2018 East Regional Annual General Meeting Recap

The 2018 Annual General Meeting of the Basketball England East Regional Management Committee (RMC) was held at The Stables Restaurant, Oaklands College at 7pm on Tuesday 25th September 2018.

The East Regional Management Committee is the regional arm of Basketball England comprised of volunteers from within the region, delivering the same objectives and shared goals as the National Governing Body. Its role is to reflect, support and complement the objectives of BE (the four key roles – to service members, govern the game, shape its future, advocate). The AGM is an opportunity for all interested parties within the region to hear the annual reports, have their say, and become involved.

 

East Region Chairperson Angela Griffin Report 2018

Firstly, I would like to thank Andy Milbourne for supporting me through the East Region Chairperson transition handover period, and I hope that I can carry on the good work Andy has done over the past five years for East. I have also taken on the role of Welfare Officer as well.

As we all know, Basketball England is under a full restructure and this also includes the Regions. East and West Midlands were the first Regions to be launched and come under the umbrella for the new way of running and I would like to take this opportunity to thank Basketball England Senior Relationship & Co-ordinator Manager Jon Stonebridge & Basketball England Performance Co-ordinator Michael Ball who have been with me every step of the way since March 2018. Working hand in hand we support each other. There has been a lot to learn and take onboard as well as a few challenges along the way.

Basketball as we know is completely changing, and we all need to get on board and work together to make this transition a success. Players now have a clear pathway and we must all do our part to help players reach their potential goals at all levels.
Sadly, as part of the new restructure there will no longer be the need for The Inter-Counties Tournaments as part of the player’s development pathway. 

All six East Region counties agree that it is very important for all the counties to come together at a tournament for each age group, even though players will not be selected to attend Regional Development Tournaments.

So, with the help of Michael Ball and the East Region Committee a new celebration tournament for all age groups, including reintroducing Under 17's, will still take place to provide the opportunity to see and identify talented players from each county playing against one another.

All six counties took part in this year’s Inter county tournaments:-

  • Under 11 Girls - Winners Essex A, Runners up Hertfordshire A
  • Under 11 Boys - Winners Essex A, Runners up Hertfordshire A
  • Under 13 Girls - Winners Hertfordshire, Runners up Essex
  • Under 13 Boys - Winners Hertfordshire, Runners up Essex
  • Under 15 Girls - Winners Essex, Runners up Hertfordshire
  • Under 15 Boys - Winners Suffolk, Runners up Hertfordshire

Thank you to all the county coaching staff for all their help, as well as all the people who helped organise referees & table officials.

From 2020 the Tokyo Olympics 3v3 Basketball will be introduced and played for the very first time, and with this in mind FIBA donated £1500 to each of the ten Basketball England Regions to organise Under 14 Girls 3v3 Tournament. They also donated reversible vest
tops and ten 3v3 basketballs. Coach Dan Seaman from Southend Scorpions stepped up to the challenge to organise an event within ten days and both the winning team; Suffolk Sharks, and the runners up; Baddow Eagles; represented East Region in the National 3v3 Finals Tournament in Manchester.

Back in April 2018 I organised and ran a Herts Moving Forward Meeting for everyone in Herts to attend. Basketball England Programme & Pathway Integration Manager Charlie Ford & Senior Relationship & Co-ordinator Manager Jon Stonebridge attended and explained in full how the new restructure affected players and regions.

The meeting was very positive and rewarding and resulted in a number of projects that people within Herts are working together to help promote, develop and deliver within the county.

In October 2018 BE & East Region will be running a Cambridgeshire Moving Forward Meeting and, all going well, set up and start a new Basketball Association.

Sadly Norfolk has had a very rocky ride, the Norfolk basketball community voiced and voted for a ‘Motion of No Confidence’ in the Norfolk Basketball Association committee. However, a new committee is now in place and the future looks positive.

Since March 2018 I have chaired two committee meetings; the first Jon Stonebridge attended; and the second all six counties attended including guests. 

The East Region Teams have had a great year:-

  • Under 11 Girls - 1st Place
  • Under 11 Boys - 3rd Place
  • Under 13 Girls  - 1st Place
  • Under 13 Boys - 2nd Place
  • Under 15 Girls - 4th Place
  • Under 15 Boys - 3rd Place

Once again thank you to all the East Region coaching staff for all their time and hard work they have put into developing the teams to such a high level and standard.

One person I must thank is Mark Strickland for organising the hotels and finding the funds for new East Region Kits for the Under 13 and Under 15 Girls and Boys teams.

East Region also held the first Basketball England Club Focus Group Meeting attended by Basketball England CEO Stewart Kellett & Jon Stonebridge. Coaches from all over East region attended, the meeting was such a success that the other nine regions want to replicate and hold a meeting in their region for their clubs and coaches to attend.

Basketball England have reintroduced the Volunteers Awards 2018 and I’m pleased to report that the East region had four candidates nominated:-

  • Services to Officiating/Mary Clark Award: Mickey Kirk
  • Inspiring Female/Bev Guymon Award: Harriet Welham
  • Coach of the Year/John Sage Award: Paul Wayman
  • Media/Photographer of the Year: Linda Titmuss