Minutes of the Torbay Tri Club Meeting

Held Friday 11th August at Torquay Yacht Club

Present: Jon Pressling Rob Pressling Cassandra Dave Pressley Rose Parkhouse Wendy Urban Graham Reynolds Alix Reynolds Simon Mills Val McLean Mac Graham Kay

Apologies from: Debra Pressly, Jon and Cathy Parkinson , Glynn Hughes, Mike Davies

1. Minutes from last meeting .

Read and agreed. Actions from last meeting:- Adhoc sea swims sessions organised and operational. Email addresses set up and running. Membership form updated and uploaded to website. Laminator purchased and Membership cards laminated. Open water swim sessions and disclaimer wording updated and confirmed with BTF and our Insurers.

2. Update on Club Issues

Recent Torbay AAC Club issues have highlighted how important it is that the Tri club has a good and robust Club Constitution and Management Plan. As processes need to promote fairness and good communication through the management plan. Simon offered to work with Dave P to ensure this is maintained.

Graham reinforced the philosophy of the club that everyone mucks in together with shared responsibility and working together. Not being part of the committee does not preclude anyone from getting/being involved and all are welcome at the committee meetings .

Graham came up with a great motto “Your only failure is not to Tri.” Need to double check on the internet that this isn’t being used elsewhere though!

John Parkinson and Tim Watson had both queried with Graham R the possibility of the Tri club becoming affiliated to England Athletics as well as the British triathlon Federation. Lots of discussion around this as it would raise a lot of issues ie In the event of issues arising which federation would we apply to. Coaches registered under one federation may not be able to coach under the other. We did agree not to poach members from other athletic clubs. Mac is happy to look into affiliation to EA and any issues arising from this. 3. Finances

Rob handed out copies of his detailed spreadsheet.

The balance sheet is looking a lot healthier now, thanks primarily to the donation of £1,250 from Mid Devon Cycling Club in respect of all the volunteers from Torbay Tri that helped out at the Dartmoor Classic. Many thanks to those of you that did volunteer – was well worth the effort, and everyone seemed to enjoy it as well.

Next Wednesday is the presentation by Sarah Lakey from Mid Devon CC and as we have already received the actual money Rob will send Sarah an email thanking Mid Devon.

Membership fees are also trickling in now 3 full memberships received totalling £120.00 and 21 part membership £210.00, where already part of an athletics club.

The only debits over the last couple of months are payment for the laminator for the membership cards and the cost of the Level 2 Coaching Course (£590.00) for Graham Kay.

The bottom line balance as at the 11th August 2017 is £2,207.00

4. Coaching Update

Run training ;- Graham is keen for these and its proposed for all abilities to meet on a Thursday evening at 7pm to encourage all, including beginners and those new to Tri’s, through to the elite guys. Idea being to work on 5K speed with mile and K reps, building up to 10K on a four or five week rota to include time trials. 2 Coaches will take the session on a rota basis from Jon P, Graeme K, Hamish and Dave P. Although Jon Parkinson is a qualified EA coach he cant take sessions himself under BTF, and can only assist unofficially. Coaches will decide on routes and where to meet. It is hoped to start these off on the 24th August – Meeting place to be confirmed. In Alix’s absence! Graham did volunteer that she would be happy to take stretching sessions as well.

Club Championships and Awards;- Proposed that the Club Championships will be over the Sprint Distance at the Torbay Triathlon on the 17th September 2017 at Torbay leisure Centre. Jon Pressling suggested that we need more awards than just the first male and female to try and encourage more to take part. Suggestions were to include small prizes for veteran categories. Awards will still include the most improved male and female and outstanding achievement awards, and also Best Newcomer male and female. Dave Pressley also put forward the possibility of an award for outstanding contribution to the club to recognise those that go above and beyond to help out the club. Jon Pressling is happy to deal with the Club Championship awards.

Winter Turbo options:- There is no suggestion at the moment that we could be ousted out of the Torbay aac gym, however could be a possibility so we need to look at contingencies. At the moment we have 9/10 Turbos stored there, and this would be required at any other venue, so storage could be an issue, need to look at contingencies. As a further option we have been offered more sessions with Paul Venning at his studio in Newton Abbot. He can offer us a 10 week booking with a minimum of 10 people at £4.50 each session, this would be the 8 to 9pm class on either Mon, Weds or Thurs. Jon will go back to him re shorter booking courses ie four or five weeks as we do with the swim sessions, and any other options for days and times.

Winter swim Sessions;- Again the only time Brixham Pool can offer us is the 8-9pm slot on a Wednesday. Either 1st November or 4th October start date – all present unanimously went for the 4th October start date so there will be three sets of four week sessions before Christmas. Unless the pool puts up the cost of hire, Jon proposes that the prices stay the same as last year at £16.00 for a four week block for members and £20 for non Members. Tri club members will have priority over non members.

5. Membership Update

New memberships confirmed Katherina Roberts Cathy and Jon Parkinson Manuela Austin Simon Mills Graeme Kay

Dave and Debra will do reminders re memberships not yet paid. It was also agreed that if memberships haven’t been confirmed then full price to be paid for swimming and Turbo sessions.

6. Invitation to membership for other Athletic Clubs

Graham R wrote to Teignbridge Trotters, Brixham AAC, Riviera Racers and South Devon AC. Trotters are happy to support Torbay tri. Brixham AAC will take it to Committee. Riviera Racers are still too small and it may conflict with their training sessions. South Devon AC will take it to their next committee.

7. Website and Facebook

We will probably be asked to split from Torbay AAC website. Graeme Kay will speak to Steve Wilbraham who maintains Torbay AACs website – Steve has already stated that he’s happy to help guide us with developing/maintaining the Tri website.

Need a Facebook open page and then a members only page. Steve has already set up a separate new page thats not active yet - but could be.

Jon Pressling is happy to vet and then approve/refuse as applicable all new applications to join the tri club webpage.

8. MDCC Partnership – Dartmoor Classic and 2018 Event

Happy to report we seem to have a good relationship with Mid Devon Cycling Club and they were very happy with our support at the Classic this year. Stuart Borgman (Dartmoor Classic organiser) thanked us for our help. Although Mid Devon are revisiting the way they organise volunteers/marshalling next year, so we may not be able to count on the same sort of funding next year.

MDCC are running a National Junior race event next May in Torbay over closed roads. In a similar vein to the National races that were run a couple of years ago and are asking for volunteers to assist them in this. It was suggested that maybe we could piggy back on this and hold a Triathlon over the same closed roads after the Junior events in partnership with Mid Devon CC. After some discussion though, it was agreed that May 2018 would be a bit too early to be able to organise this in time.

Also this National Junior race would be a one off and even if we did manage to organise a Triathlon there is no guarantee we would be able to get closed roads for future years.

However this may lead to other opportunities for shared events with Mid Devon in the future.

9. Socials – Summer party (Graeme

Date agreed for barbecue at Graeme Kays on the 9th September 2017, all Torbay Tri members and partners invited.

It was put forward by Graham (seconded by Cassandra) to go back to The Cantina for our Christmas do. But suggested that maybe discuss with Queenie re a set menu as there were a couple of issues last year, but then they had only just opened and it was all still new. The food is generally very good there and all agreed are happy to support Queenie in her venture.

Glynn was volunteered in his absence to organise the xmas do! 10. AOB.

Graham confirmed there are enough requests for him to put in an order for ladies club tri tops, these are £49.00., so he needs to know who wants them and sizes. Cycle tops were also mentioned (by me) but not enough to put in an order at the moment.

Date of next meeting :- 20th October 2017, 7pm at Torbay Yacht Club

Minutes by Wendy Urban