Chairman's Report 2009
Chairman's Report 2009
I am writing this as we come to the end of my 3rd full year as Chairman of the cricket club. What a time of change and development it has been.
The first year - only three years ago Neil Goodman was skippering the 1st team and although hopeful of a good season we weren't confident of gaining accreditation. In the end we neither finished high enough nor reached the high SEPL standards for promotion. The 2nd team were two divisions lower than now and the thirds were relegated after one season in the division they very nearly got promoted from last season. The fourths continued to finish comfortably and develop some of the players now performing so well for all the teams. We were still trying to get Clubmark and still battling the football problems during the winter.
There have been some pivotal moments that have meant we are where we are today and one of them comes now - after defeat at Lymington Neil stood down after a heartfelt speech to the 1st team - a brave decision to admit that you have not achieved what you wanted and that it is time for someone else to take on the role. But who? No one put themselves forward but eventually Freddy decided he could do the job but he wanted things done a bit differently.
The second year saw us develop the structure and organisation of the club and this was voted in at the AGM last year, but for now all was as before.
Pivotal moment number 2 - the licence - we had made contact with FBC regards the abandoned plans to take on the lease at Allotment Rd. The response wasn't good however what about a licence? Same thing in our eyes but it seemed to be different in theirs. We still had to jump through lots of hoops but in the end we got it and look at the difference. (without this and all the work from the committee to gain the licence we would not be where we are today) Look at the state of FBC football pitches now and imagine that at The Hollow - would we have accreditation?
A few thousand pounds later and a great deal of effort during the winter meant we started the 2008 season in better shape than ever and thanks to a great start from all sides we were rocking from day one.
We all know how this season ended - drunk at Mo's celebrating a season like no other.
Pivotal moment Number 3 - Blacky - the day the website when global. Bondy started it, I played with it and Ian took it to the next level and beyond. The website is amazing and has helped us in no end with the communication and organisation of the club and over the coming years will become even more important to us.
Third year - new structure in place.
Playing matters now rest with the selection committee not the management committee. Clear accountability and the right people making the right decisions - not all of them right, mistakes are made but to get a bit of IKEA in here - 'the only time you don't make mistakes is when sleeping' you can't spend your whole life asleep so get used to making them and learn from them when you do.
The SEPL has made things tough. Pressure has increased on all of us to deliver both on the pitch and off. The financial implications of SEPL promotion are for all to see in this years accounts. We will have to make adjustments in the coming years to account for this and some things will have to be sacrificed. One thing that I will defend whilst I am Chairman is our membership and fees structure and keeping it as low as possible. It would be easy to raise subs for all to cover the increased cost for cricket but not the right thing. We must always try to ensure that we take into account personal circumstances regards payment and I am so sad that for the first time this year finally we had to say enough is enough to a member of this club and that they can no longer play until they have paid their debts. To have allowed this person to continue playing would not have been fair on everyone else who pays every week whatever their circumstances. However, please be assured that this was not a decision made lightly but one after many years of support, help and personal cost to many members.
The year ended again successfully - 1st mid table, 2nds Promoted and 3rds higher than ever. Colts more successful than ever - what a great send off for Les from all the boys that is.
Sadly Fred has decided to stand down as 1st team skipper and we must all thank him for everything he has done over the last two years. Jason is also standing down as 2nd team skipper and after a very tough year Ian Clark is also standing aside. This and the fact that Matt will no longer be Players Rep and that Bondy is taking over from Les will mean the selection committee will have a completely different look to it for next year.
Three years in a nutshell. I will have missed some events that others will think are just as important and they could well be - so sorry to them.
Look at the teams we have left behind in County One - Locks Heath and Liss could both have been promoted to the SEPL if they had gained accreditation. Why didn't they? They are no different in circumstance to us. What makes us different? I tell you what - even though we disagree on some things, even though we have moments when we want to throw in the towel or are so exasperated with someone we cannot look at them in the eye when all is said and done we stick together and work through it. I can honestly say that if the chips were down their isn't a single person in this club who I wouldn't want in my corner fighting for me and this cricket club.
We are about to enter next season bigger than ever and unfortunately that means bigger challenges and problems. We need your help with this and we must stick together and trust that we all have the wellbeing of the club at heart - everything we do must ensure that SACC is still here when were are not.
Robbie Cooper
October 2009
