The current foreign player policy states that “each team from the US may allow only 1 non-resident player per team, that player to come in as they are rated at or above their home country rating.”

John Jameson made a motion to change the current foreign player policy to allow more than one foreign player on a team, stating that the basis for the change was that the UK did this years ago and found that the level of play was better due to foreign players and that the Board must make sure that Nationals is financially viable. By allowing more foreign players, we would increase the number of participants and help insure that Nationals covers tournament costs and hopefully make a reasonable profit. He felt we are too small of an organization to limit a group of players from participating. He also said his son was planning on playing with a team that would have 2 foreign players this year. If Canada wanted to send a team with 6 players, they should be eligible to win. He thought the APA should try this for three years, and then assess the impact. He said it did improve the play in the UK. They should be required to pay dues, and come with a letter of good standing, showing their rating. We have rated incoming players as high as possible in the past, so if they were not rated with the APA, they would come in as a 20, since we are on a 20 point scale now. This would most likely place a team with foreign players in an upper division. The Board discussed this email prior to the teleconference, so they could contact

APA members.
Kellee Campbell told the Board that this issue arose every year when she was on the Board. She sees the positives as bringing better players in for social networking (clinics etc.), we’d get better play at tournaments and it would then raise our level of play. The negative reactions to this change seem to be based on fear by reasoning that it would damage the sport, a non-American would win a buckle and APA players would be dissatisfied. Many do say that the American Nationals needs to be won by an American. It seems that those most affected would be the A and B level teams.

Deb Zito said that in talking to Eastern Zone club presidents, the main thoughts were that there’d be a lot of dissent if ringers were brought in; that we’d need to make the playing field even and should give every club the chance to bring in more than one foreign player and it was too close to Nationals to change the rule. She said members wanted a definition of what a foreign player was. (It is a nonresident, as stated in our current policy) Some are concerned that others could afford great players. Betsy Lovelace said she spent a lot of time on the phone with members of her zone. Only 3 thought the policy should stay the same. The rest had no problem with, say, 4 out of 6 foreign players on a team, but not 6 out of 6. There were thoughts that the foreign player should be in the country 30 days prior to play in a tournament, but they realized that Canadans can’t do this. Benefits would be coaching. Wayne Cooper said that this was a big deal, a big change. Canada could be allowed in for this year, but we should do a general election next year. We should let the members decide. Laura Humphreys told the Board that the motion was a concern because it was so close to Nationals this year. Kellee Campbell reminded everyone that no Nationals information had gone out yet (planned to go out the next morning) so everyone will get the information at the same time. Jim Byrd suggested John’s motion be amended to allow foreign players for one year instead of three. Erica Vallee stated that if you looked at other US Championships in other sports, a US player is the winner. She felt the timing of this was off. John Jameson said that there are plenty of sports where the winner does not have to be a US citizen. The amended motion reads that the Board change the current foreign player policy to allow unlimited number of foreign players on a Nationals team and be eligible to win the event. Foreign players must be in good standing with their home country’s polocrosse association in order to participate and will be required to pay full APA membership fees. The new policy will be in effect for one year.