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From: "Ben Ravilious" <ben@ravilious.net>
To: britdisc@csv.warwick.ac.uk
Subject: RE: Students & the Tour (was Tour Dates etc.)
Date: Fri, 23 Feb 2001 11:39:47 0100
Sender: owner-britdisc@warwick.ac.uk
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Paul,

Can I have your considered opinion on how we should encourage more people to 
come forward and run tournaments please. In return I will personally email you a 
copy of the minutes of the AGM.

The larger the tour gets and the more demanding the players become for decent 
facilities, the less TD's come forward. Its that simple. The days when people 
ran major tournaments for the good of the sport alone are gone I'm afraid. Thats 
not because people don't care any more, its because they have jobs, families and 
lives to go to and aren't able to offer the effort and commitment to running 
events. And you're making it worse by demonstrating exactly what response they 
can expect when it doesn't go perfectly. 

That said, you would indeed by right to expect better events given the higher 
fees. We're all looking forward to the improvements the extra budget should 
enable.

And on the subject of the AGM, the main reason the last one was not well 
attended was because it was only announced a week in advance. And why was it not 
annouced earlier? Because we couldn't find a venue for the Nationals where we 
agreed to hold the meeting! HELLO!!!

Paul, I really don't mean this to be having a personal go at you, but until you 
show some signs of positive input you will be treated as nothing but a sideline 
heckler. If you have experience of running tournaments then PLEASE run an event. 
We're desparate for venues. 

I am prepared to admit that at present AGMs aren't particularly effective but 
all I can offer is that I AM trying to do something about it. As someone else 
pointed out, expecting every team to be represented at the AGM is not really 
practical - thats why I want to implement electronic/postal voting as part of 
the association. If you have any experience of running committees or organising 
democracy then please come forward - we need your help.

One final point, there is no requirement for every subject to be discussed and 
voted on at AGM. Its generally better to allow the officers to make executive 
decisions. You can then vote them out if you don't like it - otherwise noone can 
ever do anything without having to vote on it which is pants.

Again I am prepared to admit that some of us officers are not always very open 
about what our intentions are. Please understand this is not due to some hidden 
agenda (we're not paid for heavens sake) - just that we happen to have other 
things other than the BUF in our lives (no honestly ;-) STAND AGAINST US.

See you at the AGM then?

Ben

> > 
> > On the subject of the Tour fees, I'll come clean and admit 
> > that I was the
> > one who first suggested the so called 'price hike'. The 
> 
> 	that's fine ben. Where was it in the AGM minutes? please don't say
> under AOCB?
> 
> > This would have the added advantage of taking the heat from 
> > snipers like
> > Paul Meaney off the tournament directors back and onto the 
> 
> 	hmmm.. so I'm a sniper now? No I'm a BLOODY ULTIMATE PLAYER. I love
> this game and am sick and tired of the 'well just be thankful there was an
> event, no matter how shit and by the way it'll cost you WELL more than last
> year' kind of attitude so prevalent nowadays. I've run tournaments when I've
> restricted entry because the venue was crap, and ALL TEAMS WERE TOLD IN
> ADVANCE that is was crap and I MADE DAMN SURE THE COSTS WERE DOWN. silly
> bloody me! I should have just doubled all the prices, told everyone they
> should be grateful, made about a grand and sorted out the Sneeekys kit for
> the following year.
> 
> 	But I didn;t and that tournament (the Edinburgh Beginners) is
> appraching it's 10th year, is complelety oversubscribed and is on the list
> of the best tournaments.
> 
> 	Come on guys, it's about putting players FIRST and your money
> SECOND!!!
> 
> 	I guess I'm just a wee bit too idealistic for this game.
> 
> 	in the meantime, Ben, yes I will continue to take potshots at
> tournaments which offer less than Value For Money! I did it, why the hell
> can't you!
> 
> 	Paul