2021 Annual Report

Season 2020/21 Annual Report

National Rink Hockey Association of England Limited

Registered No. 2376673 - Registered Address: 61 Bridge Street, Kington, Herefordshire, HR5 3DJ, United Kingdom

Our NEW England Rink Hockey

Our vision

To provide widespread participation opportunities and increase the popularity of Rink Hockey in England. Be viewed as the most successful amateur rink hockey nation on earth.

Our mission

Fund team participation in all national competitions from spectator revenues, making participation entirely free of cost to players, by Season 2023/24. Grow player registrations to above 2,000 by Season 2025/26. Achieve recognition as a truly gender-equal, all abilities, community sport that works collaboratively with key stakeholders to provide quality participation opportunities and pathways for all participants.

Our values

Inclusivity Trust and Transparency Integrity and Honesty Professionalism Accountability and Results

3 National Rink Hockey Association of England Limited / Annual Report Season 2021/22 Contents C O N T E N T S

Presidents Report 5 Covid-19 7 Affiliation & Registration 8 Affiliation 8 Registration 8 Online registration & e-registration card 9 e-registration cards 9 Governance 10 Executive Committee 10 Executive Subcommittees 11 Finance Sub-Committee 12 Marketing Sub-Committee 16 Competitions Sub-Committee 27 Region Associations 31 Northern Counties 31 Eastern Counties 34 South Eastern Counties 37 Committee of Rink Hockey Coaches 40 Responsibilities & Authorities 40 Committee Structure Change 40 National Accreditation Scheme 40 England Academy 43 Committee of Rink Hockey Referees 44 Responsibilities & Authorities 44 National Accreditation Scheme 45 Allocation of Referees & Tournament Head Officials 46 Club Head Referee 46 National Head Timekeeper 46 Uniform & Sponsorship 47 International 47 Referee Numbers 48 England Teams 49 Coaching & Management Structure 49 Strategic Priorities 50 A structure for the future 50 Commercial Focus 50 Accelerated Growth 51 Recruitment focus 52 Female Participation 53 World-Class Events 53 Short term objectives 54 Participation 54 Competition Delivery 54 High Performance 55 Commercial 55 One Sport 55

4 National Rink Hockey Association of England Limited / Annual Report Season 2021/22 Presidents Report

I send my best wishes and thoughts to all those involved in rink hockey, up and down the country, particularly those that volunteer, as a coach, a referee, a timekeeper, or as a club or region committee member, because it’s through the dedication and contributions of these people that our sport ‘happens’, week in and week out. Despite the challenges Covid-19 has brought, including the postponement of so much hockey and the loss of some players, these volunteers have adapted incredibly well to the challenges faced and I am confident that through their work our sport will bounce rapidly back to growth with the start of Season 2021/22. Since my election as association president in July 2019, the National Executive Committee (NEC) has met monthly via zoom (3 to 4 hrs each) and used the Covid period to work on a number of projects to bring about positive evolution in our sport, with most committing 40 to 60 hours a week to their roles and opening up to the new approach of collaboration with regional peers on their subcommittees. This positive evolution to the operation of the association has enabled a structure more fit for the future, with more people helping each other, that is consultative and democratic in nature, and this has provided the NEC with far greater insight into the needs of all parts of the nation and ideas for the betterment of our sport In the season ahead the NEC shall be collectively striving to help regions, and the clubs within them, to evolve into recruiting ‘machines’, in which the vast majority of our players participate, providing approximately $6,000 in new support to the motivated, while also ensuring delivery of new, high quality, national competitions that become financially profitable, so the association has more money to invest in growth. At international level, the players, coaches and support team continue to put in an incredible effort, led by our hard working and committed National Coaching Director (Carlos Amaral), whose meticulous planning and preparation has significantly contributed to not only the significant development of skills, but also a greater enthusiasm for the sport at all levels across the nation, something that has without doubt contributed to improved retention of players over the years and noticeably limited attrition of young players during the forced Covid break. Unfortunately, Covid has brought into focus a democratic deficit within World Skate that makes it unaccountable to all member nations, with it becoming obvious that the organisation is run for the benefit of professional nations that dominate technical committee membership and show scant regard for the circumstances and challenges of amateur nations, demonstrated by their declaring forfeit the registration fees of clubs from ...

5 National Rink Hockey Association of England Limited / Annual Report Season 2021/22 Presidents Report continued

... amateur nation forced to withdraw from Euro league due to national covid restrictions (e.g. Kings Lynn RHC) and refusal to delay European Championships until some certainty is achieved as to Covid, per the will of 70% of member nations. On the positive, this has resulted in the formation of UERH - Union of European Roller Hockey (Andorra, Austria, Belgium, England, Germany, Israel, Netherlands, and Switzerland) who have agreed to work together in collaboration to develop participation in the sport, skill up referees and coaches, and advance the interest of amateur nations within World Skate, with organisation of ‘Super Summer Camps’, representative competitions and coordination of referee/coach accreditation in active discussion. Heading into the new season, I would like to welcome Swift Hockey Technology as the associations Official Equipment Provider, who will through sponsorship and supply have greatly added to the association's ability to support greater recruitment activity than ever before, while also reducing the cost of participation for England team members. Finally, it is my great pleasure to advise that the NEC has unanimously agreed to put forward to the AGM for consideration of appointment as Honorary Life Members, Carlos Amaral, and Ken Pughe. While more will be said at the meeting, it is the NEC’s collective belief that both individuals have contributed greatly to the advancement of the sport in England and well- deserving of our gratitude and recognition. I look forward to an exciting season ahead and to next year reporting significant growth in registrations and the financial health of the sport.

Wishing you all the best for season 2021/22

Kos Galtos President National Rink Hockey Association of England

6 National Rink Hockey Association of England Limited / Annual Report Season 2021/22 Our sport through COVID-19

In March 2020, with the arrival of Covid-19, rink hockey like all team sports came abruptly to a halt. In the immediate period that followed, the rink hockey community rallied and took to social media to support, motivate and entertain each other with impressive skills videos and of course watching matches of the professional leagues. As restrictions began to lift, Return to Play guidance was developed and Clubs began appointing designated Covid Officers. Huge thanks go to all those whose efforts helped in implementing the necessary action plans in order to see rink hockey return. To date, there are no reported incidents of Covid-19 being transmitted through playing rink hockey in England. Whilst the situation remains uncertain, the association continues to engage with British Roller Sports Federation and relevant government departments to ensure the sport can get back to normal as soon as possible and will continue to communicate updates to the rink hockey community through the website and social media. A huge thank you goes to our volunteers and supporters, and our professional, passionate & dedicated Executive Committee who have been unfailing in their tireless support to get us through. Taking on even more workload throughout the COVID pandemic.

7 National Rink Hockey Association of England Limited / Annual Report Season 2021/22 Affiliation and registration

Player registrations

Total registrations

3 regions 44 rinks 22 clubs 245 officers / officials 953 players 23 life members

8 National Rink Hockey Association of England Limited / Annual Report Season 2021/22 Online registration & e-registration card

Online registration

To reduce the huge number of volunteer hours required to process registrations, improve communication through access to accurate contact details, and enable the introduction of e-registration cards, all registration, and re-registration of players, from the coming season, will be done directly by the individual concerned, via login to their WildApricot account and making payment. In coming weeks all club officers will be emailed with an explanation of the new process, including what to do for player transfers, and current registrants will be sent an email, to the address we have on file, that will help them gain direct access to their account, then followed up with instructions on how to renew their registration. Registered club officers will always be able to see a real-time list of their club members by going to the Club Admin portal and selecting the link ‘List of Registered Club Members’.

e-registration card

Logged in to their WildApricot account, all registrants will be able to see their e-registration card under the ‘Membership’ tab, which can be downloaded as a PDF and then emailed or printed - should clubs wish to maintain a paper-based record this is how to do it. To gain entry free of charge to the national events that an individual is registered for they will need to either show a printout of their card or display the card via the downloadable Smartphone app or as a PDF. Timekeepers at national events will be provided with an online list of registered participants, with photos, so a manual check of cards will only be required in exceptional circumstances to prove identity. Use of e-registration cards will also enable last-minute updates, such as new registrations, transfers, and addition of qualifications.

9 National Rink Hockey Association of England Limited / Annual Report Season 2021/22 Governance

National executive committee

President Kos Galtos President – Northern Aiden Lawler President – Eastern Carl Donovan President – South Eastern Arran Bowyer General Secretary Debbie Pughe Treasurer Michaela Parfitt Marketing Secretary Andy Whitton Competitions Secretary Tony Czifra

The day to day administrative affairs of the association are vested in the Executive Committee, all of whom are required to be directors of the Association, and are elected every three years at an AGM, on a rotational basis, with the exception of region presidents, who are elected by each region association.

Specific duties of the Executive Committee are to: Carry out the directions of the Council. Control the general administration of the Association’s Affairs. Present to Council reports on the Association’s activities for the past year. Present to Council Financial Accounts for the past year, with budget projections and recommendations for the ensuing year. Consider and, if thought fit, approve appointments to the Executive sub-Committees. Commission and receive reports from the Executive Sub-Committees. Fill any casual vacancies which may occur on the Executive Committee or sub- Committees in accordance with Article 16 until the next AGM. Nominate Honorary Vice Presidents and Honorary Life Members, as appropriate. Formulate the Rules for and supervise the holding of competitions and national leagues sponsored by the Association.

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Conduct appeal hearings from proceedings of the Discipline and Disputes sub- Committee and/or any affiliated league or club concerning any player, affiliate, or other person associated with Rink Hockey in Great Britain. Expel any person or affiliate proven guilty of acting in any way which, in the absolute discretion of the Executive Committee, is considered to be detrimental to the Association’s objects. Transact any other general business of the Association not otherwise delegated to the Executive sub-Committees.

Executive sub-committee

Executive Subcommittees are comprised of the elected national executive officer, as Chairman, and their region equivalents, and must meet at least 4 times per year. All members of the Subcommittee are eligible to vote at their meetings, with the Chairman having a casting vote, exercisable only in the event of a tie. Only proposals agreed by the Executive Subcommittee may be put to the National Executive Committee for determination. Full region representation on Executive Subcommittees brings a strong voice for regions and allows better coordination of the sport. Ensuring a fairer and broader sharing of workloads between many hands, and facilitates greater proactivity and positive outcomes for all.

11 National Rink Hockey Association of England Limited / Annual Report Season 2021/22 Finance

Finance sub-committee

Chair Michaela Parfitt SECRHA representative Cathy King ECRHA representative Androulla French NCRHA representative Rachel Rae

Responsibilities and authorities

Administration of the financial affairs of the Association. Including signoff of the Association’s Annual Accounts as true and correct each year for the Annual General Meeting. Liaising with the Marketing sub-Committee concerning advertising and sponsorship. Negotiation with the Sports Council concerning grants. Arrangement of insurance cover against relevant risks. Submission of reports for each National Executive Committee and Association General Meeting.

Financial Highlights to 31 May 2021

Gross Turnover - £19,091 Grants - £11,750 Net Loss - £2,454 Net Members’ Equity - £18,392

12 National Rink Hockey Association of England Limited / Annual Report Season 2021/22 Finance

Finance Highlights

The Covid-19 pandemic presented several challenges to all sport the world over, and rink hockey in England was no different, with the most significant challenge being the collapse of the association’s primary revenue source, Competitive Registrations, as, with the suspension of all competition since March 2020, players registered as Training Only and four clubs did not affiliate at all. This necessitated an immediate response in order to protect the association's finances during a period of great uncertainty, including how we were to continue offering development programs that support the long-term growth and health of the sport. The National Executive Committee was forced to review its spending and consider the importance of reducing its dependence on a single stream of revenue. In December 2020, the association was able to obtain a grant, for the first time since 1984, from UK Youth for £11,750 to facilitate the provision of outreach activities for children and to put in place electronic systems for online education, enabling a more efficient operation, enabling: England Academy levels 1 to 3 to be conducted within each region Coverage of covid related costs Building of more accessible online coach and referee accreditation courses, that will be rolled out prior to the start of the new season. On 5 June a ‘partnership’ was executed with Equipment manufacturer ‘Swift’, that will provide the association and its members with an anticipated £15,000 of benefit over the next 3 seasons, including an opportunity for clubs to help their members buy equipment at lower cost and the association to obtain the equipment necessary to support a school recruitment program within each region. Unfortunately, in April 2021 it was identified that the association was not listed by HMRC as a CASC and that no tax returns had been filed since March 2002. While this is believed to be an HMRC administrative error, it is a serious matter, made more concerning by absence within the association of documentary proof of CASC registration almost 20 years ago. The Treasurer is working through this matter with the relevant authorities as a priority and has been provided with the necessary budget to get it all in order promptly.

13 National Rink Hockey Association of England Limited / Annual Report Season 2021/22 Finance

Profit & Loss

14 National Rink Hockey Association of England Limited / Annual Report Season 2021/22 Finance

Balance sheet

15 National Rink Hockey Association of England Limited / Annual Report Season 2021/22 Marketing

Marketing sub-committee

Chair Andy Whitton SECRHA representative Arran Bowyer ECRHA representative Martin Thorogood NCRHA representative

Responsibilities and authorities

Negotiating and developing sponsorship/advertising arrangements. Undertaking public relations activities on behalf of the Association and its affiliates. Development, editing, publishing, and distribution of publicity for the sport. Marketing of each national competition tournament, including. Organizing the collection and banking of spectator entry fees. Video streaming of National League and National Cup matches

Commercial

Commercially, the association realises no revenues from commercial activity, but going forward we shall focus on the following pillars: Spectator numbers & Revenue With the return of rink hockey to our sports halls across the country, we plan to introduce a payment system for spectators to access all national competition events. Our plan is to build a show to help sell the profile of the sport and spread the interest in the sport wider than we've seen before. Partnership agreements We recently announced our exciting partnership deal with Swift Hockey Technology. This is a multi-layered deal that not only helps the elite level athletes but also people stepping into their skates for the first time. The partnership is the first of its kind for the association and the hope is it will serve as a benefit to us all and help us raise the profile of the sport in England.

16 National Rink Hockey Association of England Limited / Annual Report Season 2021/22 Marketing

England Apparel During everyone's time away from the sport due to the pandemic, you may have noticed a few things look a little different from how they used to. We used the last year as a positive, to focus on the things we would never normally have time for. We have taken the time to re-imagine how we want our sport to look to the people that play as well as the people who don't. Along with the new identity, curated by Marketing and Studio Juice, we have developed new playing and training kits for all that participate in England Rink Hockey. The new academy kits will launch this summer as well as other items of official apparel for coaches, fans, parents, and players. The apparel will be available to buy online in the official England Store at englandrinkhockey.com, England Academy dates, and National League events.

Digital Operations & Services The association is seeking to deepen engagement with the sport, its players, and stakeholders. The marketing sub-committee retains all responsibility to publish wide- reaching, informative, and entertaining social media content that will increase the groundswell of interest in the sport as it gets back up to full speed. Englandrinkhockey.com will focus on delivering content for players, clubs, and stakeholders, in an engaging fashion via the significantly improved design and functionality of the new media-rich website to be fully operational from September. Brand Strategy A Brand Strategy has been developed to act as an operating system within the business and will be applied to all products that sit within the association stable (including competitions, merchandise, England Teams, and Academy). The Brand Strategy is designed to maximise the opportunity to connect emotionally with current and emerging fans and ensure we create a consistent brand experience for all those engaging with rink hockey. Brand Promise “To create and celebrate moments of excitement” We will execute our brand promise by creating inspiring moments that captivate our fans young and old. We will celebrate our victories both on and off the rink and communicate through storytelling where we showcase our team's and athletes' performance, personality, and personal journey.

17 National Rink Hockey Association of England Limited / Annual Report Season 2021/22 England Apparel

18 England Academy kit England Apparel

19 England Hoodie England Apparel

20 England Rucksack England Apparel

21 England Coaches shirt and track jacket England Apparel

On sale soon 22 Marketing

New England team wear

Our attention to the new brand extends to all corners of the sport. This new imagining of how we present the sport runs through the spine of how we want to present ourselves, to be proud of the sport we play, and acknowledge our aspiration to reach new levels of achievement. Over the course of the next twelve months as our sport returns to competition and our Academy numbers grow we will be introducing the new England team wear which all our elite players will wear in competition. It is our plan to get to know our players more with profile showcases with players who represent England. We want our Academy players to know who their heroes are and what it takes to represent our country. Home

Away

23 National Rink Hockey Association of England Limited / Annual Report Season 2021/22 Marketing

Home GK

Away GK

24 National Rink Hockey Association of England Limited / Annual Report Season 2021/22 Marketing

Brand personality

After taking time to reflect on the public and commercial perception of the sport, we took action to develop the England Rink Hockey brand personality to help us tell the story, passion, and excitement this sport brings to us. Being a minority sport trying to break out from the crowd is hard if you don't have personality, and our work has been focused on giving rink hockey a visual story. We want the days of having to explain what this sport is and why it's different to diminish and our greatest secret to finally be out for anyone to see.

To aid us, a series of brand campaigns will be developed to showcase our new brand positioning and personality traits and begin to shape fan perception of rink hockey in England.

What defines our brand personality?

We are confident We know who we are. We stand strong and we know our purpose. We lead with passion. We are driven We are passionate people and our optimism is infectious. We possess a can-do attitude. We are relentless in our drive for success. We are trendsetters We are in touch with the youth of today and the trends of tomorrow. We are trailblazers. We will influence the sporting landscape in England. We are positive role models for young players. We are progressive We are forward-thinking. We don’t just want to be part of the future, we want to shape it and that means constantly learning, iterating, challenging, and searching for better ways to move forward.

25 National Rink Hockey Association of England Limited / Annual Report Season 2021/22 Marketing

Media & Communications

We've defined how we see the sport, so the next step is to get this new England Rink Hockey to meet everyone. How do we that and what could it mean? Our key objectives are to amplify awareness of the association and its programs beyond the rink hockey community through mass media exposure. Easy enough to write, but creating a brand people can see and interact with it helps us strengthen media relationships to increase media coverage and share of voice and position the association as sporting thought leaders. By defining the sport to a wider audience it is our hope that exposure attracts greater numbers of participants, fans, teams, volunteers and investment.

England Rink Hockey online

Our biggest asset for engagement is our online presence. Our outlets are places we can publish up to date and key information about our sport. As we move into the next season our aim is to build our numbers further by having a keen online voice and a hub for people to find out the information they need. Website The current website will be phased out over summer 2021 to allow for better integration with player, club, and competition information. The new website will be visual-heavy to reinforce the sports personality traits. Our integration with Wild Apricot and League Republic will give a more rounded experience of the sport by supplying consistent fixture advertisements and competition results. The new official online store will be the place to buy all England Rink Hockey apparel and training kits. Social media We encourage all members to engage with our Facebook page to receive snippets and links to information about up and coming events we advertise. Our community only grows when people interact with us so it's in everyone's interest to like, share, and comment on the things that interest them. It's an easy support action that's free and simple to do. Make sure your club has a page and let us know. We want to tag clubs and help you celebrate your achievements. Our platforms are Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok. Make sure you follow us on any platform you use and introduce yourself.

26 National Rink Hockey Association of England Limited / Annual Report Season 2021/22 Competitions

Competitions sub-committee

Chair Tony Czifra SECRHA representative Debbie Pughe ECRHA representative Michaela Parfitt NCRHA representative Tony Czifra

Responsibilities and authorities

Administration and organisation of the National Competition program, including. Coordination of the dates of the various regional and national competitions. Communication and update of competition fixtures to the General Secretary for inclusion in the National Calendar. Control of the Association’s trophies and awards. Consideration and recommendation of Registered Rinks, for the National Executive Committee Meetings

The Sub Committee currently meets fortnightly, with members working collaboratively together to define the assimilation of regional hockey into the national program. With the expansion of national competition to include leagues at youth levels, and no longer just senior, this is proving challenging, but achievable.

National League - Senior

Premier Division Competition will launch from 1 September 2021. Dates are pencilled into the national calendar in preparation for Club entries. As much flexibility as possible has been incorporated into the schedule to accommodate another Covid outbreak, with impacting training or match restrictions. Consideration is being given to pushing matches to after January in future seasons to increase the frequency of matches to weekly or fortnightly. How this affects clubs and venue availability is being considered.

27 National Rink Hockey Association of England Limited / Annual Report Season 2021/22 Competitions

Premier Division ... continued A consultation exercise with clubs will be undertaken prior to any change being made. For future seasons, the schedule will be prepared in draft by 31 March of the season before, so that all may be confirmed for the following season within weeks of the end of each season’s competition. Division 1 This competition will continue to be conducted on a tournament basis. For future seasons, the schedule will be prepared in draft by 31 March of the season before, so that all may be confirmed for the following season within weeks of the end of each season’s competition.

National League - Youth

Regions are required to conclude their qualifying league by 15 March each season. A few additional weeks are provided to Eastern Counties due to the additional number of teams in their competitions. Regional Winners & Runners Up will pay nothing to enter the competition, bearing only their cost of travel. Competitions are being funded from player registration fees. To recover costs, the association will charge spectator entry fees For those registered with the association 18 and over - £5 Under 18 - £3 For those not registered with the association 18 and over - £7 Under 18 - £4 Free Supporter registration, via web sign-up, is available on the day. This will help expand the association's marketing database and help in our effort to attract more spectators. Up to 10 Players and 5 management per team, pre-registered on the Team List, plus their nominated referee and timekeeper, will be exempt from the charge. Once the association has recouped a grades competition costs, any profits will be distributed as follows: 10% to each team (6 teams) 10% to each region (3 regions) 10% to the association

28 National Rink Hockey Association of England Limited / Annual Report Season 2021/22 Competitions

National League - Youth ... continued This season’s fixtures will be issued at the AGM or prior, but for future seasons the schedule will be prepared in draft by 31st March of the season before, so all may be confirmed for the following season within weeks of the end of each season’s competition. Due to anticipated registration numbers, Under 20 will replace Under 19 Grade this season only.

The leagues for the following age grade will be run together in the same venue and dates Under 20 & Under 15 Under 17 & Under 13 Clubs and players are reminded that from Season 2023/24 no national team will be entered into competition unless a national league for that grade is contested. Over the course of this and next season, the effort will be made to introduce National League - Female in the Senior and Under 17 grades, on a similar basis to National League – Youth, in time for the 2023/24 season.

National Cup

From this season, Cup qualifiers and finals will be rotated annually between all regions and this season. Cup Qualifiers will be held at Middlesbrough Sports Village. Cup Finals will be held at The Bay Arena, Herne Bay. Entry to all Cups is due by 1 September. Late entry, at increased cost, will be accepted up to 1 Feb 2022. Cups will be organised, per national calendar, for. Senior Open Senior Female Under 20 Under 17 Under 15 Under 13 Under 11

29 National Rink Hockey Association of England Limited / Annual Report Season 2021/22 Competitions

Inter-region Championship

The Inter Region Championship shall be the last national competition each season, taking place in June and the 1st weekend in July (due to time/rink availability). The grades of competition are. Senior Open Senior Female Under 20 Under 17 Under 15 Under 13 Under 11

Perpetual Trophies

All perpetual trophies must immediately be returned to the Competitions Secretary. Any person holding a perpetual trophy should contact [email protected] so a collection made arranged. Many trophies that have been returned are in poor condition or without required engraving. The NEC has allocated a budget to rectify issues, so all is ready for each trophy award at the end of the season. In some extreme cases, fines will be issued for damage or failure to return perpetual trophies. From this season, Clubs and Regions will be required to sign for Cups prior to taking possession of them.

30 National Rink Hockey Association of England Limited / Annual Report Season 2021/22 Northern Counties

Northern Counties - NCRHA Executive-committee

President Aiden Lawler Secretary Lisa Horner Treasurer Rachel Rae Marketing - Competition Tony Czifra Child Protection/DBS Lyndsay Lee Head Coach Paul Colton Head Referee Mike Richardson

The principal purpose of region associations is to. Conduct local competitions for all age grades and sexes in the form of tournaments, leagues and cups. Select and provide teams for participation in national competitions. Organise training sessions to develop the skills and abilities of players, coaches, and referees. Encourage and support the recruitment initiatives of member clubs. Broaden the number of venues and clubs within the region.

Affiliations & Registrations

Clubs Grimsby RHC Manchester RHC Middlesbrough RHC Sheffield Wildcats RH & RSC Spectrum RHC

31 National Rink Hockey Association of England Limited / Annual Report Season 2021/22 Northern Counties

Affiliations & Registrations

32 National Rink Hockey Association of England Limited / Annual Report Season 2021/22 Northern Counties

Funding

Currently, the regions sources of income are: Club Affiliation Competition Entry

To facilitate greater recruitment and development within the region, we seek to: Introduce Spectator admission charges Identify Sponsors Receive a share of national player registration income.

Youth recruitment

The region seeks to provided entry-level programs to at least one school per club, subject to finding a national funding solution that covers coaching expense and equipment.

Competitions

The region anticipates the following competitions in season 2021/22, commencing 1st September. Senior Open Senior Female Under 19 Under 17 Under 15 Under 13 Under 11 Under 9 Each age group will feature opportunities for competitive league and cup fixtures, with the exception of the Under 9 age group who will play in cup competition only.

33 National Rink Hockey Association of England Limited / Annual Report Season 2021/22 Eastern Counties

Eastern Counties - ECRHA Executive-committee

President Carl Donovan Secretary Zoe Adams Treasurer Androulla French Marketing Martin Thorogood Competition Michaela Parfitt Child Protection/DBS Lucy Rawlinson Head Coach Nigel Allen Head Referee Alan Adams

Affiliations & Registrations

Clubs Cambridge & Cottenham RHC Colchester RHC Ely & Chesterton United RHC Kings Lynn RHC Letchworth RHC Norwich City RHC Peterborough RHC Skaters RHC Soham RHC

34 National Rink Hockey Association of England Limited / Annual Report Season 2021/22 Eastern Counties

Affiliations & Registrations

35 National Rink Hockey Association of England Limited / Annual Report Season 2021/22 Eastern Counties

Funding

Currently, the regions sources of income are: Club affiliation Competition entry To facilitate greater recruitment and development within the region, we seek to: Introduce spectator admission charges Identify advertisers and sponsors Receive a share of national player registration income.

Youth recruitment

The region seeks to provided entry-level programs to at least one school per club, subject to finding a national funding solution that covers coaching expense and equipment.

Competitions

The Jubilee Cup will also be conducted this season.

36 National Rink Hockey Association of England Limited / Annual Report Season 2021/22 South Eastern Counties

South Eastern Counties - SECRHA Executive-committee

President Arran Bowyer Secretary Connor Botting Treasurer Cathy King Marketing Arran Bowyer Competition Debbie Pughe Child Protection/DBS Head Coach Marc Gisbert Head Referee Arran Bowyer

Affiliations & Registrations

Clubs Farnham RHC Herne Bay RHC Herne Bay United RHC London RHC Maidstone RHC RHC Invicta

37 National Rink Hockey Association of England Limited / Annual Report Season 2021/22 South Eastern Counties

Affiliations & Registrations

38 National Rink Hockey Association of England Limited / Annual Report Season 2021/22 South Eastern Counties

Funding

Youth recruitment

The region seeks to provided entry-level programs to at least one school per club, subject to finding a national funding solution that covers coaching expense and equipment.

Competitions

The Jubilee Cup will also be conducted this season.

39 National Rink Hockey Association of England Limited / Annual Report Season 2021/22 Committee of Rink Hockey Coaches

Executive-committee Chair Carlos Amaral Northern representative Paul Colton Eastern representative Nigel Allen South Eastern representative Marc Gisbert

Responsibilities & Authorities

Development and administration of a National Coaching Accreditation Scheme, including. Preparation and online distribution of coaching videos, books, pamphlets and other material. Provision of online and personal coaching accreditation courses. Co-ordination of the training of regional and national coaches, including. Recommendation to the National Executive Committee for its approval, or otherwise, of selected persons to coach and manage the various national squads, including. Training and participation in international competitions.

Committee Structure Change

At the end of Season 2021/22, the NEC intend for the Byelaws to be amended, per those for referees, so as to provide for the election of a committee chairman by Accredited Coaches at their Annual General Meeting.

National Accreditation Scheme

Prior to the commencement of Season 2021/22, Coaching Accreditation theory courses and testing for General Principals, Level 1 and Level 2 will be delivered via an online platform, with Levels 3 to 5 being added prior to the conclusion of the season. Coaches seeking upgrade will additionally be required to report practical coaching hours via an online tool, until they achieve the minimum set, prior to accreditations being awarded.

40 National Rink Hockey Association of England Limited / Annual Report Season 2021/22 Committee of Rink Hockey Coaches

Coach - General principles

Coach - Level 1

Clubs are reminded that in order for a team to compete in any grade of competition (including regional), the team is required to have an accredited coach of at least the minimum level present at each match. Season 2021/22: Under 15 and younger: - Level 1 Under 17 and older - Level 1 Season 2022/23: Under 15 and younger: - Level 2 Under 17 and older - Level 3 Clubs may arrange directly with the National Coaching Director for Coaching Courses for their members, at their rink or via Zoom. Through the season, the National Coaching Director will be conducting workshops by Zoom or in person in all three regions to help coaches further develop their skills.

41 National Rink Hockey Association of England Limited / Annual Report Season 2021/22 Committee of Rink Hockey Coaches

National Coach Accreditation numbers

42 National Rink Hockey Association of England Limited / Annual Report Season 2021/22 Committee of Rink Hockey Coaches

England Academy

In consultation and cooperation with the Marketing subcommittee, the national development system has been renamed to England Academy. In order to increase local opportunity for more players to participate, and benefit from skill development, Levels 1, 2 and 3 are now jointly organised with and conducted within each of England’s three regions. Level 4 and 5 will, for now, continue to be conducted centrally at the Bushfields Sports Centre, Peterborough, but as regional participation grows over the next few seasons, the intention is to move these sessions to the regions. Going forward, sessions will be conducted on a monthly basis, from September to May each Season, with dates in the national calendar and invitations emailed to eligible players each month. Opportunity exists for coaches to participate in the sessions, and work toward the advancement of their accreditations, particularly coaching hours, by making arrangement with the National Coaching Director or Region Head Coaches. It is intended to evolve the programme, over the next 2 seasons, so that sessions are increasingly conducted within the regions by Region Head Coaches, with the support of local coaches, in accordance with the national syllabus, provided and overseen by the National Coaching Director.

Trips abroad

All development trips will be conducted in school holiday periods only, and subject to the evolving situation with Covid. 25 to 30 October 2021 – Feira - Under 17 Female and Male 14 to 20 February 2022 - Feira - Under 9, Under 11 and Under 13 Female and Male * 4 to 10 April 2022 – Feira - Under 11 and Under 13 Male * 11 to 17 April 2022 – Feira - Under 15 and Under 17 Male * 12 to 17 April 2022 – Feira - Senior Female and Under 19 The Easter trips will include Tournaments at the end of the week, as part of the protocol between the association, Feira Council and Club Academico da Feira.

43 National Rink Hockey Association of England Limited / Annual Report Season 2021/22 Committee of Rink Hockey Referees

Executive-committee Chair Karl Wilson Northern representative Mike Richardson Eastern representative Alan Adams South Eastern representative Arran Bowyer

Responsibilities & Authorities

Development and administration of a National Referee Accreditation Scheme, including. Preparation and online distribution of coaching videos, books, pamphlets and other material. Provision of online and personal referee accreditation courses. Appointment of suitably competent persons as accredited Referees. Co-ordination of the training programme of regional and national referees. Determine matters and provide advice relating to interpretation and application of the Rules of the Game. Determine the approved uniform that all referees officiating at any competition in England must wear. Nomination of at least three (3) suitable persons for International Referee testing or re- accreditation, each season, whom shall have their International Registration fees paid by the Association. Appointment of Officers to be responsible for. Accreditation of referees Appointment of referees to officiate national competitions.

44 National Rink Hockey Association of England Limited / Annual Report Season 2021/22 Committee of Rink Hockey Referees

National Accreditation Scheme

Prior to the commencement of Season 2021/22, Accreditation theory courses and testing for Level 1 and Level 3 will be delivered via a new online platform, with other levels as they are developed/introduced. Video will be progressively added to these courses, to improve learning outcomes. Clubs are reminded that in order for a team to compete in any grade of competition (including regional), the team is required to present an appropriately accredited referee, to officiate matches in that competition. Under 13 – Level 1 Under 17 – Level 2 Under 20 – Level 3 Senior Men and Women – Level 4 National League – Senior Premier – Level 5 All referees must attend at least one online seminar per season to retain their accreditation level. Since September 2020, there has been at least one online seminar per month, with all accredited referees invited by email and the event listed on the association website. Through Season 2021/22, there will be at least one seminar per month. A timekeeper accreditation will be phased in over the course of season 2021/22, becoming compulsory in Season 2022/23. This is part of a wider initiative to bring all match officials together under one umbrella, and to ensure standardisation of match conduct across England, at all levels. All tournaments (region and national) must have a Head Official, who holds at least a Level 4 accreditation. This Official will assess and mentor each referee at least once during the tournament, and submit one overall assessment the CRHR. Even if the referee isn’t eligible for upgrade, these assessments will leave a record of how the referee is progressing between levels and could potentially be used to fast track referees obviously in the wrong grade.

45 National Rink Hockey Association of England Limited / Annual Report Season 2021/22 Committee of Rink Hockey Referees

Accreditations subcommittee

The development and update all training material and interpretations of the rules, is conducted by current and past international level referees, who make up the Accreditations Subcommittee.

Allocation of Referees & Tournament Head Officials

From Season 2021/22, where appointment of referees or Tournament Head Officials to national competitions is required, it shall be done by Bruno Sosa.

Club Head Referee

Each club is required, per the Byelaws, to appoint a Head Referee. This club officer will be kept up to date by the CRHR and should be the first point of contact for referees within the club for information and guidance. Referees not attached to a club, should seek guidance and direction from the Region Head Referee.

National Head Timekeeper

From Season 2021/22, the committee will include a Head Timekeeper. This officer will be responsible for developing and rolling out compulsory timekeeper accreditation, organising training and arranging timekeepers for events where the association provides them, as well as being a national voice for timekeepers.

46 National Rink Hockey Association of England Limited / Annual Report Season 2021/22 Committee of Rink Hockey Referees

Uniform & Sponsorship

All referees in England must wear only the official CRHR shirt when officiating matches. These shirts have been sponsored by Twowisebirds (Chris Freeman) and RINKit (Arran Bowyer), whom the committee and association again extend thanks to for their support of the sport. This sponsorship is in place until the end of Season 2024/25 Significant sizing issues with shirts issued in Season 2019/20 have been found and, with the assistance of an additional sponsor, the association has determined to replace the shirts prior to the commencement of the new season, as follows. Each club will receive 3 new referee shirts. Each Premier League referee will receive a shirt. Those who have purchased a shirt will have it replaced. Additional shirts will be made available for purchase via the association website.

International

Through the season we have strived to engage and work with World Skate and World Skate Europe, but unfortunately, they have often failed to respond or listen. We have been working more closely with individual federations, such Australia, New Zealand and the USA, to improve our material and training, and help them as we can, in the belief that collaboration will benefit all.

47 National Rink Hockey Association of England Limited / Annual Report Season 2021/22 Committee of Rink Hockey Referees

International ... continued

Discussions are taking place between UERH nations, particularly Germany and Switzerland, to formalise a system for the exchange of Level 5 and international referees, so they gain more experience and develop a standard approach to the interpretation of the rules of the game. We currently have 4 active international referees, being Derek Bell, Bruno Sosa, Karl Wilson and Arran Bowyer. Referees interested in international accreditation should contact the committee to discuss what is needed and start planning. Accredited Referee numbers

48 National Rink Hockey Association of England Limited / Annual Report Season 2021/22 England Rink Hockey

England Teams

England is now the 5th biggest nation by player numbers in Europe and usually enters European competition for. Senior – Male & Female Under 19 – Male Under 17 – Male & Female Due to Covid-19 restrictions and WorldSkate Europe’s refusal to move competitions to later in the year, the NEC determined that entering competitions conducted in August and September was not tenable. Exposure to Covid of a traveling team (10 players and 5 management) creates a financial risk of >£50k. No travel insurance specifically covering Covid is available. Use of Wavers is considered to legally risky, due to the association’s very limited financial reserves and inability to fund a legal defence if required.

Participation in the remaining European competitions will be considered by the NEC based on circumstances closer to the date entries close. UERH nations (see later in the report) have met and agreed that if Covid circumstances permit, later in the season, likely December or January, tournaments between the nations will be organised.

Coaching & Management Structure

All National Teams are organised under the supervision of the National Coaching Director. Candidates that wish to be considered for positions as Team Assistant Coaches and Managers for competitions in 2022 must notify the National Coaching Director as soon as possible, so recommendations may be made to the NEC for ratification in August or September. From Season 2023/24, rather than the National Coaching Director coaching every England team directly, it is intended to progressively appoint appropriately qualified coaches to each team, to work under the supervision and direction of the National Coaching Director. A process for how appointments will be made will be announced later this season.

49 National Rink Hockey Association of England Limited / Annual Report Season 2021/22 Strategic Priorities

Our growth potential lay in the opportunity to identify, prioritise and invest in the following strategic priority areas. A structure for the future

Rink Hockey in England operates through a model which has evolved over time to consist of several layers of administration and manual processes, with the purpose and responsibilities of each layer blurring over time, creating inefficiencies, with volunteer scarcity impacting effectiveness in the operation of the sport across the country. With the passing of new Byelaws in Season 2019/20, work is well underway on delivering the most significant rationalisation and simplification of governance structures that the association has ever seen, with the aim of making the association easier to understand, more consistent and accountable, and ultimately easier for clubs and participants to work with. The transition towards a modern, fit-for-purpose governance and administration framework, that reduces the time burden on volunteers and increases their productivity, essentially involves the inclusion of region officers on national executive Subcommittees and Committees, who work together to develop one common framework of rules and support each other in the delivery of the work related to their roles, drawing on the expertise of other committees as needed.

Almost all committees now include a region representative, but to achieve maximum results, regions need to get away from having one person fulfilling multiple functions, as it isn’t fair on the individual concerned, creates to much ‘key man’ risk and compromises the succession planning so required to ensure that no matter who is elected to office in the future, the association operates well.

Commercial focus

Historically, the associations predominant income has been from player registration fees, with small additional contributions from affiliation and competition registration income, with operation being conducted on a breakeven basis, year to year. The Covid pandemic has shown this approach puts the association at extreme financial risk, and the association is left with limited funds to invest in supporting growth initiatives or perhaps to contribute to funding the build of new, profit making, venues.

50 National Rink Hockey Association of England Limited / Annual Report Season 2021/22 Strategic Priorities

Commercial focus ... continued

Failure to charge spectator entry fees at national competitions, while done with the best of intentions, has resulted in lack of priority being given to creating a ‘product’ from matches and marketing them to attract spectators and earn profits, which in turn limits the opportunity to generate additional income from commercial partners that want to advertise to an audience. From Season 2021/22, all national tournaments will be supported by an online marketing campaign to attract spectators, with a charge for spectator entry and the Marketing department focused on recouping the associations investment in competition costs (venue, trophies, streaming etc.). Per the Byelaws, any profit generated, by competition Grade, will be distributed equally between the teams involved, regions and association, with the first objective being to recompense teams for their travel and provide funds to regions to support greater recruitment activity, which in turn improves the financial health of the association – allowing it to do more things to grow the sport in England. The procurement of apparel and travel for England Academy and Teams has now been centralised as the responsibility of the Marketing Committee, so as to enable sponsorships and commercial agreements to be put in place that deliver greater purchasing efficiency (discounts). The first such agreement is with Swift Hockey Technology (announced 9 June), which is anticipated to bring approximately £15k of new money into English rink hockey, and other commercial agreements are in discussion, with an eye to reducing the cost of travel and apparel. Additionally, a new range of merchandise and apparel has been developed for general and exclusive sale, which, to limit the associations ‘stock’ risk, can be consumed by the teams we send away. Profits achieved will be applied to reducing the cost of England representation and to support recruitment initiatives.

Accelerated growth

We aim to exponentially increase the growth of our player base and spectator attendance over the next 3 seasons, through appropriate resourcing in customer-centric departments such as marketing, media and communications, to support volunteer effort on the ground.

51 National Rink Hockey Association of England Limited / Annual Report Season 2021/22 Strategic Priorities

Recruitment focus

To grow, we need strong regions, that can identify and support the efforts of club volunteers motivated to recruit children to play the sport, and parents to become referees and help their club. Region finance is an issue, so the National Executive Committee has determined to apply the following changes and dedicate the proceeds exclusively to support recruitment within regions. Increase the registration fee for Under 9 from £17 to £20 and Under 11 from £22 to £25 – providing the £3 increase to regions for spend on recruitment. Increase the Training Only registration fee from £17 to £20 – providing the full £20 to regions for spend on recruitment Reduce the England Team Grant from £9 per competitive registration to £7 – providing the £2 reclaimed to regions for spend on recruitment. With the extra equipment obtained from the Swift ‘partnership’ this makes England teams no worse off. In effect, these changes will provide regions with an ongoing stake in recruitment as they will receive for each registered player Under 11 years £5 and Over 11 years £2, and £20 for all Training only, immediately injecting about £6000, growing each year as we get better at recruiting, that is dedicated exclusively to local recruitment. Subject to the achievement of the coming seasons financial objectives, the association will look to introduce a skate hire programme in Season 2022/23 that will allow children to rent, though clubs, good quality skates at £60 per season, that can be exchanged for a larger size when they grow – substantially reducing the cost of participation, increasing player retention, providing stock of skates for recruitment initiatives and creating an additional long term revenue stream for the association from which profits may be tasked to fund further participation growth. The National Executive Committee is determined to support the motivated in their efforts to recruit children to our sport and build participation in regional competition

52 National Rink Hockey Association of England Limited / Annual Report Season 2021/22 Strategic Priorities

Female participation

We can grow our sport by connecting and engaging a varied audience base, by ensuring equity for females and focus on developing specific competition for them. The association, with the 7 other member nations of the Union of European Roller Hockey (UERH) have made application to World Skate Europe for the immediate creation of an Under 17 female European Championship and parity of competitions offered for males by Season 2024/25. To focus growth on these female competition grades, subject to the successful operational and financial introduction this coming season of National League – Youth, it is the associations intention to introduce National League – Female in Season 2023/24, on a similar format to the Youth competition, with qualification of club teams through region leagues. This may require some latitude in rules to get it started, but we are determined to take all necessary steps be successful.

World-Class Events

We strive to host events that showcase England and English rink hockey talent, to the world.

Unfortunately, the cost of hosting World Skate Europe championships is prohibitively expensive for amateur nations, because of the cost model they insist upon and refuse to change despite the request of over 70% of member nations. However, with our new focus on ‘getting great’ at marketing to attract paying spectators, the creation of UERH presents us with the opportunity to host competitions between member nations (mostly Northern European) that can achieve a profit, which can be shared to reduce participant costs and allocated to fund more recruitment initiatives. UERH nations are actively discussing creation of annual club and international representative tournaments, even one for National League winners/runner ups for all grades from Under 15 up, to identify a UERH or Northern European Champion. With the Covid situation requiring the NEC to not enter Senior and Under 17 teams into the European Championships, England has volunteered its willingness to UERH to organise national representative competitions for these grades, subject to covid situation, at some time between 1 November and 31 January. Three nations have responded that they would like to participate and another three have signalled interest. As talks evolve, further update will be provided.

53 National Rink Hockey Association of England Limited / Annual Report Season 2021/22 Short term objectives

Participation

Launch a school recruitment pack – by 1 September 2021 Including template introduction email and video, participant handouts, poster templates, microsite, funding application, discounted equipment Launch a ‘Learn to Skate’ program – by 1 September 2021 Including posters, participant handouts, microsite, videos, resources, and funding application To be used by clubs to recruit new skaters that can be introduced to rink hockey after gaining skating proficiency. Supported by Level 1 Coach accreditation. Invest in our officials and volunteers to support their contribution to our sport Introduce online coaching courses and testing Level 1 - by 1 August 2021 Level 2 - by 1 August 2021 Level 3 – by 31 January 2022 Level 4 – by 31 January 2022 Level 5 – by 31 March 2022 Introduce online referee courses and testing Level 1 - by 1 August 2021 Level 3 - by 1 August 2021 Introduce online timekeeper course and testing Level 1 - by 31 August 2021 Launch ‘How to’ guides for clubs Presidents, Secretary’s and Treasurer’s – by 31 December 2022

Competition delivery

Construct a compelling, annual, whole sport event structure – by 31 March 2022 Grow the sports audience through innovative and engaging marketing and invitation to attend national matches Goal 200 paying spectators per tournament – by 31 August 2022 Successfully introduce National League – Youth Noticeable improvement of the event experience of participants

54 National Rink Hockey Association of England Limited / Annual Report Season 2021/22 Short term objectives

High performance

England Academy Levels 1 to 3 Financial self-sustainability – by 31 December 2021 Operation by local coaches under National Coaching Director direction – by 31 August 2022 Deliver world class ‘Super Summer Camps’ with UERH nations, under the direction of the National Coaching Director – by 31 July 2022 Provide opportunities for enhanced athlete performance through access to appropriate competitions – by 31 August 2022

Commercial

Introduce a suite of assets that deliver commercial value – by 1 September 2021 Develop a brand strategy that increases the profile of athletes and our sport – by 1 January 2022 Deliver a digital experience that engages and grows the sports audience - by 1 September 2021 Invest in events that provide a commercial return and grow participation - by 15 March 2021 Introduce online sponsorship of individual England representatives - by 30 June 2022

One sport

Evolve, in conjunction with region associations, our partnerships to improve the sport. Identify and implement opportunities for shared resourcing – by 31 December 2021 Identify and activate opportunities for further aligning events and competitions – by 31 March 2022

55 National Rink Hockey Association of England Limited / Annual Report Season 2021/22

Thank you

National Rink Hockey Association of England Limited Thanks to the National Executive Committee for their reports. Registered No. 2376673 Annual report produced by England Rink Hockey Marketing June 2021 61 Bridge Street, Kington, Herefordshire, HR5 3DJ, United Kingdom