<p> Surrey Open Hockey League Annual General Meeting 3 June 2009 Held at Barnes HC</p><p>Present:</p><p>John Holbrook SOHL Chair / Barnes HC Marc Fisher SOHL Fixture Secretary / Thames Valley HC Nick Aston SOHL Treasurer / Old Cranleighans HC Nick Harris SOHL Committee Member / Camberley & F HC Chris Walker SOHL Secretary / Merton HC Paul Bloomfield Woking HC Amandeep Rehlon Bank of England HC Neil Blake Kenley HC Cyril Rapose Goan HC Ian Whiteman Old Reigatians HC Tom Grist Old Reigatians HC Simon Finn Croydon HC Richard Craig Leatherhead HC Simon Shannon Teddington HC Andy White Epsom HC Simon Smith Spencer HC Tom Sheridan Surbiton HC Adrian Searle Surbiton HC Curt Bryant NPL HC Maruf Alam Old Midwiftgiftians HC Will Cooper Thames Valley HC Chris Stevens Horley HC</p><p>Apologies: </p><p>Purley Walcountains, Walton & Weybridge, Reigate Priory, Sandersted.</p><p>Decisions</p><p>1. Chairs Report</p><p>JH reported on a successful and relatively incident-free season. A number of meetings had taken place with the South League Council in the run up to an integrated open structure from 2009/10. JH thanked NA for his 4 years as League Treasurer as he would be stepping down and presented him with a clock as a token of thanks.</p><p>2. Secretaries Report</p><p>CW reported that the SOHL league Committee had met four times and discussed a number of issues including the South League re-structuring and one disciplinary matter that had been referred to the Surrey Disciplinary Officer. A request had been received for SOHL to help fund a Surrey Hockey Development Officer, but it was understood that this post had now been withdrawn.</p><p>3. Treasurers Report</p><p>NA circulated draft accounts that showed a surplus for the season of £250 and a balance at bank going forward of £1500. The accounts were accepted by the AGM. He recommended that subs should stay at £12 per team for 2009/10 but that a penalty of deducted points should apply for late payment of subs. The deduction of one point per team per month if subs were not received by the end of October was agreed as a new league rule, but that the point could be ‘earnt’ back if subs were subsequently paid by the end of the next month (i.e. November). It was suggested that SOHL should move to an online account to make payments easier.</p><p>Decision 1: Accounts accepted</p><p>Decision 2 (New SOHL Rule): One point deduction for late payment of subs. One point per team for subs not received by the end of October one further point per month subsequently. Points can be ‘earnt back’ if subs are paid by the end of the next month.</p><p>4. Fixture Secretaries Report </p><p>MF reported on a successful season, with very few issues arising and thanked everyone for coping well with snow disruption in February. The new postponement rule seemed to have worked well. Fixtures Live also worked well again, but he highlighted the lack of a facility to text in a postponed game (postponed teams need to e-mail MF as soon as the postponement is known). MF highlighted new rules (self tap and hitting into the D from a free hit) for next season.</p><p>Only three fixtures remained unfulfilled overall. MF proposed a new league rule that if a league fixture is unfulfilled by the ‘official’ end of the season (to be notified), then it would become a 0-0 draw, unless either team raised an issue.</p><p>Decision 3 (New SOHL Rule): If any SOHL fixture remains unfulfilled by the end of the season, it would be declared a 0-0 draw </p><p>MF reported that the new open / integrated South League structure had now been approved, with only the Premier League ring fenced for 1st elevens. SOHL would effectively lose 5 teams from the top division and the rest of SOHL divisions therefore required re-structuring. MF set out the proposed re-structuring, explaining that he had tried to retain promotions and relegations wherever possible. With two teams withdrawing (UCL Students and NPL) and new teams joining (Surbiton 8, see below), there would be one x 13 team division and six x 12 team divisions, with 2 up 2 down at the end of the season. The AGM agreed the principles and outline re-structuring, with MF to circulate final version of new team structure and fixtures (subject to any further changes imposed by the South) by the end of June.</p><p>MF set out the proposed dates for the 2009/10 season as:  12 team leagues: 26/9 to 5/12 with slip dates of 12 and 19/12, then 9/1 to 20/3 with slip date of 27/3.  13 team league: 26/9 to 5/12 with slip date of 19/12, then 9/1 to 27/3</p><p>Post AGM note : end dates revised to 19/12, then 10/4 </p><p>Decision 4: Principles for re-structuring agreed, with final structure to be circulated by the end of June.</p><p>There was a discussion of the numbering of the new SOHL league structure and it was agreed that the new top SOHL would be named the SOHL Premier, followed by Div 1, 2 etc. This would maintain the independence of SOHL and give more of an incentive to lower league teams. Promotion from SOHL Premier would be into Surrey Div 3 for the 2009/10 season.</p><p>Decision 5: SOHL Top League to be called ‘SOHL Premier’, followed by Div 1, 2 etc </p><p>5. Election of Officers </p><p>All current officers were re-elected by block vote, with the exception of NA as Trerasurer, who was stepping down. Andy White (Epsom) was duly elected as the new SOHL Treasurer.</p><p>Decision 6: League Officers all re-elected except for Treasurer, who was replaced by Andy White</p><p>6. Applications for New Team joining SOHL</p><p>Surbiton 8 put their case to the AGFM for joining SOHL and this was accepted by the AGM.</p><p>Decision 7: Surbiton 8 to join SOHL from 2009/10 </p><p>Post AGM Note: A further application has been received from Oxted 5s to be accommodated in the 13 team league - Division 3, to become 14 teams. This was accepted by the Committee subject to no objections being received from other teams by 11 July)</p><p>7. AOB</p><p>Concerns regarding the use of grass pitches in SOHL were raised and there was a discussion covering both sides of the argument. Many players no longer have boots for grass, there is a need for consistency of surface, especially for higher leagues and there is a Surrey Grass League for those teams who want to play on grass. Others found there were benefits of playing on grass, especially for younger players, five teams still play on grass in SOHL and they could have problems finding alternative pitches, especially for 2009/10. The issue of standard of pitches was also discussed and MF explained there was no specific rule, but the League could act in light of complaints from teams. Three options were voted on: i) From 2010/11 only bottom 2 SOHL leagues could play any games on grass (of an appropriate standard) – 10 votes ii) No grass in any SOHL leagues from 2010 - 4 votes iii) Status quo – 3 votes</p><p>Decision 8 (New league Rule): From 2010/11, grass games would only be allowed in the bottom two SOHL leagues on pitched of an appropriate standard.</p><p>MF offered to facilitate friendlies as an alternative to the facility on Fixtures Live and the Thames Valley Friendly League was also highlighted.</p><p>8. Presentation of Trophies</p><p>League winners and runners-up were presented trophies for the season.</p>