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To answer some questions asked about discussions for next week’s meeting:
1) No constitutional / by-laws proposals were submitting in time to allow for discussion and voting at the meeting. If you plan to make a proposal on this, please do so via email so it can be tabled until next year’s meeting to meet the time requirements.
2) Spring Regatta Schedule – this is not a discussion or debate item. We only do it to provide you information to assist you with planning your season. If you don’t like your choices, host your own regatta. If you are hosting a regatta and don’t like the competing regattas, move your event date. If you want certain types of races in a regatta, ask the LOC. It is a simple supply and demand principle.
3) Championship Regatta(s) – fortunately or unfortunately (depending on how you view it) anything goes on this topic. It is the primary reason for this meeting and the association. It is my opinion (and this is only an opinion as I don’t currently represent a member organization and therefore don’t have a vote) that there is a series of questions that needs to be asked in a certain order. Hopefully this will keep discussions to a minimum. Keep in mind that association officers are elected after this discussion. So if the members make a mess of it, volunteers might not run for office to deal with it. We do have at least 2 openings, so we are are looking for new blood.
a) Do we keep the combined championship? If not, a proposal needs to include dates for both the scholastic and youth championship as required by the by-laws. This question also needs to be asked early on as it affects the regatta schedule.
b) Assuming a combined championship is approved, do we make it a 1 or 2 day event? If 2 days, will it be Friday-Saturday or Saturday-Sunday? If Friday, do we race all day? This will affect the rules and scheduling of races.
c) Do we continue with the same categories and distance? That was V8, V4, JV8, JV4, 3rd 8, 3rd 4, L8, L4, F8, F4, quad, double and single (26) events over 1500 meters. It seems the best fit for the Tampa venue.
d) Do we allow unlimited doubling, continue limited doubling with 1 sweep and 1 sculling event, or some other version? The order of events already puts some limitations on doubling. If the members vote to limit doubling, I would strongly encourage the proposal to include members forming an enforcement committee as volunteers are scarce come race day.
e) Do we need to change the order of events? It generally starts with sculling and lower events and concludes with varsity events with all heats run first.
f) Do we continue with the same progression? This may be limited if the regatta is limited to one day. Personally I agree with the argument that advancement should be on placement within a heat and not the timed differences between heats. My opinion on progression is to keep it simple with heats and semis as necessary to finals. Up to 6 boats, finals only; 7 to 15 boats, heats to finals; 16 and up, heats, semis and finals. The number of heats, semis and boats advancing depends on the number of boats. A variation to cut down the number of semis would be 7 to 18 boats – heats to finals and over 18 boats also includes semis. This variation would require good seeding for events with 12 to 18 boats due to the lower percentage of boats advancing – another committee for the members to set up.
g) Do we have petites? If time allows, I think all events with 10 or more entries (or 9, 12, etc.) should have petites especially if it is a two day event as it will keep more students involved and out of trouble. First 6 boats in the grand final; the next
h) Girls racing in Boy’s events. I think it should be allowed on a case by case basis. Submit requests to a regatta committee.
i) Final lane assignments. Based on last year’s strong cross wind, I think we need to modify the progression to say heat (and semi) winners get preferred lanes whether they be in the center or to one side.
j) New point structure. Basically I agree with Peter’s argument on this. However, I would only change the youth trophy as it involves all teams and would also allow a point system comparison to occur. This would also allow the scholastic teams with longer traditions to maintain (good or bad) to keep a system they are use to. I would not limit points to the top 6 to allow a better ranking of all teams but that limit does make calculations easier. If any bonus was given, I would double ‘youth championship’ event points.
k) Allow "B" boats? Exhibition only? If you allow unlimited doubling, then no "B" boats. Otherwise, continue as we have done the last couple years.
l) Anything else??
Hopefully this gives a framework to work from. Go down the list, make a proposal, have a discussion if necessary, make amendments and call for a vote and move on to the next item.
I will send out an updated 2007 spring schedule next week. FYI: 2006 spring schedule is still online for comparison sake. See you on the 12th.
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