SFCA Executive Committee Counter Proposal to
Monklands CAC Proposal to the
Scottish Federation of Coarse Angling AGM 2007

 MS Word Document Version - HERE

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE COUNTER PROPOSAL

Background

Current position

Monklands CAC has intimated a proposal to put in place a points system derived from results achieved at SFCA League and Open matches from which the pool of anglers to form the National Senior and Youth squads would be formed.

Such a system is a matter of policy and does not require to be included within the constitution. It is entirely correct that fundamental issues, such as the definition of “nationality” be so included, but internal rules which bind the team management are issues of policy only.

The model for the proposal is lifted almost directly from the Ryder Cup selection process used by GB and Europe in golf. The proposal is commendable for its transparency.

However, it requires to be highlighted that the golf model is based on a far, far larger selection pool of talent than that available to the SFCA National Team managers. Indeed, the European PGA Tour involves competitors tackling a wide variety of courses and conditions across the world,.

By way of contrast, the Scottish National match angling circuit is extremely limited, both in terms of numbers of competitors and in terms of venues used. With regard to the latter, this has largely come about due to the poor general standard of “wild” venues in Scotland, especially for match fishing. Moreover, Scottish National matches are not fished to CIPS rules, which means that locations such as Loch Ken, where legering is the main method, can provide little guidance to the Team Manager as to how any individual may fare in an international context.

In a very limited market, fettering the discretion of the team manager may be counter productive. In support of this, the results record of the National team during the tenure of the current manager has displayed a marked improvement over previous years. Indeed, at youth level, the National team has only recently returned, and has done so successfully. . 

Further, the results achieved by the team have a direct bearing upon how the team is funded. Sponsorship is not gained easily. Currently, the National team has the highest level of sponsorship it has ever enjoyed. Nevertheless, representing Scotland will never be fully subsidised. The truth of the matter is that those selected require to invest significantly their own finances and time towards the team.

There is a long history in Scotland of anglers who regularly fall into the top 10 in the country simply not wanting to represent the country. Finances may well be a factor in that. However, the credibility of any “order of merit” would be substantially undermined were it to be the case that those who were eligible through gaining the necessary points were to decline the call up that followed.

The future

The SFCA, together with other Scottish angling governing bodies, is deeply committed to the UKCC coaching accreditation, the importance of which is to deliver objectively verifiable standards of coaching and so improvement of the sport.

Part of the work toward UKCC requires us as a Federation to develop, implement and communicate clear 'elite pathways' for participants of our sport by 2010.  The purpose of these is to enable all participants either already active or coming into the sport to seen exactly what they need to achieve in order to progress towards international team selection.  The acceptance is obviously that participants will find a natural level in the structure either at which they are happy or their natural talent peaks, but they must be provided with clearly defined goals that they must meet in order to reach the very top. 

These will probably be split into:

·        Eligibility (National requirement);

·        Competences (technical criteria);

·        Personal (Social and Psychological - team work, performance under pressure).  

The important point therefore is that whatever is decided at the EGM, the SFCA will need to conduct a lot of work over the next two years to define the requirements that will ultimately produce the best possible Team to represent Scotland in the future.  This may well require consultation with other organizations outwith Scotland.

Were the Monklands’ proposal to be carried at the EGM it would not be effective until the 2009 season as it will be the results from next year’s league and open matches that would be used.  We would thus be changing the system possibly for one year only before being forced to change it again. In the view of the Executive Committee, this would neither be in the best interests of the Federation, nor of the anglers who would be eligible for selection for the National squad.

The counter proposal below is set against this background information.

Counter proposal

The current system used by Chris Paton is in line with the current constitution and has clearly brought improved results over the past three years - although it is accepted that the nominations system should have been retained. 

The Executive Committee counter proposes:

1.      To maintain the status quo until the UKCC work is complete, but to introduce a policy which requires that each prospective team member should be nominated for selection.

 2.      Nominations to be by the Club Secretary only, and must be in writing. They must reach the Team Manager by 1^st February in the year in which the angler wishes to make him or herself available for selection.

 3.      Any nomination so received will be published on the SFCA website.

 4.      Any nominee must however:

i.        Want to be selected

 ii.      Be able to commit to the international events for the coming year, as well as practice sessions and such other activities as required by the Team Manager.

 iii.    Be able to afford to compete (i.e. have all of the required kit or be prepared to purchase it, and be able to afford to pay the personal contribution and there own subsistence costs - next year the personal contribution is likely to be in the region of £800.00 as Italy tends to be very expensive and then there is food and drink on top).

 iv.     Be prepared to contribute 100% to the team effort (with the whole squad living in close proximity for up to 10 days it is essential that everyone mucks in).   

5.      The National Team manager will provide feedback to any nominee who fails to be selected for inclusion in the National team squad, if so requested by the nominee.

For and on behalf of the Executive Committee of the SFCA