Committee Meeting Minutes

Date: January 2025

Attendees

Nia, Geraint, Luke, Street, Hen, Elinor, Joe, Annabel

1. Chairman’s Address

This was the first meeting held since November.
The main discussion focused on whether the current meeting structure is effective and whether any changes are required.
Two meetings were missed over December and January due to seasonal pressures. It was proposed that during these months there will be one meeting only, with the date agreed in advance (in November).
It was agreed to keep the current meeting agenda structure for the rest of this season, with a review planned next season.

2. Treasurer’s Update

Current account balance: £14,839
Savings account balance: £17,626
Spending on pitch hire this season has been higher than last season due to the use of Monmouth, which was expected and necessary for the club to operate.
For next season, focus is needed on how to optimise Abergavenny pitch time to support a strong club ethos, similar to when the whole club trained together in Crickhowell.

Actions:

Joe to produce a list of players with outstanding fees for Bryony & Street
Joe to provide a list of players who have paid for socks and shirts.
If training is cancelled, decisions should be made earlier where possible to allow pitch cancellation. If the pitch is unplayable, this should be discussed with Joe to attempt to secure a refund and avoid unnecessary costs.
The committee noted that spending on teas is currently high and not sustainable long term, however it was agreed that the club will continue to provide teas, but orders must be aligned with player attendance.
Teas to be added as a discussion item to the agenda for next season.

3. Ladies’ Section

Bryony was unable to attend, therefore the ladies’ section was not discussed in line with previous agreement not to discuss without Bryony present.
Luke raised the point that the committee is elected to represent the whole club and should feel able, and have the right, to discuss all sections of the club should there be a need. It also highlights the importance of strong attendance at meetings, ensuring we understand all the facts and consider the full range of perspectives.

4. Men’s Section

The Men’s 2nd Development Team has had two games postponed.
At times it has been difficult to field a full team. U14/U16 players often have county commitments on Fridays and tournaments on Sundays, resulting in heavy hockey weekends and placing strain on the 2nd team.
Geraint acknowledged that challenges were anticipated with the 2nd team and emphasised the importance of celebrating their success. Street was thanked for his hard work with the team.
Hen noted a significant improvement in the U14/U16 boys through playing with the men.
The Men’s 1st Team is currently positioned around 10th place. A league restructure next season will see teams moving divisions.

5. Note Away from Agenda re-pitch

Discussion took place regarding the pitch situation. Ladies training in Monmouth has created a complex training structure, with some players struggling to attend.
It was noted that a discussion on returning to Crickhowell was expected to take place at a committee meeting, but this has not yet happened, raising questions about committee processes.
Luke highlighted that this season there has been a move towards empowering individuals to make decisions independently, which can sometimes lead to disconnection across the club.
This was partly driven by the lack of December and January meetings, or members missing meetings. A conscious decision is needed next season on how the committee wishes to operate.
Geraint acknowledged this is a challenging time for the club, now in year four without a pitch, and noted the committee should be proud of keeping the club running.

6. Juniors

There are currently 87 junior members.
Juniors have been participating in tournaments and have been entered into cup competitions.
Hen has secured two sponsorships totalling £1,500.
An issue was raised regarding a parent making negative comments to their child during training, which has caused disruption on the pitch with the junior team attempted to manage the situation themselves.
Hen has attempted to manage this by removing the parent from the pitch, however another incident occurred on Tuesday.

Actions:

7. Umpiring

Charlie provided an update via Luke. There has been limited hockey between meetings.
Charlie is liaising with two ladies who are partially qualified to umpire Men’s 2nd Team matches, with the aim of completing their qualifications. Their assessment was scheduled but the game was called off.
It remains difficult to schedule training matces due to senior teams training on different nights; however, the Men’s 2nd Team presents a good opportunity for umpire development.
Street noted efforts to include umpiring discussions within the men’s teams to encourage participation & noted he has been impressed with the men’s respect towards umpires.

8. Website

Elinor reported that the website is progressing well.
Planned additions include highlighting club successes and further development of the members’ area.
An umpiring page was discussed, but due to the volume of content already planned, it was agreed this would be a “nice to have” if time allows.

Actions:

9. Discipline Procedure

Luke has drafted a new disciplinary procedure for committee review.
The committee reviewed the document and members were invited to raise any issues or errors with Luke.
The committee formally agreed the new disciplinary procedure, subject to final approval from Trevor.

10. Goalkeeper Kit

The men’s teams are currently sharing one goalkeeper kit and require an additional kit to support the 2nd team.
Hen advised that a goalkeeper kit from the juniors is now available for senior use & she will take it to training one evening.
The ladies are currently using Sharon’s kit.

Action:

Joe to contact Sharon and Bryony to discuss potential purchase and cost of Sharon’s kit.

11. Return to Pitch

It was agreed that forming a subcommittee would be beneficial to support the return to the Abergavenny pitch and to plan how the club celebrates returning.
To be added to next months agenda