AGM of the Wessex SuperVets Fixtures Alliance, Saturday 18 April 2015 @ The Cricketers, Bagshot; 1700 - 1810 hrs

Present:

Peter Colwill, (Chairman WSFA), James Lane (Amersham & Chalfont Vintage), Graham Lee, Wokingham Vets, Iain Lynch, Haslemere Vets, David Todd, Oxted Vintage Moonshiners, Rob Kenwrick (WSFA Organiser)

Apologies

Epsom Vagabonds, Bob Middlemiss and Tim Tennent;

Guildford Gondoliers, Andy Roberts;

Havant Cavaliers, Howard Pollard and Alec Heygate;

Horsham Hobblers, Steve Fuller;

Oxford Hawks Falcons, David Hughes and Richard Wilsdon;

Sevenoaks Old Oaks, Charlie Monk;

Southampton Cockburns, Richard Rosher;

Winchester Wanderers, David Hall and James Larcombe;

Windsor (formerly Polytechnic) Vets, Stuart Wright;

Woking Pitts, Joe Dunne.

Comments made by clubs were shared with those members present.

Minutes from the AGM meeting 5 April 2014

These are posted on the website, wsfa.co.uk

Matters arising - None

Election of Officers for 2015 – 2016 and Nominated Members from each Club

Nominated Member, Tim Tennent has expressed a wish to retire. This was accepted and thanks were extended to him for his services over a number of years.

Otherwise the following were re-elected:

Chairman: Peter Colwill

Organiser: Rob Kenwrick

Assistant Organiser: tba

Webmaster: George Oliver

Assistant Webmaster: tba

Nominated Member: James Larcombe, Winchester Wanderers

All Clubs are invited to nominate a member. The duties would include investigations into any disciplinary matters (these are few and far between), and sending in the results of the games each week or posting them on the website. If undertaking the latter, a password should be obtained from George Oliver, Webmaster. Clubs are also asked to nominate people for the two vacant positions of Assistant Organiser and Assistant Webmaster.

Subscriptions

These were agreed as £10 from each club to go towards the upkeep of the website.

Money should be sent to RJ Kenwrick, Nationwide BS, Sort Code 07 01 16 Account 29521720 by the beginning of the 2015 – 2016 Season.

League format 2015 – 2016

There have been a number of comments regarding the number of games played in a season. Some clubs don’t want to play in September due to Cricket / Sailing; Some don’t want to play after Easter. Some don’t like travelling relatively long distances to get ‘stuffed’.

The results for the 13^th Season 2014 – 2015 up to 11 April 2015 are shown in the table below:

Well Done to everyone who contributed to the Alliance achieving a 90% strike rate – ‘playing regular friendly hockey’. Particular congratulations to Guildford and Haslemere for playing all their games.

Season 2015 – 2016

Two options were discussed:

Option 1 - 21 games with 2 Divisions playing each other once (RED dates in the table below) and inter-Divisional twice. Starting on 3 October 2015, the season would end after Easter 2016 which falls on 26 March 2016.

With this configuration it isn’t possible to play alternate weeks, home and away, see table below:

Option 2 (26 games H / A)

The alternative option is to play 26 games, home and away; the season would start on 19 September 2015 and finish after Easter on 9 April 2016, see table below:

Both options have spare dates in each half of the season to cater for postponed games.

Both options cater for the resurrection of the Port and Stilton tea after Christmas suggested by Woking Pitts / Wokingham Vets and run for several years. Other teams are encouraged to do likewise.

The votes cast in favour of each option are shown in the table below:

The result means that 26 games will be scheduled for the 2015 – 2016 Season starting on 19 September 2015 but finishing by Easter 2016. There was an over-riding rationale for confirming this - Nobody wants to miss the Winchester Curry!

The Agreed Calendar Dates for 2015 – 2016

It does mean eliminating the spare dates so postponed games will not be played unless clubs agree otherwise and play them on mutually agreed dates. The schedule of games will be published asap. Clubs are requested to assign times and venues to their home games and advise the opposition, Organiser and Webmaster accordingly. Please give thought to where teams are travelling from when assigning times of games. Teams travelling 40 miles each way or more should wherever possible be assigned games between 12 noon and 1500 hrs.

AOB

It was agreed that there should be no change to the WSFA rules regarding awarding of points for ‘no shows’. The whole intent of the Alliance is to play regular friendly hockey.

No points are awarded for not playing.

The practice of presenting results as a series of ‘success indices’ will also continue unchanged.

Broadening our Membership

It is planned to try and attract new members into the WSFA by contacting clubs who may be interested in joining. This includes Chichester Deacons who were going to join us but decided in the end to defer this.

Haslemere Tournament

Iain Lynch of Haslemere outlined the details of the Tournament on 25 April 2015 at Haslemere.

Gerald Eve Cup for WSFA clubs 25^th April 2015. 10 am to 4pm.

We have 8 teams playing in the cup on 25^th. As a result we will play two pools of four teams. With the top two teams from each going through to semi-finals and then a final.

Individual members of clubs who are not playing in the tournament are encouraged to come along and bring your kit. The Rule Changes for 2015 are being used at the Tournament.

The date of the 2^nd tournament at Haslemere will be determined following a review of the experience next Saturday, 25 April 2015.

Further Information Rules of Hockey 2015

It is the intention of the Rules and Competitions Committees to try and reduce as far as possible the number of variations to the Rules of Hockey which occur through Tournament Regulations. These differences have led to some confusion on the part of players, officials, spectators and TV audiences.

The Rules of Hockey and FIH Tournament Regulations will apply to all International Hockey. The FIH Executive Board has approved that the same Rules and FIH Tournament Regulations which vary the Rules of Hockey also apply to the top domestic League level of National Association Hockey. This will become mandatory at top domestic League level, with effect from 1 September 2015, unless a National Association wishes to opt out of particular Rules or Regulations which vary the Rules of Hockey by applying to FIH to do so.

The Rules of Hockey apply to all levels of the game, and are effective from 1 January 2015 at International level. National Associations have discretion to decide the date of their implementation at National level. Additionally, National Associations may apply to FIH to opt out of particular Rules at levels below their top domestic Leagues and/or for particular age groups, should they so wish.

This approach helps bring the Rules and Regulations closer together, as well as negating the need for either Mandatory or Non-Mandatory Experimental Rules or Rules trials.

A limited number of variations to the playing conditions through Regulation will continue to exist in top level International matches played at FIH Tournaments. Specifically, these include the countdown clock for penalty corners and the use of 4 x 15 minute quarters, which require additional technical table and equipment resources, which are not available at the majority of hockey pitches. Similarly, Video Umpire will only be used at FIH World level Tournaments where the contracted full television coverage and facilities enable a viable system. All other matches must be played in accordance with the Rules of Hockey unless otherwise agreed by the FIH Rules Committee after submission by a National Hockey Association.

The procedure for National Associations to apply to FIH to opt out of particular Rules or Regulations which vary the Rules of Hockey will be available from the FIH website in due course.

The FIH Tournament Regulations which have been incorporated into the Rules of Hockey for 2015 are breaking at a penalty corner, the two minute green card and the use of the stick above the shoulder.

The breaking at penalty corners Regulation has effected a significant reduction in the number of breaks at Tournaments, by both attackers and defenders. As a consequence, the requirement that a penalty stroke be awarded for defenders persistently crossing the back-line before permitted has been deleted. Breaking at penalty corners can now be managed with this new Rule, noting that the penalty stroke provision was only rarely invoked.

The two minute green card will now provide an additional management aid to umpires at all levels.

The ability to play the ball with the stick above the shoulder has been in top level International Hockey and domestic National Leagues for well over a year. The skills of players to be able to control and play the ball above shoulder height have dramatically improved over a short period of time, and adds another dimension and set of skills to the game. Any safety fears at various levels or age groups in competitions below top domestic National League level may be allayed by the possibility for National Associations to opt out of this particular Rule.

Two Rules changes have been included, both of which are easily implemented and should make the Hockey more attractive to play and watch. The first is the ability to take attacking free hits, awarded within 5 metres of the edge of the circle, from the point of the offence. The ball still has to travel at least 5 metres before it can be played into the circle, or alternatively has to be touched by another player of either team, other than the player taking the free hit. Having to take the ball back to the 5 metres dotted line slowed the play and was seen as a real disadvantage to the attacking team and the flow of the game.

The second change concerns the re-start after the ball has unintentionally been played over the back-line by a defender or deflected by a goalkeeper or player with goalkeeping privileges, and no goal is scored. Play will now be re-started with the ball on the 23 metres line and in line with where it crossed the back-line. The previous re-start, commonly known as a corner, was seen an inefficient and ineffective re-start with the ball often becoming trapped in the corners of the pitch. Taking the re-start from the 23 metres line opens up the play and gives more passing options.

Another Rules deletion is that of the ability to progress a free hit by up to 10 metres. This has become redundant with the new free hit Rules and the ability to self-pass, while any other misconduct can be managed using other Rules or personal penalties.

There is a slight adjustment to the stick specification, with a maximum length being specified for the first time, which brings this into line with the Indoor Rule and FIH Regulation changes.

There is also a lifting of the ban on certain types of facemasks, in particular those with metal grills, recognising that the primary objective of wearing a facemask to defend a penalty corner should for reasons of safety. Nevertheless players wearing facemasks are not permitted to conduct themselves in a manner which is dangerous to other players by taking advantage of the protective equipment that they wear.

Otherwise, all other changes in this edition of the Rules are clarifications of existing Rules.

The full list of changes to the Rules of Hockey 2015 is as follows: -

i. Date of implementation

The Rules of Hockey 2015 should be effective at International level from 1 January 2015. National Associations have discretion to decide the date of their implementation, depending upon the dates of their 2014-2015 seasons.

ii. Terminology

i. Team - maintain the definition of a Team as consisting of a maximum of 16 players, but noting that this could be amended by Regulation to 18 players

ii. Hit – to be amended to ‘Striking or ‘slapping’ the ball …’ with the guidance from page 33 to be moved to this section

iii. Composition of teams

i. Rule 2.1 – guidance to be changed from ‘A personal penalty should be awarded …’ to ‘A personal penalty may be awarded …’ to take account of teams inadvertently having 12 players on a pitch for a short period of time which does not materially affect the game

ii. Rule 2.3a – last paragraph of guidance to be changed from ‘If the goalkeeper or player with goalkeeping privileges is suspended, the offending team plays with one less player’ to ‘ … plays with one fewer player’

iv. Players’ clothing and equipment

i. Rule 4.2 – there is a lifting on the ban on certain types of face masks, including those with metal grills, to defend penalty corners. This recognises that the primary objective of wearing a face mask to defend a penalty corner is safety; wearing of face masks which are consistent with the underlying spirit of this guidance should be allowed

v. Ball outside the field of play

i. Rule 7.4b – when the ball is played unintentionally by a defender or deflected by a goalkeeper or player with goalkeeping privileges, play will be re-started with the ball on the 23 metres line and in line with where it crossed the back-line and the procedures for taking a free hit will apply. This prevents the ball from being played directly into the circle

vi. Match and Result

i. Rule 5.2 – guidance to be amended to read ‘Information about a shoot-out competition as a way of reaching a result in a drawn match is included in Competition Regulations which are available, if required, from the FIH website’

vii. Method of Scoring

i. Rule 8.1 – following the removal of Own Goal, this returns to its previous wording: -

A goal is scored when the ball is played within the circle by an attacker and does not travel outside the circle before completely passing over the goal-line and underneath the cross-bar.

The ball may be played by a defender or touch their body before or after being played in the circle by an attacker

vi. Conduct of play: players

i. Rule 9.7 – the stick above the shoulder Regulation will be incorporated into the Rules such that ‘Players may stop, receive and deflect or play the ball in a controlled manner in any part of the field when the ball is at any height including above the shoulder unless this is dangerous or leads to danger’.

ii. Rule 9.11 – Guidance to be adjusted from ‘The player only commits an offence if they voluntarily use their hand, foot or body to play the ball …’ to ‘‘The player only commits an offence if they gain an advantage …’

iii. Rule 9.13 – Guidance to be added to emphasise that reckless play, such as sliding tackles, which take an opponent to ground should attract suitable match and personal penalties

vii. Penalties

i. Rule 12.1 – Guidance that ‘If awarding a penalty is not an advantage to the team which did not break the Rules play must continue’ is deleted, since it does not add anything to the Rule

ii. Rule 12.4c – given that the Regulation concerning Breaking the line at Penalty Corners will be adopted as a Rule, the requirement that a penalty stroke is awarded ‘for defenders persistently crossing the back-line before permitted during the taking of penalty corners’ is deleted. Breaking at Penalty Corners can now be managed using other Rules, noting that the penalty stroke provision was only very rarely invoked

iii. Rule 12.5 – the provision, if there is another offence or misconduct before the awarded penalty has been taken, to progress a free hit by up to 10 metres is deleted. This has become redundant with the new Free Hit Rules and the ability to self-pass, whilst any other offence or misconduct can be managed using the other provisions in Rules 12.5b, c and d, and/or Rule 14 Personal penalties.

viii. Procedure for taking penalties

i. Rule 13.1b – is deleted, and attacking free hits awarded within 5 metres of the circle will now be taken from the point of the offence.

ii. Rule 13.3h – the Rule that ‘until the ball has been played, no attacker other than the one taking the push or hit from the back-line is permitted to enter the circle and no defender is permitted to cross the centre-line or back-line’ will be supplemented by the adoption of the Breaking at a Penalty Corner Regulation as a Rule

iii. Rule 13.3k – the guidance regarding ‘slap’ hitting is deleted and inserted in the terminology section

iv. Rules 13.7b, 13.7c, 13.7d, 13.7e and 13.7f – to be adjusted for the Breaking at a Penalty Corner Regulation

vi. Rule 13.10d – the guidance that ‘if the player defending the stroke prevents a goal being scored but moves either foot before the ball has been played, this player must be warned (green card) and for any subsequent offence must be suspended (yellow card)’ is amended to ‘if the player defending the stroke prevents a goal being scored but moves either foot before the ball has been played, this player may be awarded a personal penalty and for any subsequent offence must be suspended’

ix. Personal penalties

i. Rule 14.1b – the Regulation that a green card indicates a temporary suspension of two minutes of playing time is adopted as a Rule

ii. Rules 14.1c and 14.1d – the guidance to be adjusted from ‘… one less player’ to ‘… one fewer player’

x. Umpiring signals

i. 4.6c Penalties – as a result of the proposal for the deletion of Rule 12.5a and advancing a Free Hit up to 10 metres, it follows that the signal should also be deleted

xi. Field and Equipment Specifications

i. 1.1 Field and field equipment – the correction of the run off distances in the guidance gives ‘the respective recommended areas being 3 plus 2 metres and 2 plus 1 metres (that is, a total of 5 metres at the ends and 3 metres at the sides of the field)’

ii. 2.18 Stick – in view of the use of a longer than normal stick being used by goalkeepers in Shoot-out competitions and the indication that manufacturers were looking into producing such sticks, the stick specification is adjusted to include a maximum length provision, ‘the length of stick, as measured from the top of the stick to the bottom of the head of the stick (line X in Figure 3 on page 58 of the Rules of Hockey), shall not be more than 105cm’

Finally, after a very successful Season enjoyed by everyone, the Chairman thanked Members for attending the Meeting. He offered especial thanks to the Webmaster, George Oliver and Rob Kenwrick, the Organiser.

Results of the 13 Seasons to date are attached.