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Minutes of the Tennis Section Annual General Meeting held on Sunday 18 November 2007

Present: Paul Chapman, Chris Langford, Clay Adams. Claire Quinlivin, Jon Goulding, Chris Chapman, Darren Plank, Julian White, Gaye Ilsey, Anne Herlihy,  Graham Cushway, Richard Tyler, Sue Murphy,  Ian Cushway, Judy Hinson,  David Handford, Yvonne Medlam,  Angela Graham,  Ruth Goulding,  Pavel Votapek, Frances Haslam,

Apologies: Suzanne Twomey, Chris Twomey, Jai Ragbir, Sue Jerwood, Suzannah Leng, Mark Gray, Val Weaver, Sue Palmer, Hakan  Ukar, Alli Wynn, Barbara Salt, Richard Tinworth, Michael Parks, Hulia Parks, Les Williams, Andrew Ratcliffe.

Sue Murphy opened the meeting by thanking everyone for attending and then asked everyone to be upstanding for a minute’s silence.

1.     Minutes of the last AGM: The minutes were agreed and adopted.

2.    Treasurer’s Report: Richard Tyler presented the following report and outturn statement for 2007:

This has been my 2nd year as treasurer of the tennis section and I believe it has been a very positive year for us. Despite the inclement weather we experienced this summer the courts have been regularly full and even as recently as two weeks ago we had to rotate on Sunday morning due to the large number of people at the club.

Financially we have achieved a similar contribution to club funds to the previous year. I think that this is not a bad effort from the section given the weather earlier in the summer and it is great to see many new faces at the club. The section returned a contribution to the club of over £11,000 and this is after £8,250 has been paid off our 10-year loan from the LTA for the courts.

Income and expenditure: On membership we received £900 more in subs than in 2006, which is positive. This was due to more full adult members than last year. The number of juniors joining the club however was disappointing and we need as a section to deal with this, as juniors are the future of the club also attracts adult members to the club.

On other income thanks firstly to Jai’s company Deo beauty products for their very generous sponsorship of the section. Thanks also to all those who have helped the sections events to run so well. Special mentions to Les for the brilliant quizzes and David Handford for a very successful dinner dance in September.

Coaching:   the tennis camps never really got off the ground this year principally due to the weather but we now welcome Darren and Julian to the club and look forward to their initiatives in boosting the junior memberships and running tennis camps in 2008.

On expenditure not much to say thanks again to Dave for his work on the hut which is in the best condition now in the 5 years I have been at the club.

Moving on to 2008, the club has agreed a more realistic target for the section of a £14,000 contribution. The committee believes this to be an achievable target and thanks the overall club for agreeing this.

We have decided to restructure the membership fees for next year. The new rates are set out on the page attached - The main changes are.

Junior subs to be reduced to £10 for those under 8 and £30 for those 8-9 year olds. Previously the junior rates were a flat fee of £60 but we are hoping these stepped rates with the right marketing will increase membership.

There is also now an 18-23yr old fee of £115. This replaces the student rate and will hopefully encourage more young adults to carry on playing.

Finally the full adult membership and family rates have been increased. We froze the rates last year but need to increase rates in line with all the other sections of the club given the overall financial situation of the club.

Direct debit is by far the easiest way of paying subs – this will be available for those wishing to use it next year.

 The accounts were approved and adopted.

 

3.     Chairman’s Report
Not exactly a baptism of fire but certainly a challenging year. This time last year my predecessor, Graham Cushway, told us that our then coach, Dave Mansell had resigned. In the weeks following that AGM Graham, Paul Chapman and I advertised the coaching job and sifted through applications. Following that process we appointed Darren Plank who started on 26^th Feb 2007. There were teething difficulties, the primary one being his availability as he had (and has) other coaching responsibilities. This improved when he appointed Julian White as his assistant. Although things aren’t perfect I feel that we now have the most formal coaching structure in place that this club has had in over a decade. Teams are receiving tuition if they want it and there are men’s and ladies nights in place. New for this club is a beginners/improvers group whilst there are private lessons available for those that want them. Junior night is better attended than in recent years and junior coaching is available on a Saturday morning. It is the committee’s (and Darren’s) intention that we build up junior membership – to help in this, Darren will look to go into local schools.  I appreciate there may still be problems – if there are please see Darren, me or, if it is to do with juniors, Ruth Goulding.

Our membership remains solid. We did lose some members for a range of reasons but we have replaced them with new ones. Courts are well used and, during busy social times, this has meant people have had to wait. This has led to some problems with regard to who plays with whom. We will be introducing a peg-board system whereby everyone who wants to play puts their “peg” on the board. When you are at the top you choose 3 from the next 6 to join you on court. This way you can choose if you want a mixed, ladies or men’s doubles. We hope this will reduce the tensions that have been evident recently.

Socially, we are a section that runs several functions every year and raises money from them. We need to – the parent club has a perennial cash flow problem and we are duty bound to help them, particularly as they helped to fund our Astroturf courts. We have run some wonderful socials this year from the Indulgence Evening eleven months ago to quizzes, tournaments and the annual dinner. More of the same is planned for this coming year – the first being a Tournament with milled wine on Sunday 23 Dec and a Salsa evening on Friday 25^th January. Thanks are also due to Jai and Deo Beauty Products for their continued support of us.

Finally, this job is not an easy one and I am aware that I couldn’t do it with the support of the membership and in particular of the committee. They work immensely hard for all our benefit. Richard has to be the most conscientious treasurer whilst Yvonne is meticulous in her minute-taking. I thought Sue Palmer would be impossible to replace as membership secretary but Ian has been fabulous. Maria, Ruth, Frances and Barbara have been wonderful in everything they do, and it’s a lot – believe me, whilst Gaye (in her first year on committee) has been a revelation with a wide ranging package of skills from IT to marketing. Thank you, thank you, and thank you. I have missed out one person and I’ve saved him to last because, after 15 years on committee, he is standing down. David Handford is a massive do-er, he gets things done. He (along with Les Williams) has virtually rebuilt the tennis hut, he has organised more tennis dinners than most of us have attended and, of course, he was vital in securing the LTA loan and project managing the build of the new Astroturf courts. He is not leaving but is looking forward to enjoying tennis without the stresses of committee life. On behalf of the whole section – thank you David.

4.  Election of Officers
 

 5.  Any other business

This item submitted by Richard Tinworth

1) A court booking system should be introduced

I have made this suggestion before but I would like to make it again. Can an Internet system be introduced or a booking sheet on the club hut wall. This would avoid conflictions since sometimes-impromptu sessions are organised.

2) A vetting system to be introduced

While I do not begrudge anyone playing tennis it should be to a certain standard. Now I realise I am not the best one to talk about this but when I joined I had lessons with the then coach David Mansell and after the 9th/10th lesson he suggested that I was good enough to join in social tennis. (I realise other members might have their own view on this judgment, but I did manage to progress). I do believe however that new members should only join in social tennis once one of the coaches has approved it.

3) A fairer allocation system for social tennis

It seems that certain players do not want to ‘slum’ it with others, which they deem to be not as good.  Therefore a raffle or ladder system should be introduced so players of all ability do mix and the people who having been waiting there the longest do play.

Discussion took place:

·        Social Tennis: Concern was raised over the ability of some members to play to a ‘reasonable standard’ as to be able to give the remainder an enjoyable game.

o       Consider introducing standard before can play social tennis

o      Suggestion - Social tennis time for beginners/improvers – possibly after standard social time. Committee members to make up numbers

o        Consider reduced fee for those members not appropriate ability for social tennis

·         Introduce a booking System. Pressure on courts May/June due to number of matches. Need to publicise matches and regular coaching sessions on website.

·         Introduce a pegboard system for social play.

It was agreed that these proposals and suggestions should be discussed at tennis committee.

Team Selection for summer league: Meeting for current captains to discuss and suggestion to arrange day(s) in February/March for team selection. Players not to be excluded if cannot make these days.

Match Catering: Discussion regarding quality of food provided. Can individual teams do their own food?  Agreed all teams should do the same and as many teams would not want to cater for themselves ….agreed to continue with caterers. Captains to liaise with caterer on what food they want provided.

Chewing Gum on Court: Ian Cushway to make “No Chewing Gum” notices for courts

Juniors:
Junior night - Tokens direct to Darren rather than Richard Tyler

There was a suggestion to offer membership to parents of younger children at same price as their children - act as “hitting partners”. It was agreed to consider at next committee.

 Meeting closed at 13.55