There has been lots of talk about the upcoming meeting here is what some of the clubs have posted:

Below is a rough draft of some of the items Foothills would like to see in
the PC meeting.

• Insurance coverage (again / still)
• Lease fields
• Insurance protocols for new fields
• First aid
• Field owner’s assurance
• Web site, individual needed to update, all meeting minutes from all clubs,
• Polocrosse Canada, schedules, tournaments
• Guest speakers, when, who, how long
• Season schedule, by January
• Exposure / City TV spot, breakfast
• Trophies at Debs
• Recruiting, more travel, schedule critical for planning
• Funding
• Liaison for international travel
• Coaching

AND

World Cup, see below for more detail!
Re:  World Cup Positions

• Chairman - Single person appointed to Chair/Call meetings set agendas etc.
• Secretary Treasurer - Handle funds
• Player Development Committee (PDC) - Responsibilities to include
• Recruitment of Coach for potential world cup team, for 2009, 2010 season as well as 2011
• Work with club heads to establish Coaching Schedule that would encompass all clubs and players in Canada (see appendix A)
• Write job description for visiting Coach and lay out terms of agreement, set schedules and expectations
• Recruitment of Players for world cup team (not selection of team but recruiting/forming a potential squad).  This is vital to work on right away, we think we need to know ASAP the committed interest amongst our Canadian Players in order to be able to establish if we even have a potential world cup team?
• Creation of entry forms, fees, commitment statements/dates etc.
• Recruitment of Manager - Ideally we think the coach should have the most input as to who they would like to work with as a manager but we think the committee can come forward with potentials
• All positions within the World cup Squad – Coach, Manager, Player, Captain, Vice Captain need to be put to paper re: duties and responsibilities, we believe Dave Melnyck did some of this in the past but we think it needs review and detail.  This committee should be responsible for putting job descriptions to paper and distributing. (Use past world cup attendees to help with this)
• Once a coach is selected we think the Coach along with the assistance of this committee will develop a procedure for team selection Fund raising Committee
  
• Work with PDC to establish budget, for coaching etc. assist in establishing entry fees for potential players based on budgets
• Assist PDC in establishing a costing re: coach - world cup team vs. all clubs
• Organize fund raising events to meet goals re: coaching, training etc. Team Promotion Committee (This may be able to fall under the fund raising committee if there seems to be too many committees here)
• Advertising, Media, work with fund raising committee to establish budget
  
• Team Apparel and presentation work with Fund raising committee to Establish budget Just a basic outline of ideas re: the start of organizing world cup 2011efforts. We think Polocrosse Canada needs to call a meeting with all members and interested parties re: world cup effort, deadline November ish
• At this meeting have clear presentation of Positions/Committees, time commitments required for the world cup effort, along with a job description for each position/committee. (do up a handout outlining details).
  Polocrosse Canada should encourage people towards this effort and ask people for commitments to position/committees by such and such a date to such and such a person.
  Once Polocrosse Canada knows the committed interest re: world cup effort then Positions, committee size etc. can be decided, Have club heads communicate response to the clubs and give input re: formation based on response.
  We would hope the World cup Organizing Squad could be confirmed by the end of this year and the chair would set a meeting date by No later than mid January to begin organizing the world cup effort.
  At this point all of the foothills club is interested in being involved with the world cup effort to some degree… Go Canada!

Appendix A - Shared Coaching strategy

We as a club feel that if the World Cup Initiative is going to go to the expense of importing a coach then all clubs could benefit and help the
World cup effort by distributing coaching efforts/costs.

Sample Coach Schedule

2009 Season – Coach come to Canada for 2-3 months

Weekly Schedule

• Monday – World cup practice
• Tuesday – Millarville Practice
• Wednesday – Calgary Practice
• Thursday – Foothills Practice
• Friday Off – private training sessions /world cup team practice
• Saturday Off – Private training sessions / player recruiting/attend 4H, pony club etc.
• Sundays –  Attend and help organize all jackpots/games and tournaments
  

• Coach World Cup Team, pre, post and during events
• Coach any international efforts by World cup team and Canadian players
• Help organize coaching programs and umping programs etc.

Obviously many details to work out re: this proposal but you get the idea

Some input from Millarville

• World Cup committee keep it simple, put it in the hands of a group of interested members, one person in charge with world cup experience. Working committee no title holders. Separate from Polocrosse Canada.
• We would like to invite a coach from South Africa, Zimbabwe or Zambia. Suggest a budget of approximately $8000.00 for 2 month next year. Would like the support of the rest of the polocrosse community.
• Looking for a focus for next year.
  • We will do a 1 day tournament in Millarville on the 2nd week of Stampede, meal and entertainment after.
  • Do our main tournament in August building to a big tournament finish. Rotating Canadian Nationals???
  • If the US nationals is down east next year the we would suggest that we invite Ireland and the US to Triangular test match next year. Perhaps combine US and Canada horses, hold it central like Colorado. Not on a weekend that conflicts with there or our Nationals. Combine with with an existing Tournament so all levels can participate.
• We look at adopting Paul Johnson’s Rating spread sheet for use as our rating system and get it started.
  
• Marketing - The marketing of Polox - Should PC be spearheading this with a plan and a budget or should it be let to happen on its own?
  Ideas
  • Writing for Pacific and Prairie Horse & horses all, brochures, posters, web site. Budget
  • Work with AEF and CEF - can we use their resources, do they have funds we can access, what can they offer us?
  • Work with Pony Club, 4H and riding clubs to promote the sport.
  • Polocrosse Canada team wear, select a cap, jacket, playing shirt, tee shirt with logos and offer them for sale.
  • Bumper stickers or window stickers advertising Polocrosse Canada web site.

• Rules standardize the mode of play by drawing up a set of Canadian Polocrosse Playing Rules
  • What are other countries doing & why.
  • Rules to modify for Canada, running through goal post, line ups, swing, 10 yard throw, local tournament and jackpot play.

• Sanction tournaments and jackpots within Canada.
  

• Communication is still a big issue, mailing list include deceased members and leave off new members.
  

  • Should we take some steps to resolve the issue?
  • A person in charge of communications, maintain the various lists.
    
  • Clubs should contact them to add and remove them from the list, update addresses etc.
  • The web site is not being used to communicate, perhaps some use by our leader would help it along.
  • We could setup a members only portion to the web site to keep our internal affairs private.
    
  • Clear communication to all member as to the priorities and direction of PC.
• USA nationals may be held in Washington, do they need help? They are the only club in the western portion of the USA, it their turn again and their number a dwindling.
  
• Playing in Kelowna and Stettler to encourage their growth and participation.
• Form a committee to Fund Raise -  Tracey and Emma have experience and ideas for fund raising.
• Suggest that Jack pot play next year is charged for per player say 10.00 per game, 8 weeks of play x 30 players = $2400.00 purchase some good prizes. Use a point for and against from the score sheets to pick the winners. Details to be added.
• NSW student exchanges ever 2nd or 3 rd year. Or change to older players/coaches/trainers.
• We world like to see a budget and a 3 year plan from PC.
• Like to see PC priorities
• Like to see committees established with guide lines. Ratings, World Cup, Jackpot play, umpire, rules, bylaws etc.
• Be sure the expenditure of $300 per a NSW exchange kid to take them to the test match is included in the past minutes before accepting them.
• Playing on an international team representing Canada requirements established to encourage competition in representation and also to encourage growth, activity/commitment and visiting players at home. Some possibilities:
  • Spare horse or access to spare horse
  • Umpire ticket
  • On a committee of PC
  • On a committee organizing a tournament or jack pots.

Other International News

Talk of Quadrangular to get into the 2011 world cup:

At this stage the only countries I foresee will have to have a play off is Canada and Zambia and for the following reason:(This obviously can not be decided by me alone but is a decision of the IPC, and would also imagine this to take place on neutral ground and horses for both countries) Canada has come last in both the previous World Cup competitions and Zambia is a new comer as full member of the IPC. The last I spoke to Dave Brookes I understood from him that they are not going to change the format of the World Cup anymore and that they would host it in the same format as was done by Australia. Dave would you be able to inform us of how you intend running the 2011 WORLD CUP, that could help answer Allan on his questions. -Wessel

Wessel, you said everything I was going to say.
The only suggestion I may have is that a play off is between USA, Canada and Zambia on neutral ground.
The UK will play the world cup in the same format as before, exept it will be played across 2 weekends….sat/sun/mon……fri/sat/sun.
With a european and pony club tournament on the middle 3 days. This would give extra days off, but also the opportunity for more people to see the game at its highest level.
It may be possible to accomodate the 9th Nation in the Euro tournament, but this will need some planning.
Like you I do not see the Quad series having any influence on the World Cup.
Regards
Dave Brookes

We had a meeting yesterday and, thus far, all we have done is to start putting a committee in place for the World Cup.  We did talk about the venue for the play offs, but no decision was taken as this will be up to our WC committee to put a proposal together. From what I gather, but as I say nothing formal, if it was in SA they would supply all horses and organise it.  This was just an idea and nothing has been put in writing. As soon as our committee is in place, we will come back to you regarding this and let you know our thoughts on Venue, date etc.  In the meantime, let me know if you have any other thoughts - lets keep the communication channels open.

-Kathryn Sherriff Chairman Zambia