British Baseball
The 2013 Annual General Meeting of the British Baseball Federation
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10.30am, 26 January 2013 Birmingham City University
British Baseball Federation
© 2013 British Baseball Federation. All Rights Reserved
British Baseball 2013 AGM Information
Our Mission ORGANISE, DEVELOP AND PROMOTE BASEBALL ACROSS BRITAIN AS A PARTICIPATORY SPORT AND REPRESENT THE COUNTRY INTERNATIONALLY
Our Vision is built on five core principles defines where we want to be tells us what success looks like, so that when we achieve it we will be able to recognise it allows us to focus upon the actions that get us closer to where we want to be provides evidence both within and outside our sport as to our values and principles
Baseball is for We are committed to making baseball an inclusive and Everyone welcoming sport for all irrespective of gender, age, ethnicity or ability. We will seek to provide a wide range of opportunities for all individuals to participate, enjoy and succeed in baseball whether as a recreational pastime or a competitive passion
Youth is Our Future We acknowledge the central importance of engaging, retaining and nurturing youth participation and we are committed to providing a pathway from youth to adult baseball
Growth Drives We will grow our community by recruiting new Progress and participants throughout the country at every level and in every capacity. We will broaden opportunity by assisting Opportunity the establishment of new clubs and facilities, and by encouraging the creation of new teams
Excellence and We will strive for excellence and quality through Quality Delivers a education, communication and skills development by investing in our players, coaches, officials, Rewarding administrators and fans. We will strengthen the national Experience governing body and clubs by adopting best practices and by building productive partnerships with other organisations and sports
A Strong We see our national and club teams representing Britain, International and competing & succeeding at the international level. We will proactively seek to host international Reputation Builds competitions. We will seek to obtain leadership positions Pride and Respect across baseball’s international organisations
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2013 AGM
Saturday 26 January 2013 10.30am to 4.00pm
Venue: Lecture Theatre B208 Baker Building Birmingham City University (Formerly University of Central England) Perry Barr Birmingham
Lunch and tea/coffee are NOT provided and there are no on-site catering facilities. Food and drink is available for purchase near the venue.
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DIRECTIONS TO THE VENUE
From M6 South or North-West Leave the M6 at Junction 7 and follow the A34 (Walsall Road) towards Perry Barr (Birmingham City Centre). After about 2 ½ miles when the Greyhound Stadium is on your left, filter left in the outer of the 2 inside filter lanes. When you arrive at Aldridge Road (A453), take a left ready to take the first right into Wellhead Lane. The first right turn along Wellhead Lane is the entrance to the student car park while all other car parks are accessed by means of Franchise Street, which is further down on your right.
From M5 South-West Leave the M5 at Junction 1 and travel towards Birmingham City Centre along the A41 for about ½ mile before forking left along the A4040 (Outer Ring Road) towards Perry Barr. After about 2 ½ miles you will arrive at the main Perry Barr traffic island. Go straight over this island and then take the first left into Wellhead Lane. The Birmingham campus is now on your left and the staff car parks are at the end of Franchise Street which is the first turning on your left. To access the student car park, travel further along Wellhead Lane and the entrance is on your left.
From M40 Oxford and South Arrive on the M42 and travel west towards the M5. Travel north on the M5 leaving at Junction 1. Follow directions “From M5 South-West”.
From M42 East Midlands Join the M6 heading towards Birmingham Central and leave the M6 at Junction 7. Follow directions from M6 South or North-West.
By Train Trains to Perry Barr Station (approximately every 30 minutes) leave from New Street Station where there is a regular train service to and from all parts of the country. Trains run every half hour from London Euston – the approximate journey time is 100 minutes.
By Bus from Birmingham Take the 51 or 52 bus from Carrs Lane in the city centre and get off at the One Stop Shopping Centre in Perry Barr. From there, use the pedestrian crossing to reach the campus. Alternatively, get the 33 or 34 bus from Dale End and get off either at the One Stop Shopping Centre or on Aldridge Road.
University Website http://www.bcu.ac.uk/
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Birmingham City University – Perry Barr Map
Baker Building – Room B208
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AGENDA
No Item Time
1 AGM Registration 10.30
2 Board Elections 2013 10.30-11.15 Via secret ballot in voting area
3 AGM Opens 11.30 Welcome from the Chair Roll-call of voting members present Apologies Declaration of non-financial voting members Confirmation of associations Welcome from the BBF Board Appointment of tally keepers Matters arising & approval of the 2012 AGM Minutes
4 Financial Matters 12.00 2012 Financial Statements 2013 Budget
5 Reports 12.30 BBF Board Officials’ Reports National Teams Report
6 Proposals & Motions 13.00
LUNCH 13.45 – 14.30
7 BSUK presentation 14.30
8 League meetings with Commissioners 15.00
9 AGM Closes 16.00
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VOTING MEMBERS 2013
Senior Youth Voting Members (Clubs) Region Votes Votes Birmingham Maple Leafs* Midlands 1 0 Bolton Baseball Club* North 1 1 Bracknell Baseball Club South 2 1 Braintree Rays South 1 0 Brentwood Baseball Club South 1 1 Bristol Baseball Club South 1 0 Cambridge Royals Baseball Club South 1 0 Cartmel Valley Baseball Club North 1 3 Cobham Cougars Baseball Club South 0 1 Croydon Pirates Baseball Club South 2 0 Daws Hill Spitfires South 1 0 Essex Arrows Baseball Club South 2 0 Essex Redbacks Baseball Club South 3 3 Guildford Mavericks Baseball Club South 2 0 Halton Baseball & Softball Club North 1 3 Harrogate Tigers North 1 0 Hertfordshire Baseball Club South 4 2 Horsham Baseball Club South 0 1 Hove Tuesday Baseball and Softball Club South 1 0 Humber Pilots Baseball Club North 1 0 Kent Baseball Club South 1 0 Lakenheath Diamondbacks Baseball Club South 1 0 Latin Boys Baseball Club South 1 0 Latin Tigers* South 1 0 Leicester Blue Sox Baseball Club Midlands 1 0 Liverpool Trojans Baseball Club North 1 0 London Meteorites Baseball and Softball Club South 4 2 London Sports South 0 1 London Youth Baseball League South 0 1 Manchester Baseball Club North 2 2 Menwith Hill Baseball Club North 1 1 Milton Keynes Bucks Baseball Club Midlands 1 0 Newport Astros Baseball Club Independent 0 1 Newton Aycliffe Spartans North 1 0 Nottingham Rebels Baseball Club Midlands 1 0 Oldham Baseball Club North 1 0 Oldtimers South 1 0 Oxford Kings Baseball Club South 1 0 Oxford University Baseball Club Independent 0 0 Plymouth Baseball Club Independent 0 0 Poole Piranhas Baseball Club South 1 0 Richmond Baseball & Softball Club South 3 0 Sheffield Bladerunners Baseball Club North 1 0 Sidewinders South 1 0 Southampton Baseball Club South 2 0 Southern Nationals Baseball Club South 1 0 Stourbridge Titans Baseball Club Midlands 1 0 Thames Valley Baseball Club* South 1 0 Tonbridge Baseball Club South 1 0
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Senior Youth Voting Members (Clubs) (continued) Region Votes Votes Windsor & Maidenhead Baseball Club* South 0 1
Total Votes 58 25
* These clubs have been declared unfinancial by the BBF Board and will not be entitled to vote – please see below for details.
Other Voting Members British University Baseball Association (BUBA) Scorers Association - Clive Maude/Joe Gray Life Members - Kevin Macadam Life Members - Ted Gerard Thesingh
Total Voting Members
Affiliated Clubs : 50 (comprising 83 teams)
Associations : 2
Life Members : 2
Total Voting Members: 54
The AGM will be quorate if at least 30% of Voting Members are present. The quorate level is therefore 16 Voting Members.
Affiliated Clubs Voting Split for League Commissioner Roles (split by teams)
Region Senior Youth North 12 10 South & Midlands 46 14 Independent 0 1 Total Votes 58 25
Non-Financial Voting Members
BBF Constitutional, Article 6.21:
6.21 If a Voting Member is declared “unfinancial” by the Board i.e. owes money to the BBF, and has made no arrangement for meeting this debt, then that Voting Member is not entitled to vote. The declaration of “unfinancial” status shall be communicated by the Board to the Voting member not less than fourteen (14) days prior to any meeting at which voting privileges may be exercised.
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The following Affiliated Clubs owed fees and/or insurance premiums for seasons prior to 2013 and had made no arrangements to meeting this debt and are therefore unable to vote on any matter:
Senior Youth Voting Members (Clubs) Region Votes Votes Birmingham Maple Leafs Midlands 1 0 Bolton Baseball Club North 1 1 Latin Tigers South 1 0 Thames Valley Baseball Club South 1 0 Windsor & Maidenhead Baseball Club South 0 1
Clubs should contact Treasurer Daniel Lally as soon as possible if they dispute appearing on this list.
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2012 AGM MINUTES
British Baseball Annual General Meeting Participate. Enjoy. Succeed.
11 am Sunday, 21 January 2012 Birmingham City University, Perry Barr
1. AGM opened by Earl Dix at 11am 2. Lifetime awards presented by Mark Salter on the behalf of BBF to: a. Ted Gerard-Thesingh, b. Kevin Macadam c. Michael Harrold d. Brian Holland e. Norman Wells f. Vince Garcia g. Margaret Borley h. Joe Gray 3. ED performing roll call of voting clubs present. 4. Scorers association and BUBA recognised as affiliate associations. 5. Board also asked membership to agree with the de-recognising of ABUA-GB. a. EF argued on ABUA-GB's behalf that the BBF members should vote the ABUA back as the officials’ organisation. b. DM argued that ABUA can only be de-recognised at an AGM or EGM. c. TGH argued in support for the ABUA-GB . d. Ian Marchment asked the board for clarification of what the purpose of the asking the membership to agree with de-recognition of ABUA-GB was. e. ED explained the process and MC explained the BBF plan of overseeing all umpiring, as in 2011 and of expanding the umpire corps to cover all leagues.
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f. EF replied that MC is correct but that ABUA can deliver that plan if the BBF executed the bye-laws. g. MS finished the discussion by stating that BBF has a lot of respect for the umpires but feel that the best option is for it to be organised by the BBF. h. ED asked for vote counters. Gio Ciotti from LeicesterBlue Sox and Michael Jones from Essex Redbacks volunteered. i. Vote was put by the board to the membership clarify whether the de-regonition of the ABUA by the BBF board would result in the ABUA being ineligible to vote at the AGM. 14 for, 14 against and 14 abstain. NH and MC clarified that vote result means that ABUA has a vote at the AGM, but not that the BBF reverts the de-recognition of ABUA-GB. 6. Minutes from 2011 approved by TGH and seconded by IM. 7. Financial statement: a. DL presented the Financial Statement, covering the financial year of 2011. DL pointed out that although BBF had a surplus in 2011, this is not something the BBF is striving for, as the goal is to break even. b. Leicester asked if more details can be given, DL stated he is open for any questions by email. c. DM asked if GB statements were available. DL explained that incorporating GB into BBF would distort the figures. EF asked if GB accounts can be presented at AGM and DG agreed that they should be in future AGMs, but pointed out that the BBF is not in charge of the GB accounts. 8. F1 vote - accepting the board’s recommendation to not appoint auditors. 42 for, 1 abstention. Motion carried. 9. F2 vote - approve 2011 Financial Statements. 42 for, no abstention. Motion carried. 10. DM asked for process of reimbursement for costs from 2011, DL and DM will confer via email. 11. DL explained that the Insurance quote on club email was incorrect, DL will adjust if teams have overpaid. 12. F3 vote - adopt 2012 budget. 42 for, no abstentions. Motion carried. 13. F4, F5 and F6 block vote 41 for, no abstentions. Motion carried. 14. F7 vote - fee payment schedule. 41 for, no other votes. Motion carried.
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15. F8 vote - discount for expanding club into another age group. 42 for, no other votes. Motion carried. 16. M2 vote - removing Old Timers discount. 7 for, 11 against, 25 abstentions. Motion failed. 17. F9 vote – OT Discount continue for 2012. 17 for, 6 against, 20 abstention. Motion carried. 18. F10 - Equipment discount for new teams. 19. 43 for, no other votes recorded, motion passed. 20. C1 – Proposed constitution change; give the membership the ability to vote against unopposed candidates. 39 for, 1 against. Motion carried 21. C2 - Change of serving times for executive positions. 38 for, 1 against, 1 abstention. Motion carried 22. M1 – Removing exemptions for metal bats in adult leagues in the BBF Handbook to allow wood bats only. 27 for, 13 abstention. Motion carried 23. M3 - pre game schedule, motion referred back to board to modify handbook 24. C3 - moving AGM to last quarter of year instead of 1st quarter. 39 for, 1 abstention. Motion carried. 25. Commissioners’ reports were presented by regional youth and adult commissioners. a. ED and PV stated that metal cleats now allowed for Pony in South, discussions in ongoing in the North. b. NH stated that 2011 had been another growth year for adult baseball, culminating with a very successful NBC organized by the GB programme at Herts’ facilities. Number of teams grew by 5% while the number of rostered players across all teams in the South and Midlands grew by 15% to 919 players. NH also confirmed his and the board’s wish to improve communication and interaction with teams and leagues and will implement winter meetings prior to the season. IM gave thanks to NH for his assistance to the Northern leagues. 26. GB report: youth were very successful at Florida tournament. Seniors Euro in Holland. WBC qualifier later in the year. 27. ED mentioned RR's reports as Coaches Commissioner and interim Technical Commissioner. DM and EF asked if there were any umpire clinics scheduled. The board had no information, but was grateful for DM's offer of assistance in setting up clinics. Information will follow after AGM.
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Elections:
28. Dan Lally for Treasurer. 40 for, no against. Motion Carried 29. Ian Marchment for Northern Senior Leagues Commissioner 3 for, no against. (only Northern teams allowed to vote) Motion Carried Other items 30. JW BSUK Chair presentation a. JW is replacing Geof Ellingham, thanked his predecessor and expressed his pleasure in being appointed to the role. Cash situation is difficult, but working with government to ensure funding. Biggest challenge is to grow the youth side of baseball. 31. John Boyd, BSUK Joint-CEO and Head of Development, presented about future plans: a. Presentation included the next Whole Sport Plan, including field development in multiple locations, incl. Milton Keynes, Leicester and Brighton. Brief discussion about duplicate sites in Milton Keynes took place and JB stated that BSUK is trying to get as much value as possible for baseball as possible. b. EF asked about BSUK involvement in umpire development. JB stated offer is still there, but will be led by BBF. c. JW also pointed out great help from BSUK youth panel, especially mentioning Chantelle Altham, James Pearson.
AGM closed by ED and thanks to all who came to the AGM by MS.
Adjourned at: 4 pm
Minutes submitted for approval by: NH
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BOARD OFFICIALS’ REPORTS
Please note that separate reports from other BBF board officials may be sent out prior to the AGM and published on the BBF website. It is not a constitutional requirement that reports be included in this AGM pack. Where available they have been included.
2012 Southern Senior League Commissioners Report – Nick Hadley
GROWTH
In 2012, the withdrawal of a National League team from Richmond and the demise of Mildenhall saw the NBL contract from 10 to 8 teams. However, in the lower leagues we saw a healthy growth in three out of four divisions.
Two teams, Cambridge Royals and the Latin Boys, joined AAA South, expanding the division from six to eight teams, but unfortunately Windsor/Bracknell Bears had to withdraw only a few weeks into the season. In AA South four new teams joined: Latin Tigers filled the promoted Latin Boys’ spot, Southampton Mustangs II and London Mammoths were added as additional teams from existing club and the newly formed Daws Hill had a very solid first year. With the Essex Archers asking to be moved down to Single A, the division grew from 12 to 14 teams. The Midlands division remained at five teams, but saw Stourbridge join while Blue Sox consolidated to one team.
Single A saw a lot of change: Cambridge Royals were promoted while Essex Archers, Herts Eagles and Essex Redbacks III joined the division. New formed Hove Tuesday also entered the league, bringing a welcome return to BBF baseball in Brighton, while Richmond added the Dukes. This resulted in a growth from eight to 11 teams. Unfortunately, Braintree Rays folded a few weeks into the season.
The rostering requirement for all BBF teams is continuing to provide more reliable data and 2012 shows a small growth of players in the BBF leagues, but this calculation is missing the rosters from two teams for 2012. The average roster for the other 44 teams is 22 players per team and with that in mind a reasonable conclusion is that we broke the 1,000 player mark in 2012.
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SOUTHERN SENIOR LEAGUES IN 2012
Promotion and relegation
Promotion and relegation is done in the BBF Leagues on a request basis after which the League Commissioner and the operations group judge the performance of the team and potential strength for the upcoming season.
In 2012 two clubs requested promotion, both to AAA: Cambridge Royals, who dominated Single A in their first year in 2011, made the post season in 2012; Latin Boys finished with a credible 8-13 record. Essex Archers, due to squad limitations, asked to be moved to Single A and finished with a solid 7-3 record, indicating the accuracy in the request.
Regular Season
NBL opened the 2012 season on 1 April with all lower divisions following two weeks later. From 1 April until the end of the regular season 471 games were scheduled across the five divisions. Despite one of the wettest seasons in history, which created several league-wide rain outs, a vast majority of games were completed with many teams co-operating very well with re-scheduling fixtures for the available rain dates. Although the regular season ended comparatively early, many teams required the additional weeks to fulfil their fixture calendar.
Postseason Playoffs
The post season followed previous years’ formats with qualifiers played in the weeks running up to the NBC. Based on feedback from teams, the games were played on Sundays instead of Saturdays as in 2010 and 2011.
National Baseball Championships
As in 2011, the GB programme led by Marty Cullen organized the entire NBC, held at Herts’ Grovehill Ballpark in Hemel Hempstead. As the Bank Holiday weekend was used, we were able to schedule games across three days and although the rain threatened throughout the weekend, the entire schedule was fulfilled as planned, in no small part thanks to the effort put in by Marty and the GB squad.
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The weekend contained some fantastic baseball at all levels and a big thanks should go to all players, teams, volunteers and fans for a great weekend.
We’re currently looking at the format for the 2013 postseason and have taken on board feedback from many teams at all levels, both through the on-line survey and through regular discussions. It is quite likely that the 2013 NBC will be a more condensed version to ensure baseball of the highest level.
LEAGUE ADMINISTRATION
In 2010 the BBF introduced a stricter requirement to roster players online, but it is still causing some issues throughout the season as several teams, despite reminders, did not post their rosters by the stated deadlines. The roster requirement is not just to ensure eligibility, but it is also tied into the BBF’s insurance policy and going forward all teams must make a concerted effort to adhere to the rostering rules. To make this process even more efficient it is advisable for clubs to appoint an officer who can oversee the registration of players.
Despite the functionality of the BBF website to enter all game statistics, very few teams took advantage of this, making it very difficult to create any valid observations on the development of the game. Although the entry mechanism requires some training, with practice it should only take 5-10 mins to enter each week, which would allow for a much better view of the development of British Baseball. I am hesitant to make this a mandatory requirement, but would like to see more teams taking advantage of the site’s capabilities.
FINAL COMMENTS
I want to thanks all clubs and their members, the umpires, scorers and volunteers who work tirelessly to make the Southern Senior Leagues better. I also want to thank the staff at BSUK for their on-going support for the BBF Leagues.
All volunteers work tirelessly and very often with little or no praise but often with a disproportionate amount of vilification. Everyone who takes time out of their busy schedule to help all BBF leagues should be praised, but also - when required - receive constructive criticism.
During my tenure as the Southern Leagues Commissioner it has become very clear that this role is too big for one person, not only in the amount of work required to prepare for each season but also in form of league administration during the season. I estimate that it takes roughly 10-20 hours of work to create five league fixture lists, but to work around all field clashes due to unavailability of a field or more than two teams per diamond in a club probably adds another 40+ hours to the task. League administration then adds another 10+ hours per week throughout the season. Going forward the Federation is working to create an operations group consisting of several non-board members to ensure more efficient operations of all leagues, leaving more time for the board to govern and grow the sport.
As almost all volunteers on the BBF board also have senior positions in their clubs, this requires a sometimes almost impossible balancing act between federation and club duties. As the BBF board works to modify the structure of how the sport is governed and operated, it is imperative that the number of volunteers increase so that the federation can operate more efficiently and with a more balanced workload across all volunteers.
Nick Hadley Southern Senior League Commissioner 5 January 2013
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2012 Southern Youth League Commissioners Report – Earl Dix and Blake Taylor
The scheduling approach that we implemented in 2010 is now soundly embedded in the South Youth season and all the teams who applied to compete in the playoffs qualified by fulfilling their fixtures. There were, of course, one or two difficulties with the weather.
Again, this year, I noticed that the standard of baseball increased and the behaviour of players and coaches was always exemplary. Another year with no complaints and no disciplinaries.
This year we welcomed LondonSports into the Bronco League as the South Youth leagues grow each year.
Both Blake and I would like to thank all the coaches for their efforts during a testing season with weather.
It was mainly the weather that prevented us from organising a mid- season North/South tournament.
The Southern playoffs were staged at Herts and a big thank you to them. They also allowed the Pony finals to be played on their ‘Futures Tournament’ day because the day they were supposed to have been played in Cartmel was rained out. And once again, the National Youth Baseball Championship was contested between two South teams although the semi- final in Cartmel between London Mets and Cartmel was one of the finest games of youth baseball I have ever seen. London only just squeaked it with a home run in the bottom of the last inning.
We would like to say thank you to Jonathan Pearson and the Cartmel coaches and parents for all their hard work in staging the finals.
There is still one thing that we find very disappointing and that is the lack of youth programmes in established baseball clubs.
Every club without a youth programme should look at themselves and ask what contribution they are making to the future of baseball in the UK.
There will be a new Southern Youth League Commissioner in 2013.
Earl Dix Southern Youth Leagues Commissioner
Blake Taylor Assistant Southern Youth Leagues Commissioner
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2012 Northern Senior League Commissioner Report – Ian Marchment
I was elected to the position of Northern Conference Adult Leagues Commissioner at the AGM in January 2012. For most of 2012, the BBF was without a formal Commissioner for the Northern Conference Youth Leagues and as a result I have assisted with this additional role wherever possible.
In relation to the youth leagues, I would like to take this opportunity to say a big thank you to all of the teams involved. Much of what needed to be done was done without prompting and was done by co-operation. Such a proactive approach made my life a lot easier and I certainly hope that it will continue with whoever holds the position in future.
One factor above all others dominated the Northern leagues in 2012 – the weather. Although the wettest summer in many years affected most of the UK, I think it’s safe to say that the North – and particularly the North-West – bore the brunt between April and September. When it gets to the point that re-arranged rained-out games are themselves rained-out...
I can’t think of a single team in the North that remained unaffected, and some teams saw weeks go by without a game being played. Water-logged pitches became the norm, even for some grounds not previously affected, and everyone started to take a serious interest in drainage and weather forecasts.
The Northern Conference welcomed two new adult teams for 2012: Newton Aycliffe and Cartmel Valley. I am pleased to say that both organisations completed their inaugural league seasons and both are looking forward to 2013 and beyond.
Congratulations must go to Liverpool, who defended their AAA division title and then defended their national AAA title, and to Sheffield who endured an enforced change of venue to take the AA division crown.
Away from the Northern Conference itself, I attended all BBF Board meetings as well as the NBCs and Youth NBCs. It wasn’t an easy year for the Board given the number of vacant positions, but the remaining members pulled together and in my view got the job done. I know that there was criticism of us as a Board in 2012, as there always is, but it strikes me that so much of that criticism has come from those who haven’t walked a mile in our shoes.
It’s fair to say that significant challenges lie ahead for the BBF and for the BBF Board but with the kind of cooperative and positive attitude I’ve seen in the last 12 months, I think those challenges can be met and overcome. It’s also important that the last few weeks have seen an upsurge in interest amongst the membership in relation to the AGM, the Board, the BBF generally, and in relation to being a part of something. Volunteers are the lifeblood of who we are and what we do, and new blood is critical.
Looking forward, I’m hopeful that the North can build on the growth in 2012 and I’m hopeful that the BBF as a whole can build on the upsurge in interest. I’m also hopeful that in 2013 I will need sun cream more often than an umbrella...
Ian Marchment Northern Senior Leagues Commissioner
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2012 Great Britain National Teams Report - Marty Cullen
2012 was quite possibly the greatest year in Great Britain's sporting history. British athletes won the US Open (tennis), the PGA Championship (golf) and the Tour de France (cycling). Then there was the Olympics. The most successful event in the history of sports and Team GB's most successful showing in over a century.
Also about to enter the world stage and attempt to make British sporting history was the Great Britain Men's Baseball Team. Coach Dempster and Team GB would have the opportunity to win the European Championship and qualify for the World Baseball Classic, all over the course of one gruelling month last September. After a successful 2011 campaign at the European Championship Qualifier, Team GB was ready to take its place among the great baseball nations of the world.
As we now know, our showing at the European Championships and WBCQ did not go entirely to plan. While the entire GB staff and roster did an incredible job, they were hindered by the lack of funding and preparation afforded to the vast majority of teams we would face. This is not an excuse… this is a fact.
Team GB, ranked 21 in the world, is the only national team in the top 38 without government funding. We are the highest ranked national team in the world that lacks such funding and a year-round national baseball academy. Whilst this provides a great struggle year in and year out, this is an amazing achievement for all of British Baseball to be proud of.
Although this helps to identify our biggest hurdle, it also highlights our biggest strength: Determination.
GB Programme Overview
The main objective of the GB Senior team is to win. Pure and simple. This is not a development team. Team GB must continue to field the best possible team we can. With success comes opportunity.
An internationally successful GB Senior team will attract more attention, both at home and abroad. It will almost certainly bring sponsor and funding opportunities for the development of our domestic talent. Teams that compete in the WBC, for example, are in line for vast prize funds, high percentages of which are earmarked specifically for that nation's domestic development. To think that Team GB were 2-3 games away from a place in the WBC is as exciting as it is frustrating.
There is little doubt that we will have another crack at this particular whip in a few short years.
The main focus of the GB Cadets, Juniors and Lions will continue to be development. As a Federation, it is our responsibility to prepare our British talent for high level international competition. While there was some modest on field success for our youth teams this past year, there was also a realisation of where we really stand with regard to international competitiveness. Again, this is a reflection of the British Baseball community and the Federation as a whole. With only 16 youth teams, playing an average of seven games per season, across the whole of the UK...is it really any wonder why our domestic talent pool is thin?
The kids and young adults in the GB Programme are the most dedicated I have ever seen. The lack of playing time and training opportunities has not in any way diminished their
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As great as the GB Coaches are... as amazing as the staff are... as dedicated as the GB players and their families are... GB Baseball's success will largely be determined on the field with the talent that we have here in the UK. It is up to all of us to grow that talent pool by developing our youth programmes and young players, and encouraging their involvement in Academy Baseball and GB Baseball.
GB Lions
The single biggest development in the GB Baseball Programme has been the creation of the GB Lions. The Lions are GB's domestic men's team, providing a bridge to the GB Senior team for our UK based talent.
Coach Carroll has done an outstanding job with the Lions. The team. which is comprised exclusively of UK based players, boasts players from 14 different BBF teams, including fiv NBL teams. The Lions also provided the Senior team with three players for the European Championships and one player for the WBCQ. A total of six home grown players were on our EC roster (30% of the squad).
It is the goal of all of us at GB Baseball to compete on the world stage with a home grown/British-based team at every level. The introduction of the GB Lions has increased that likelihood ten-fold. All four teams within the GB Programme are facing the same direction and working more closely together than ever before. GB Baseball will, with cooperation from the British Baseball community, achieve its goals.
Finally... I can't stress enough how incredible all the volunteers within the GB family have been. All the coaches, assistant coaches, general managers, administrative personnel, players and families... You are by far, the most dedicated individuals I have ever had the honour of working with. I know I speak for the entire British Baseball community when I say... Thank you.
Marty Cullen National Teams Programme Director
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2012 Treasurer’s Report – Daniel Lally
2011-12 accounts
The BBF has made a surplus in the financial year ending 31 October 2012. See below for a comparison of actuals against budget:
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FINANCIAL MATTERS
1. 2012 Financial Statements
See separate document attached at the end of this pack.
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2. 2012-13 Proposed Budget
At the end of the 2011-12 financial year, the BBF has a carried forward surplus of approximately £13k. If achieved, the deficit in the 2012-13 budget will bring the carried forward surplus down to approximately £11k.
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3. 2013 Fees Proposal
The total fee per club shall be calculated by reference to the total number of teams it wishes to register with the BBF. This includes both league and non-league teams. The 2012 fees are shown in brackets. The proposal is to reduce Senior team fees by 5%. It is proposed that Youth team fees are to remain at 2012 levels.
Team Fee Per Senior Team Fee Per Youth Team 1 £356 (£375) £56 (£56) 2 £285 (£300) £45 (£45) 3 £214 (£225) £34 (£34) 4 £143 (£151) £22 (£22) 5 £71 (£75) £12 (£12) 6 No Extra Fee No Extra Fee Table 1
There is no additional fee charge for teams beyond the fifth senior or youth team in a club.
In addition, there will be an £80 supplement payable by all NBL teams (2012: £80). This is to reflect the additional services these teams receive. Aside from the NBL supplement, affiliation fees are currently below their 2008 levels.
The cumulative total per club is therefore:
Number of Senior Teams 0 1 2 3 4 5 Youth Teams Youth ofNumber 0 - £356 £641 £855 £998 £1,069 1 £56 £412 £697 £911 £1,054 £1,125 2 £101 £457 £742 £956 £1,099 £1,170 3 £135 £491 £776 £990 £1,133 £1,204 4 £157 £513 £798 £1,012 £1,155 £1,226 5 £169 £525 £810 £1,024 £1,167 £1,238 Table 2
Personal Accident Insurance Premium
Each registered team in a club will pay a flat premium of £18 (2012: £18). This is calculated on an average 18 participants (players, coaches, umpires, scorers, etc.) per team at £1 (2012: £1.50) per participant.
This premium will need paying for sixth and subsequent teams.
Civil Liability Insurance Premium
Each affiliated club will pay a flat premium of £118 (2012: £112). This is a pass-through cost. The BBF charges exactly what it has paid the insurance broker. The 2013 fee is lower than that charged in 2011 (£125).
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F1 – Appointment of auditors
To accept the board’s recommendation to not have an external audit performed on the 2011- 12 financial statements. Instead we propose that the British Softball Federation Treasurer performs a detailed review of the accounts.
F2 – 2011 Financial Statements
To approve the 2012 financial statements.
F3 – 2012-13 Budget
To adopt the 2012-13 budget in table above.
F4 – 2013 Fees Proposal
To adopt the fee structure in Table 1 (above), including the proposal to charge an ‘NBL supplement of £80’ as recognition of the extra services that NBL teams receive.
F5 – Personal Accident Insurance
To re-charge £18 per registered team (league or non-league).
F6 – Civil Liability Insurance
To re-charge £118 per affiliated club.
F7 – Payment
To set 30 April 2013 as the deadline for all fees and insurance premiums to be paid and to charge each club an additional £100 penalty on 1 May 2013 if any sums remain outstanding.
To set 31 May 2013 as the deadline for all fees and premiums to be paid, including the £100 penalty and to suspend clubs from the BBF and its teams from leagues and competitions on 1 June.
Removal of the suspension will require both payment of all fees and agreement of the board to the removal. League games missed as a result of suspension will be recorded as forfeits against the club.
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Arrangements may be made with the BBF Treasurer for settlement of fees; such arrangement to be agreed no later than 30 April 2013. Such arrangements will avoid penalty fees or suspension if the terms of the arrangement are subsequently met by the club.
F8 – Discounts for New Teams in Existing Clubs
To discount the club affiliation fee (not insurance premiums) by 50% for existing affiliated clubs that register a senior team/s where the club has previously (in the preceding three years) comprised youth teams only, or a youth team/s where the club has previously (in the preceding three years) comprised senior teams only. The discount applies only to the fees relating to the new team/s, not the club’s entire fees. The discount must be applied for by clubs no later than 15 April 2013, in writing to the BBF Treasurer.
Note : This is to encourage existing clubs to expand into the other age category – e.g. a senior-only club adding a youth programme, or vice versa.
F9 – Discount for Old Timers
To discount the affiliation fee (not insurance premiums) by 80% for the Old Timers Baseball Club (based in Enfield, North London).
F10 – Equipment Rebate for New Clubs
To provide a rebate of up to £150 per club against the cost of club equipment purchased in the period 1 October 2012 to 31 March 2013, and claimed before 30 June 2013 in writing to the BBF Treasurer. The club must be affiliating with BBF for the first time in 2013 to qualify. The decision on whether a club is entitled to the rebate is solely at the discretion of the BBF Treasurer.
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CONSTITITIONAL AMENDMENTS
The following constitutional amendments have been proposed.
C1 – BBF Board Officials
Proposed by: Leicester Blue Sox Baseball Club
To add to section 5.3:
The role of each Official shall be defined by a job description agreed by the BBF Board and published and updated on the BBF website.
Supporting statement
In doing so, the incumbent Official (or potential candidate) has a clear indication of the roles and responsibilities expected for the said position.
This creates a greater level of transparency and accountability to the membership and accountability to the board to safeguard the interests of its members.
C2 – BBF Board Terms
Proposed by: Milton Keynes Baseball Club
To amend section 5.11 to:
5.11 Each Officer will serve a term of two (2) years
(amended from: “a term of four (4) years”)
Supporting statement
Historically, we cannot recall an occasion where an Officer has served in excess of two years (let alone four years) before resigning. Four years is a very long time to commit to such a voluntary position and this duration perhaps creates pressures that could be an influencing factor in whether candidates are prepared to volunteer and/or remain in the role.
By reducing the term it makes the roles less pressurised, more accessible to a broader range of volunteers without diminishing the scope of the roles.
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C3 – Entitlement to Vote
Proposed by: Leicester Blue Sox Baseball Club
To amend section 6.14 as follows:
Each Voting Member shall have one (1) vote except Affiliated Clubs that shall have an additional vote for each additional registered league team other than its first team. In determining the number of league teams belonging to an Affiliated Club only those league teams that competed in the last complete baseball season shall be counted. Thus an Affiliated Club with two league teams receives two votes, with three league teams three votes and so on. [Add:] No additional votes are awarded to Affiliated Clubs comprising additional registered teams without exception.
This would also require the removal of the following sections as they would no longer be relevant:
6.15 There shall be no maximum number of votes an Affiliated Club may hold or cast.
6.17 The Secretary shall advise for each Affiliated Club with both senior and youth teams the split of its votes for the purposes of electing League Commissioners only.
6.24 Affiliated Clubs with multiple votes may have one or many authorised Participants cast their votes.
The remaining paragraphs under ‘Entitlement to Vote’ might also require some slight amendment to make sense with the change to 6.14.
Supporting statement
In simple terms, in order for the BBF to be truly democratic with equal representation of the views of each club, it should adopt a one club, one vote mechanism.
Larger clubs currently carry multiple votes and as a result have been able exercise unfair influence/control over the running of the BBF. It is simply not equitable for a handful of large clubs to be able to control and influence the running of the BBF in this way.
It creates a conflict of interest as although the respective clubs have a large number of members to represent, commonly there is only a sole representative at the AGM, often a board member and will only vote one way despite its membership potentially having different views on issues.
The aggregation of this block voting helps preserve the status quo and very little will change in terms of adopting new ideas and reforms if this doesn’t suit the larger clubs.
Smaller clubs are effectively discouraged to participate at the AGM as they hold the minority of voting cards and as such, feel disenfranchised and powerless in their contribution to the running of the BBF
Changing 6.14 restores parity and removes bias towards clubs with larger memberships or multiple teams.
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C4 – Finance
Proposed by: Milton Keynes Baseball Club
To amend section 9.1 as follows:
The BBF Financial Year shall run from November 1 to October 31 except for the 2010 financial year, which is to run from 1 January 2010 to 31 October 2010. [Add:] Accounts should be ready for review at the BBF AGM, which shall be completed before December 31 each year. At the AGM the membership shall approve membership fees for the next season ahead and the BBF Board will communicate this via their website within 15 working days via club email and the BBF website.
Agreed deposits towards the next seasons’ membership fees can be requested by the BBF board before the AGM is completed in order to fast track registration and fixture organisation.
All remaining fees should be paid to the BBF by 31 March of each year. Non-payment of outstanding fees will result in the BBF excluding teams from fixtures for the entire season as appropriate.
The BBF board has the right to publish details of non-paying clubs via email or the BBF website, where this has a material affect on the organisation of fixtures. In simple terms, non- paying teams will incur forfeit losses until any outstanding fees are paid.
Any club that hasn’t paid fees in full will not be eligible for the post-season.
Supporting statement
The BBF as a whole needs to work to specific calendar of events to ensure the efficient processing of year accounts, AGM, agreement of membership fees, payment of fees, league registration and organisation of fixtures.
At present the BBF board is vulnerable to criticism over:
Late production of Accounts AGM not occurring when expected (it was in the BBF official online calendar for November 2012 this year) Confusion over why deposits are being asked for before fees are agreed Late delivery of fixtures (usually the result of an inefficient registration process) Lack of follow-through regarding eligibility of clubs who do not pay fees (Birmingham Maple Leafs were excluded part way into the playoffs, even though the implied BBF process at the previous AGM should have prevented this from happening)
Non-paying clubs cannot be tolerated; it slows down the registration process and production of fixtures. By having clarity over the timing and order of events, this should lead to much greater efficiency.
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MOTIONS TO THE AGM
M1 – Liverpool Trojans Baseball Club
Uniformity of qualification process for the National Baseball Championships
The motion proposes that divisional champions within the same level (e.g. AAA, AA or A) be given the same postseason qualifying rounds for the NBC, e.g. if the AAA divisional champions in one region have to play-off to reach the NBCs then so should the AAA divisional champions in other regions.
Supporting statement
In 2012, the AAA North champions had to play-off with the second-placed Northern team for a place in the NBC. Southern Divisional Champions, of which there were two, had an automatic place in the NBC with the second-placed teams in divisions of 3 teams and 4 teams playing- off instead. We felt that the Southern teams had an easier route in terms of having to win smaller divisions and then not having to play-off.
M2 – Liverpool Trojans Baseball Club
Setting postseason format and qualification process before the start of the season
The motion proposes that the postseason format and qualification process (including dates) be set before the start of the season, and that all teams be consulted, via their regional commissioners, before a decision is made.
Supporting statement
In 2011 and 2012 there were problems with either late changes to postseason dates or late confirmation of postseason dates. Also it seems that only a small number of teams had been consulted on the format/dates previously. By the time announcements were made, any feedback was apparently unable to be acted on.
M3 – Liverpool Trojans Baseball Club
Proportional representation of the regions at the NBCs
The motion proposes that there be proportional representation of the regions within each level (AAA, AA, A) at the NBCs. e.g. if half the teams at AAA level come from a particular region (North, Midlands or South) then that region should represent half the teams at the AAA NBC (or as close as possible).
In 2012 the AAA NBC had 3 out of 4 teams from the South and only 1 from the North despite there being 6 Northern teams and 7 Southern teams in AAA during the regular season.
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Supporting statement
In 2012 the AAA NBC had three out of four teams from the South and only one from the North despite there being six Northern teams and seven Southern teams in AAA divisions during the regular season.
M4 – Liverpool Trojans Baseball Club
Deal with failure to fulfil obligations on an individual team basis
The motion proposes that failure of a team to fulfil its league obligations during the season or postseason be dealt with on an individual team basis rather than divisionally, i.e. no blanket punishments for teams that happen to be in the same division as another team that has failed to follow BBF rules or meet other obligations.
Supporting statement
In 2012 the AAA North was given a blanket punishment as a result of previous non- appearance by clubs in the North at the NBC. This blanket punishment was in the form of a reduced place at the NBC. This was unfair as clubs have limited influence over other clubs and certainly not to the level of being able to influence them enough to fulfil their NBC obligations.
M5 – Liverpool Trojans Baseball Club
A place for the Northern champions at the National League NBC
The motion proposes that a place at the National League NBC be given to the Northern Champions (either an automatic place or a place in the National League playoffs)
Supporting statement
The last two years has seen the North Champions dominate the AAA. Due to the lack of teams, an NBL North is problematic but despite this, the British National Champions arguably could have been a Northern club. Following the precedent set by the AA North/Midlands in which teams have been able to qualify for either AA or A NBCs we would like to propose the same applies to AAA North being able to qualify for either NBL or AAA NBCs.
(The Trojans have always intended to consult the other Northern AAA clubs as this would affect them and would firstly need their agreement. Due to the tight deadline we have gone ahead and submitted this motion to keep it as a possibility for 2013. We will consult with other AAA North clubs via the Northern Commissioner and will withdraw this motion if there is any opposition to this.)
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M6 – Hove Tuesday Baseball & Softball Club
Postal votes and/or proxy votes
The motion proposes that a system be made available to allow postal votes or proxy votes for clubs that cannot make it to the AGM to vote in person.
M7 – Hove Tuesday Baseball & Softball Club
Independent commission
The motion proposes the creation of an independent commission to investigate all aspects of British baseball.
M8 – Hove Tuesday Baseball & Softball Club
Vote of no confidence
The motion proposes a vote of no confidence in the structure of the BBF and for the abolishment of the current constitution.
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LIFE MEMBER NOMINATIONS
There have been no life member nominations
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BOARD ELECTIONS 2013
E1. President Name Organisation Earl DIX London
E2. Secretary Name Organisation Giovanni CIOTTI Leicester
E3. Coaches Commissioner Name Organisation Rob RANCE Bracknell
E4. Development Commissioner Name Organisation Giovanni CIOTTI Leicester Gerry PEREZ London Sports
E5. Officials Commissioner Name Organisation Darrin MULLER ABUA-GB Blake TAYLOR Essex Redbacks
E6. Southern Senior Leagues Commissioner Name Organisation Nick HADLEY Richmond
E7. Southern Youth Leagues Commissioner Name Organisation Matt CRAWSHAW Leicester
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CANDIDATE STATEMENTS
Earl Dix
I am going into my 33rd season in British baseball. Five years ago I would never have thought that I would be standing for President. When my son started playing in youth baseball, what I saw has made me step up. I have been one of the Southern Youth Commissioners for the past three years.
Constitution
I agree it needs updating and modernising. The constitution should serve the whole of baseball and give clubs an incentive to develop the game. I will appoint an independent panel to conduct a thorough review and report back with recommendations.
BBF/BSUK/BSF
It is crucial that the three organisations work together and that baseball receives its fair share of resources. There is a huge opportunity in the next few years and I want to tap into available professionalism and skills in our community to take advantage.
GB
The programme is starting to show results with our current generation of youth and I believe that developing our elite UK based players is crucial if we want our domestic game to progress. There is nothing I’d like to see more than a senior GB squad made up of mostly home grown players. I will work closely with the GB programme to ensure that we work towards that goal.
Youth Development
Developing future generations of baseball players is essential. There are too many adult clubs who still do not have youth programmes and I will make it a priority to engage with every single one of them to see how we can make progress on that front. We have successful youth programmes that can be used as templates.
Core Business
The board’s core function is to enable BBF clubs to play baseball. I will ensure that Commissioners consult and take member clubs’ views into account when setting fixtures/playoffs/championships.
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Matt Crawshaw
I am the Chairman and Junior Teams Manager at Leicester Blue Sox and have a broad range of experience inside and outside of the sport, which I hope will serve this position well.
I am a qualified Level 2 baseball coach with certificates for First Aid, Safeguarding & Protecting Children, Equity In Your Coaching and Club For All. I also hold qualifications in web design, which has helped the Blue Sox attain a high profile on the internet.
I have been able to bring in major commercial sponsorship and Sport England funding to deliver a succession of community focused baseball and softball projects within Leicestershire. The funding has also helped support facility development at our ballpark plus deliver coaching education to 10 new coaches. Our youth programme was subsequently recognised by BSUK’s Club Mark accreditation in 2012.
In our first year of the Blue Sox Juniors programme, new opportunities to play baseball have been provided to over 50 children. In 2013 the Blue Sox will enter a team into the BBF Pony league, and have new Bronco and Rookie teams playing competitive friendlies.
The school sports and community leaders I have met view baseball as an exciting sport with tremendous potential for growth, if provision is delivered effectively and coherently.
If elected to the board, I will seek to underpin a quality BBF Youth League experience for all participating clubs, as well as help improve the external awareness of youth baseball in every region, by providing guidance to clubs on marketing and funding opportunities to help create new youth teams and leagues.
I believe we owe the youth of today a great deal and with your support I will lead a renewed effort to truly 'inspire a generation' through encouraging and supporting good quality youth baseball delivery throughout our regions.
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Rob Rance
Since my time as the elected Coaches Commissioner for the BBF I found myself being pulled to assist in resolving the Umpire dispute that was in process back in 2011 when the BBF decided to disengage with ABUA-GB which left zero umpires for the season. Although many discussions were had prior to me being approached by the current board of that time they had failed for various reasons. The Board felt that as I held the longest standing experience within British Baseball and the community that it be best for me to try and engage the umpires back on the field under the BBF umbrella.
Although there were a few games early on in the 2011 season with no umpires and a few with only one we managed with the help of many to get the umpires back on the field as all that everyone really wanted was to either play baseball or officiate it!
Over time I found myself being approached by many for wanting to either be a part of the British Baseball umpiring community or better yet start to learn how to umpire. After gaining a few new umpires and we managed to successfully see our way through the 2011 season and work started for 2012.
In 2012 we managed to fulfil all NBL games with a few umpires having time to officiate down at AAA and AA levels, which was fantastic. The Northern umpiring clinic managed to continue and we also managed to kick off a southern clinic thanks to Darrin Muller, Petter Nordwall and Richmond Baseball Club. The 2012 Season saw the majority of NBL games being covered by two umpires, and the list of people looking to umpire in the UK growing again.
With my time being split through various hats within the BBF Board I have not been able to follow up on many avenues that need exploring for further Umpire Development and have many items to run through with the new Officials Commissioner that comes out of the AGM. There are many things changing within Europe and other parts of the world and a lot of time has been spent making sure we are in contact with the right people and representing our Federation in the correct manner. It was a long time coming to have the umpires under the arm of the Federation and many were happy to see this finally in place for our Federation.
As for my official role as Coaches Commissioner I have continued my work at Academy Baseball assisting Coach Lintern where I can, year in, year out. He and I have been discussing many ways to make our UK coaching accreditations more accessible to all within the UK and more practical based so we have a solid coaching platform for our youth system through to our adult system.
We managed to kick start the new annual coaches clinic in 2012 and our aim is to grow this to an event recognisable throughout Europe as one to attend. The 2013 clinic date is to be released very soon and we have already lined up a couple of very good clinicians to teach our coaches the importance of many core skills and how to deliver to a very high standard. Now that we have many individuals looking to get involved in driving the sport of baseball forward within the UK it will be amazing to see the great people that are already involved have the opportunity to focus on doing there sole role and not two or three.
Through my time on the board over the past year I also stood in and acted as secretary for the majority of the BBF conference calls, organising minutes and actions, etc.
If elected I intend on growing our coaching community to an all-time high. Although I have held the position for two seasons I have not been able to give it my full attention due to the lack of Board members and being pulled into other roles to keep things moving for baseball in
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The annual coaching clinic will be one of my priorities along with working closely with BSUK to ensure our coaching courses are what we feel is right for baseball but also including the necessities of government standards and practices.
I hope you have the faith in me to carry on within this role by electing me to the position once again where I can focus my efforts on making our coaches better.
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Giovanni Ciotti
• 20+ years experience as coach, sports programme director, event/tournament director, amateur/recreational league board member, and educator. • Experience as a member of governing boards both professionally and socially with proven results as a diplomat and communicator who makes a positive impact. • Passionate, dedicated volunteer as Head Coach of Leicester Blue Sox, volunteer coach at Baseball Academy, and volunteer coach with GB Cadets & Juniors. • Neutral party with regard to past and present BBF leadership - ready to work proactively with a new BBF board toward realistic goals. • Far more interested in the bigger picture of growing baseball in England than in short- term wins and losses.
Vision statement(s):
• Promote and incentivise the formation of youth baseball teams and local youth leagues. • Promote inclusivity and sustainability among our clubs and divisions by supporting quality playing and participation opportunities for all who find us. • Access existing grant funding to support participation and development of baseball, via BSUK's Sport England plan, as well as independently. • Develop streamlined, transparent communication within the federation for anything from timely responses to emails to publicising board meeting minutes. • Create specific, detailed roles for each board member so that the work is manageable and our immediate goals are achieved. • Continue to expand upon BSUK's work with club development, incentivizing our clubs to: train more Level 2 coaches, form new teams, form leadership committees, pursue ClubMark standards, connect with their communities, and gain access to available funding. • Paid umpires and regional umpire development schemes at all levels. • Consistent game reporting protocol that is both efficient and effective at bolstering our presence, functionality, and prestige. • Improve the value of BBF membership for our existing and future clubs by raising the profile of the federation, getting more people involved, and doing the little things right.
Personal statement:
As BBF Development Commissioner, I will work relentlessly to congeal all aspects of British baseball, putting conflict aside to pave the way for real progress.
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Nick Hadley
I have held the position of Southern Senior Leagues Commissioner for the last two years, having been elected at the 2011 AGM. The Southern commissioner role is of utmost importance in the operational sense of British Baseball, quite possibly the largest role of the day-to-day operations of all games being played.
After two years’ experience in the role and as a board member of the BBF, two things have become clear:
1) The current structure of the board does not lend itself to growing the sport optimally 2) The role as it is currently defined is entirely too large for one person to do.
I have attempted to address both these issues over my period in the role and I am happy to say that the remaining board members agree with both of my issues.
From a structural point of view the board has in the past spent entirely too much time on operational issues, leaving very little time for governance and growth of the sport. In the last three to four months we have begun splitting the workload into those two areas, Operations and Governance.
It is my absolute belief that the operations of the sport needs to fall under not just a single person, but an Operations or Executive group which would be led by one or two Commissioners dealing with all aspects of game play. To schedule 500+ fixtures and supervise close to 50 teams is too much for one person and reduces not only the efficiency of the entire board but also makes it very difficult to recruit willing volunteers to take on such a huge task. By splitting the workload over a group, this would become a more appealing task for a group to take on.
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BRITISH BASEBALL FEDERATION
(AN UNINCORPORATED ASSOCIATION)
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR THE YEAR ENDING 31 OCTOBER 2012
BRITISH BASEBALL FEDERATION FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDING 31 OCTOBER 2012
Contents
BBF Board report 1 Income and expenditure account 3 Balance sheet 4 Notes to the financial statements 5
BRITISH BASEBALL FEDERATION FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDING 31 OCTOBER 2012
The British Baseball Federation is the National Governing Body for the sport of baseball in Great Britain. It is an unincorporated body comprising affiliated clubs and their members (players, officials, etc.).
Officers of the Board:
President: Vacant Secretary: Vacant Treasurer: Daniel Lally
Elected Board Officials:
Marty Cullen Nicholas Hadley Daniel Lally Ian Marchment – appointed January 2012 Rob Rance Mark Salter – resigned August 2012 Paul Vernon – resigned January 2012
Co-opted Board Officials – the following were co-opted to the board since the 2012 AGM:
Earl Dix – appointed January 2012 Rob Rance – appointed January 2012 Blake Taylor – appointed January 2012
1
BRITISH BASEBALL FEDERATION FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDING 31 OCTOBER 2012
We, the Board of the British Baseball Federation, are of the opinion that during the year 1 November 2011 to 31 October 2012:
• Proper financial records were maintained, and financial statements prepared in accordance with the organisation's constitution.
• A system of internal control appropriate to the size of the organisation was operated.
• An effective system of corporate governance was in operation.
• Value for money was sought in the expenditure of funds.
• Assets were properly safeguarded.
These financial statements were approved by the Annual General Meeting of the British Baseball Federation on 26 January 2013.
On behalf of the Board
……………………………………………..
2
BRITISH BASEBALL FEDERATION FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDING 31 OCTOBER 2012
INCOME & EXPENDITURE ACCOUNT FOR THE YEAR ENDING 31 OCTOBER 2012
Notes Y/e 31 Oct Y/e 31 Oct 2012 2011 £ £ Income
Affiliated club fees 1 21,605 19,251 Affiliated club insurance premiums 1 7,284 8,247 Other income 385 280
Total income 29,274 27,778
Expenditure League Operations Insurance: Civil liability and personal accident 2, 3 6,326 8,534 Umpire development 300 - Grants to clubs 4 900 600 League reporting 200 - Championships Senior NBC costs 5 3,192 2,444 Youth NBC costs 6 977 1,100 Communications & Promotion Website costs 2,622 2,548 National Programme Facilities 975 1,225 Tournament entry fees 302 - National programmes – members’ contributions 2,500 2,500 Other 12 - International Representation International affiliations 7 422 436 International meetings 8 325 959 General Administrative Costs Bank charges 182 257 AGM/EGM/League meetings 9 486 546 BSUK service charges 3,000 2,500 Other board meeting costs - 648 Movement in provision for bad & doubtful debts (club (2,809) (310) fees) Bad debt write-off 10 4,700 1042 Realised exchange (gains) / losses - (5) Other costs 681 190
Total expenditure 25,293 25,214
Net surplus / (deficit) 3,981 2,564
3
BRITISH BASEBALL FEDERATION FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDING 31 OCTOBER 2012
BALANCE SHEET AS AT 31 OCTOBER 2012
Notes 31 Oct 31 Oct 2012 2011 £ £
CURRENT ASSETS Affiliated club debtors 1,930 4,554 less: Provision for bad & doubtful debts (1,447) (4,256) Net club debtors 483 298 Other debtors 11 8,814 2,273 Prepayments 3,379 - Cash at bank 4,472 11,120 17,148 13,691 CURRENT LIABILITIES Creditors 12 (2,234) (551) Accruals 13 (1,917) (4,124)
NET CURRENT ASSETS/(LIABILITIES) 12,997 9,016
NET ASSETS/(LIABILITIES) 12,997 9,016
REPRESENTED BY: Accumulated funds 14 12,997 9,016
The notes on pages 5 to 9 form part of these financial statements.
These financial statements were approved by the members of the British Baseball Federation on 26 January 2013 and were signed on their behalf by:
D. Lally
4
BRITISH BASEBALL FEDERATION FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDING 31 OCTOBER 2012
NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
1. Affiliated club fees
2012 2011 £ £ Affiliated club fees 21,605 19,251 Affiliated club insurance premiums 7,284 8,247 less: Grants to new clubs (900) (600) less: Total fees & insurance premiums received (26,512) (25,997)
Shortfall in current year fees 1,477 901
Represented by: Horsham Baseball Club 63 Mildenhall Bulldogs 393 Portstewart Eagles 208 Rudheath School 280 Tonbridge Baseball Club 11 Birmingham Maple Leafs 605 Bolton Baseball Club 439 Latin Tigers 230 Thames Valley Baseball Club 605 Windsor Bears 41 Overpayments (443) (54)
Total 1,477 901
2. Insurance : Civil liability
The BBF entered into an insurance contract for 42 clubs at £111 per club.
3. Insurance : Personal accident
The BBF entered into an insurance contract for 1,668 participants at £1 per participant premium for a total premium of £1,668.
5
BRITISH BASEBALL FEDERATION FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDING 31 OCTOBER 2012
4. Grants to teams
2012 2011 £ £ Cambridge Royals Baseball Club - 150 Daws Hill Spitfires 150 - Hove Tuesday 150 - Latin Boys - 150 Latin Tigers 150 - Newport Astros 150 - Newton Aycliffe Spartans 150 - Nottingham Rebels Baseball Club - 150 Southern Nationals Baseball Club - 150 Stourbridge Titans 150 -
900 600
5. Senior NBC costs
2012 2011 £ £ Umpires’ fees and accommodation 1,455 1,126 Trophies and awards 148 387 Hosting costs 512 100 Playing equipment - 392 Facilities and security 572 - Transportation - 239 Other costs 505 200
3,192 2,444
6
BRITISH BASEBALL FEDERATION FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDING 31 OCTOBER 2012
6. Youth NBC costs
2012 2011 £ £ Hosting costs - 233 Playing equipment 59 - Umpires’ fees 711 595 Trophies and awards 203 272 Other costs 4 -
977 1,100
7. International affiliations
2012 2011 £ £ IBAF membership fees 123 130 CEB membership fees 299 306
422 436
8. International meetings
2012 2011 £ £ CEB congress 911 925 IBAF congress 103 979 Other meetings - 145 Grants for international meetings (689) (1,323) Prior year expenses adjustment - 233
325 959
7
BRITISH BASEBALL FEDERATION FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDING 31 OCTOBER 2012
9. AGM/EGM/League meetings
2012 2011 £ £ AGM room hire 330 350 BBF board travel expenses to AGM 156 96 Other expenses - 100
486 546
10. Bad debt write-off
2012 2011 £ £ BaseballMK - 270 Bracknell Blazers 2,568 - Horsham Juniors 197 - Kent Baseball Club 314 - Leicester Blue Sox 185 - Mildenhall Bulldogs 811 - Northwich Baseball Club 405 - Portstewart Eagles - 772 Rob Burnie 220 -
4,700 1,042
11. Other debtors
2012 2011 £ £ Club fines 300 230 Rob Burnie - 220 Grants for international representation - 1,323 GB Baseball 500 500 World Baseball Classic, Inc. 8,000 - Other 14 -
8,814 2,273
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BRITISH BASEBALL FEDERATION FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDING 31 OCTOBER 2012
12. Creditors
2012 2011 £ £ GB juveniles 324 379 Baseball Softball UK 429 - Classic Miniatures Ltd 203 - IBAF 253 - Bay Leaf Cafe - 101 Herts Baseball Club 530 - Baseball clubs (member overpayments) 71 71
2,234 551
13. Accruals
2012 2011 £ £ Baseball Softball UK service charge 250 250 Trophies / awards - 150 BBF board travel expenses - 979 Youth NBC costs 173 120 IBAF affiliation fees - 130 Website costs 1,307 2,495 Bracknell Blazers 187 -
1,917 4,124
14. Accumulated Funds
2012 2011 £ £ Opening balance brought forward 9,016 6,452 Surplus / (Deficit) for the year 3,981 2,564
12,997 9,016
9