AGM 2010

All members are notified that the 2010 AGM of Coalville Town Hockey Club will take place on Wednesday 21 April at 8pm at a venue still to be confirmed.

Please try to attend as we will be making important decisions which impact on the 2010/11 season and beyond. This includes electing new committee members.

Treatment of umpires

Members of the club have been warned about their behaviour towards umpires.

Over the course of the season there has been an acculumation of bad behaviour towards umpires. Club chairman, Chris Ashton, has written to all players to point out that the club will not stand for the abuse or mistreatment of umpires, who are ultimately doing us a favour - because without them we couldn't play the game.

Chris made the following points, which all members are asked to note:

•  Firstly there is a shortage of umpires, particularly league umpires – and without umpires you do not have a game.
• Most people become umpires to help out their club.
• They give up their time voluntarily and often when it is not convenient to them.
• It is not the easiest of jobs and a lot of you could not face doing it – give a thought to those who are prepared to do it.
• The ball is small, it moves fast, players are out to deceive, it is easy to make mistakes.
• In the majority of cases they try their best.
• They are humans – they make mistakes – they have feelings. How many mistakes do you make in a game?
• A wrong decision can be frustrating – but shouting at the umpire, arguing or hurling abuse will not change the decision, nor will it help future decisions go your way.
• Several of our members this year have been very close to not umpiring again or refusing to umpire a particular team.
• We cannot afford this – getting people to umpire is hard enough as it is.