Planning Meeting Greater Edmonton Lacrosse Council October 13, 2007

Attendance:

Forrest Thomspon, Titans                                                  Ken Hansen, Warriors

John Frame Blues,                                                                Doug Frost, Discipline

Kent Proctor, Rebels                                                           Bob Posezny , Rams

Keith Talbot, Vice President                                              Bill Clark, Box Chair

Jim Andrews, Wizards                                                        Carla Nelson, Westlock

Darlene Anders, President                                                                 Brad Dahrouge, RIC

Graham Sterparn, Field

Donna Haggstrom, GELC                                                   Lawrence Farries, Red Deer Chiefs

1)       Call to order:

Meeting was called to order by the President at 9:11 am.

2)       Acceptance of the Agenda:

Brad and Kent moved the acceptance of the agenda.

3)       Committee Reports:

a)       Box Committee-

Bill Clark gave an overview of the Box Committee planning meeting speaking on the three main items discussed. Mini –tyke and changing the way the league operates.

Tournaments and what clubs are committted to what in the next year.

Tierring Proposal to go to an A, B, C format.

·         Mini tykes

Discussion surrounded a change in format of the mini tykes with the clubs having a more consistant time frame for parents concerns was raised over travelling at 6 pm  in this division.

After each club spoke on their desires the following was put forth.

Mini tykes would play Sat mornings and Wednesday nights.

They would be either a game or practice. Week nights the only games would be close to each other and still have the 6pm start time. Saturday morning games can be travel games.

·         Tournaments

A division tournament will be the Warriors long weekend in May. Red Deer has agreed to only do B

Blues will do the Ice breaker tyke thru Midgets. Last weekend in April.

Rams mini tyke thru midgets and girls divisions B and C tournament

June 13,14,15

Rebels no tournament

Warriors will be may long weekend with Pee Wee A and up and  Junior B

Novice and tyke if there is interest.

Red Deer will be novice up all levels of B

Titans May 30 –June 1 Novice up and girls “B”

Wizards  - Canada Day tournament

Comments on Canada day that the wizards did not require it as a fundraiser. That the numbers continue to get lower. The out of town teams are going to Calgary. No praticipation from local teams. The touranment is not viaable with out at least 40 –44 teams involved.

Note to be sent to John Tyrell on tournaments.

·         Discussion on Box was put on hold in order that we could allow the Miners rep to leave the discussion.

b)       Facilties

i)         Darlene reported on the Facilties meeting.

Junior Clubs and  Actions to be taken as follows:

Junior Clubs to present a bond for the use of City of Edmonton Floor time the home team will be the responsible team in the event of  damages.

Policies need to be created on GELC letterhead with expecations of how the facilities shall be treated and this must be distributed to the Junior and senior clubs using the facilties.

It must be made clear what the fee is for and now to appeal any fine that has been placed.

Who  has the final decision as well.

Home team must be responsible for the dressing rooms when out of town and non associate members of the GELC play in the city facilties.

There needs to be a meeting with the clubs, the RMLL to discuss the trashing of dressing roms and the fines involved.

·         Use of  Soccer Centers

If we require the use of the Soccer Centers in the future we need to write a letter to the Owners of the Center and express concerns over they way we are treated in the facilities, the time frame of getting into dressing rooms. The lack of  a dispute resolution. And  poor communications.

c)       Gaming

·         Keith spoke about the Bingo and Gaming meeting that was held.

·         Discussion occurred on the 50 –50 and the decision was all clubs would particiapte in the 50 –50s.

Several clubs favored having one night for their club and a portion of another if required.  Warriors, titans, Wizards, Blues, Rams. Westlock was happy as it was.

The smaller clubs will combine to fill the slots.

·         Bingo  -

Discussion was held relative to giving up the GELC bingo slots, but it was concluded as long as there where clubs willing to cover the slots that it would be kept.

·         Casino

Clubs could opt out of Casino fundraising if they so wished.

d)       Back to the Box Meeting

·         Intermediate

The group discussed a GELC postion on Intermediate lacrosse, for the discussions and vote which will occur at the ALA Annual Geneal Meeting in November.

·         Tierring

The dicussion surrounding tierring involved  adding another division to the current tierring format.

The Same ratio would excist for the A teams, but clubs would be allowed some discression with the formation of any other teams. They would be able to make B and C level teams to be competitive in the league. The clubs which only had one team in a divisionw ould enter that team in the B division.  Teams would require to have an A team in a one to three ratio.

·         Goalies

2 goalies on an A team hurts the rest of the teams in a club.

We need to change affilation rules for goalies.

·         Girls

Affilation rules need to be changed for girls so that it is open.

e)       Discipline

Doug Frost gave an overview of the Discipline planning meeting.

Following items where discussed:

·         Better Education of coaches and team officials

·         Consistancy of the club Reps a the meetings is important

·         Games served by players and not recorded properly by team management shall result in the player having to reserve the suspension.

·         Lack of clarity in how pnealties  are served, suspensions and game ejections.

·         We need a Standard Code of Conduct

·         Game Reports need to be in the day of the incident

·         Disicpline chart will be a different color in the coaches handbook, it will be on the back cover of the book. And suggested that It be laminated and given to coaches.

·         Manager manual be created that includes items in the coaches manual as well as pertaint information for team managers.  Hold a meeting with a ffew managers to develop a bok.

·         Doug would like us to find a co chair for the committee.

·         Clarify gross misconducts the issuing of them and the seving.

·         Better Education to the officials in regards to penalties and suspensions etc.

f)        Promotion Committee

Keith spoke about the promotion committee.

·         He wanted the clubs to all confirm that February 2^nd would be the first GELC registration date.

·         Pee Wee tournament would still be held  with the Rush

·         Promotion of Girls lacrosse would see the Warriors club look after girls lacrosse in Edmonton.

·         At registrations a separate girls lacrosse teable should be put in place.

·         Goalies camp the GELC promotion and development commeittee would work with the Warriors on the Goalie campthey hold annually.

g)       Field

·         Doug Frost up dated the group on field.

·         The field committee would like all box clubs to included a box on their registraiotn fors for field lacrose with interest noted or a collection of fees.

·         Month of July would be house league with the GELC running the league.

·         The “ Rep Clubs” would help with coaching and guidance in the operation of the summer league.  They would form teams for provincials and out of town tournaments and opportunities.

·         Ages: u-10,u13,u-16 u-19,  are the current year brackets. CLA is considering changing it to under 19, under 16, under 14, under 12.

·         Proposal to have a weekend of field for box teams to go and try it out.

·         Motion to come to the Annual General meeting for funds to be included in the budget for a GELC all star team u –19 and u-16 to pay for Jersies for this team to compete in the Canadian championships. Want to see Alberta send the Alberta Champion plus the GELC  all star teams to represent Alberta.

h)       Officials

·         Mentorships

GELC would like to hire to senior officials to provide mentorhip 3 nights a week. Half way thru the season bring the officials back for some additional trainning and question and answer periods.

Suggested, $10,000 be put in a fund to do this.

Get people with experince and not scare them away.

The mentors would be paid on a per game contract.

A committee would be set up to make up a job description and to hire the individuals.

·         Need to work on development of Field lacrosse officials in Edmonton.

·         Box  Lacrosse officials it cost approximately 50 dollars for the course, 100 for the uniform, it was suggested for first year officials that the club be free.

·         That trainning of new officials included some game situations as well.

·         Advertising of officials would happen where ever registrations are taking place.

·         Use some winter floor time to train officials.

·         Dates to all be in by November for the the winter programs.

i)         Budget Items

·         Refereeing,

·         Support for field

·         Support for officials

·         Rules books , lamination of discipline pages

·         Printing managers manual.

·         Additonal staffing

j)         Staffing

·         Discuss was held on  full time staffing of the GELC office.

·          

k)       ALA Annual General meeting

·         Discussion ocurred earlier in the meeting on the Intermediate

·         Majority of the AlA meeting is dealing with the bylaws of the organziation.

l)         Filling GELC Board Vacancies

·         Darlene is stepping down as President.

·         Keith is willing to run for the President Postion

·         Require a Vice President

·         Secretary  - Kent Protocor is willing to run for this postion.

·         Require A coaching Liason person.

o        Create a job description with what the expectation of this role is

·         RIC  - Brad is still willing to hold postion

·         Box Committee – Bill Clark is willing

·         Facilties – requires chair

·         Discpline Doug is willing but would like a co –chair

·         Bingo and Gaming – Denise will look after the bingo end of this

·         Promotion and Development –requires a chair

·         Field Committee – requires a chair

4)       Ajourment

Meeting was adjourned at 2:35 pm.