Sunday 26 October 2008

Dear Members,

Three rounds down and ten to go, the season is certainly flying along. I hope you are all enjoying your cricket. Here is the latest news for all members.

For the first time ever our Association has the services this season of two match observers in Michael Roberts and George Richards. Both members are highly experienced umpires who have chosen to assist this season in an observing role. They will be going around the grounds watching you on the field and will be reporting back to the Executive Committee regarding your progress. Initially the observers will be spending more time with our new umpires however that does not exclude more experienced members who will also be monitored during the season. If Michael or George are at your game and you get the chance to speak make them feel welcome and openly encourage them to provide you any feedback that they may have for you. One small piece of advice taken on board could dramatically improve your game

Those supplied a raffle book to sell in the last 6 weeks are reminded that these needs to be finalised 21 November. Some members in previous seasons have sent ticket stubs and cheques to the SCA. Please do not do this as recovery of raffle mail from the SCA office in recent seasons has proven to be difficult. ALL raffle payments and sold stubs need to be sent to this Associations mailing address (i.e. PO Box 3333, Redfern, 2016). You can also transmit your raffle proceeds to our bank account electronically as per the instruction letter supplied to you when you received your book. If you need these details again please send me an email.

The next members meeting of this Association will be held on Wednesday 10 December at Redfern RSL's Meeting Room. Executive Committee members should arrive for a 5.45pm committee meeting. For all other members the general meeting starts at 7pm. I hope you can all make it along to our pre Christmas meeting to discuss the first half of your season and have a few drinks at the end of the meeting.

Stephen Blomfield
Honorary Secretary

To – ALL SYDNEY SHIRE UMPIRES

RE – IMPORTANT MEETINGS IN SEPTEMBER

All members should be aware of the two very important meetings that will be held during the month of September.

All members who intend on officiating in Shires matches during the season should make every effort to attend both of these meetings as the content of both meetings impacts on the way the forthcoming season is to be conducted.

Details are as follows –

LOCAL RULES NIGHT – Wednesday September 17, 2008 - Sydney Cricket Association Office Auditorium , Driver Avenue , Moore Park – 7.00pm Start

This meeting will be conducted by the training committee of the NSWCU&SA and will review all local playing conditions in Grade and Shires matches for the 2008/09 season. Match appointments and the playing conditions book for the season will also be available at this meeting as well as a number of important handouts. New umpires will also receive their on field umpires shirts for the season. Your attendance at this meeting should be considered compulsory.

SHIRE UMPIRES PRE SEASON MEETING – Wednesday September 24 , 2008 – Meeting Room , Redfern RSL , 157 Redfern Street , Redfern – 7.00pm Start

This is an important meeting to attend as all members will get to meet their peers (including new members for the season). Important discussion will also take place in regards to rule changes etc. The committee will meet with all first year umpires at the conclusion of the meeting to discuss any questions you may have

I look forward to your attendance at both of these meetings.

Stephen Blomfield
Honorary Secretary

4 August 2008

The 2008/09 cricket seasoning is fast approaching with play in the Sydney Shires Competition to kick off on Saturday September 27.

All members should have by now completed their availability forms and returned them to Secretary Stephen Blomfield as well as completing similar paperwork for NSWCU&SA. Any member who has not yet done so is urged to complete this task ASAP.

Members who have not yet paid their annual subscription fees to this Association as well as NSWCU&SA need to complete this task by the end of August. After this date your membership subs will DOUBLE !

A very successful off season recruitment campaign for new umpires has been conducted by your management committee during the winter.

It is anticipated that we will have a large number of new umpires in our competition this coming summer which augers well for the Shires Competition. All experienced members will be called upon at various times of the season to partner, coach and mentor our new members and help them through their debut season.

The first full members meeting for the upcoming season will be on the Wednesday night before the season starts. That meeting will be on Wednesday September 24 at Redfern RSL (7pm Start).

An exciting new season is just around the corner !!!!!!!!!

OFFICE BEARERS 2008/09

Following the recent calling for nominations for positions on the Committee of Management, the office bearers for the upcoming season are as follows:

Association President – Peter Friend
Association Vice President – Jim Shellens
Association Honorary Secretary – Stephen Blomfield
Association Honorary Treasurer – Gordon Smith

Management Committee –

George Richards
Trevor Schokman
David Goodman

These positions were ratified at the Annual General Meeting on July 30, 2008.

The 8th season of the Sydney Shires Cricket Umpires Association commenced at a very well attended Annual General Meeting on Wednesday 30 July, 2008

A total of 27 members (from a total membership of 57) attended the meeting along with a number of guests including Laurie Borg (Treasurer NSWCU&SA), Roy Formica (Assistant Secretary, SCA) , and Steven Poole (Liasion Officer, NSWCU&SA)

After a three year reign Chairman George Richards stood down to make way for Peter Friend with Jim Shellens maintaining the Vice President's role. Both Secretary Stephen Blomfield and Treasurer Gordon Smith were both re-elected for the 8th season in row. The management committee positions were filled by George Richards, Trevor Schokman and David Goodman.

The 2008/09 season begins on Saturday 27 September.

This news story is to be continued.

Congratulations are extended to the following 2 members who have won this Associations two major awards for the season just completed.

Umpire of the Year -

Twenty Two (22) members qualified to be eligible to win this award this season which requires a minimum participation of 11 matches + the attendance of at least one general members meeting during the season.

Congratulations are extended to Bruce Whitehouse on winning the Umpire of the Year Award.

In the final collation of umpires marks three members finished within miniscule margins of each other with Bruce’s final season average mark of 9.66 out of 12 being only 0.08 higher than the second place runner up (Stephen Blomfield 9.54) and only 0.13 higher than the member who ran third (Peter Friend 9.52). Bruce had a very good season and he clearly had the respect of the players and captains under his control during the 23 matches he officiated in during the season.

Most Improved Umpire of the Year -

Our other achievement award for the season has seen Richard Christen win the most improved umpire of the year award for season 2007/08.

Of the nine members that qualified for this award, Richard achieved the highest percentage increase in his captains assessments marks from season 2006/07 compared to this season just completed. My congratulations are extended to Richard on having a much improved season. I wish him many more to come.

Both Bruce and Richard will presented the perpetual trophies for these awards at our Annual General Meeting on 30 July.

Stephen Blomfield
Hon Secretary

Dear Members and friends of SSCUA

Once again we come to the end of another cricket season.

Congratulations must be extended to the four Premiership sides -

1st Grade - Pennant Hills

2nd Grade - Roseville

3rd Grade - Warringah

4th Grade - Macquarie Uni

It was great to see that all 4 grand finals were decided on the field with only a light early morning shower on Sunday at some games ever so briefly causing some concern.

I want to take this opportunity to fill you in on what happens for us in the next six months.

First and foremost I'm taking a break and everything cricket related will get cast aside for a week (maybe two).

First thing on the agenda is late April / early May when I will compile and complete your umpires assessments for the completed season. These will be emailed to you at that time. **NOTE** - if you do NOT want your marks emailed to you then you must advise me by email stating “do not send my marks for the completed season”

In May I will be meeting with the Shires Sub Committee to review the season just gone and one of the main items on the agenda will be suggested rule changes for the next season. If there is ANYTHING you feel didn’t work in the local playing conditions during the season please contact me and it will be tabled for consideration.

The next important event is the Sydney Shires end of season presentation dinner on Friday May 16

We would like to see as many members and their partners attend again this year. A strong showing of support in numbers at this event shows the Shire Clubs that we are committed to this competition. Details of the night are as follows -

Date - Friday May 16 , 2008

Venue - Harbourside Docklands , Darling harbour
Start Time - 7pm
Cost - $70 per head (approx - exact price TBC)
Steve Abbott (MC) , Guest Speaker – TBC

The 8 umpires who umpired the 1st to 4th grade Grand Finals are eligible to a free ticket from the SCA. If any of these 8 want to bring a partner you need to let me know and pay for your partners ticket

Please contact me by email and confirm if you would like to attend. No need to pay at this stage , You will be invoiced after the event. If you can attend please advise if it’s just you or you and your partner.

Also in late May or June this Association will be conducting a FREE BBQ for all members and their partners. Details will be confirmed within the next 4 weeks or so - There is no charge for day. All food and drink will be supplied. Keep watching this space for more details

In early July the Annual Report will be mailed out to members. Also at this time letters will go out to members asking for your involvement in the 2008/09 season.

On Wednesday 30 July 2008 we will hold our seventh Annual General Meeting. Please ensure you attend this meeting. A mail out will occur closer to the date of the AGM asking if you wish to stand for any position on the committee. Please seriously consider getting involved on committee level.

Also in July the NSWCU&SA will also hold its off season Rules , Training and Examination Course (more details as they come to hand). This is an excellent opportunity to refresh yourself on the laws before the start of the next season. We also ask that you try and recruit members for next season. Encourage people interested in cricket to do the course and push them towards Shires Cricket. If only 50% of our current membership could bring a mate to Shires we would have enough members to cover all of first , second AND third Grade Shires !!

In August members will receive the playing dates for the new season and you will be asked to commit to whether you wish to umpire. When you receive these forms please return them promptly. Members who hang onto these forms up to mid September cause problems and delays in the new seasons appointments being completed.

In late September we kick off again for the new season.

I'd now like to take this opportunity to thank each and every one of our members for their contribution during the season. I must admit the season flowed pretty smoothly and all can take a lot of credit for the fact that each made significant contributions towards the seasons success.

I'm very hopeful that the next season will be just as successful and I'm hoping that ALL our members will want to be an active Shires competition umpire in the upcoming season. Its been a pleasure working for this competition and I would be delighted to retain this position if elected at this Associations 7th Annual General Meeting on July 30.

Kind Regards
Stephen Blomfield
Honorary Secretary / Appointments Officer