Parks 8.89
Division 4 - Market Harborough 3 9.44
Division 5 - Leicester Squash 5 9.00
Overall Winner - Market Harborough 3 9.44
The Handicap Cup Winners - Mike's Marvels Runners Up - Charnwood 2
The Robin Clements Cup for the most improved junior player in the league once
more showed some great young talent playing the game.
This year it came down to a choice between Oscar Dean (Market Harborough) and
Krish Mistry (Leicester Squash).
Another close call between these 2 players but this years winner is Oscar Dean.
Handicap Knockout Cup
Fabulous turn out this year with 18 teams taking part. Well done everyone a very
creditable competition.
Again the entry forms have been distributed at the A.G.M.
Each club is asked to enter at least 1 team.
We shall again use the Squash Levels handicap system so each match will have its
own handicap and better reflect the relative merits of each player.
League Structure.
Leagues for next season had been prepared and sent to every club prior to the
Annual General Meeting.
Again this season we finished up with 49 teams. Stags having to drop their 1st team
due to long term injuries to some top players. De Montfort University had struggled
all season as their intake of "freshmen" was not off a high enough standard and they
dropped out during the season from Division 5.
This season we have 51 teams entered.
Not so difficult this year with term times fitting nicely into the league season.
However we are faced with a shortfall in Division 1 with only 8 teams playing.
Division 2 has 12 teams and the top 2 will be promoted next season.
The preliminary fixtures will be sent out early next week, with the agreed fixtures not
later than 30th August, subject to clubs providing agreement on the changes.
Please note that some days for your fixtures have been altered and shaded in yellow.
Also dates are not necessarily in strict chronological order. Again major alterations
are shaded in yellow.
Please confirm that these alterations are acceptable to you as urgently as you can.
If you need to change one of these alterations please make sure the new date does
not clash with existing fixtures IN ANY division.
Election of Officers:-
The 4 existing committee members offer themselves for re-election and as no other
persons had been proposed they were re-elected for another year.
Robin Clements has now served for 14 years, Gary Hill for 16 years, Dave New for
5 years and Mike Blasdale for 38 years.
A.O.B.
We again discussed Racketball and it was decided that clubs should organise a
summer competition amongst themselves, with a possibility of entering a team in
in the National's. It was noted that Warwickshire has a thriving summer league.
There being no further business the meeting closed at 8-43p.m.