TEAM SELECTION STATEMENT

from the Hon. T. & F. Co-Ordinator John Lunn

2004-05-08

There was a problem with selection for the Senior teams in the first weekend of competition, which led to one athlete finding himself left out of events he expected to be in. This is not a good state of affairs; it was certainly caused by failings in the team management and co-ordinations, for which ultimately I’m responsible and for which I’m prepared to put my hand up. However, the root cause of the problem was a communication problem - that suddenly, in the week before the matches took place, two high-quality athletes indicated with little notice that they wanted to take part.

Now I’m loath to be too critical of anybody, but it’s a fact that communication is a two-way business. It’s also a fact that team managers have three responsibilities which they must try to balance – getting out the strongest possible teams, not flogging ever-willing (and especially young and willing) athletes to death, and giving as many members as wish to the opportunities to compete in them. Getting that balance right is not easy, and there will be mistakes.

However, next time we’ll try to do better; and to make sure everybody knows how the processes work, this is what’s going to be done for the second round of matches, which will involve a clash between Senior and Young Athletes’ teams:-

On the Tuesday after the first Young Athletes’ match, team managers Eric Wilks, Phil Townsend, Kevin Jewison, Alastair Atkin, Chris Tummons, Sara Birkenshaw and I are going to have a brief meeting to discuss co-ordinating selection. Coaches who wish to have a consultative input are invited, on the understanding that that’s what their input is.

The Young Athletes’ team managers will then pick their team – and when it comes to Under-17 athletes they get first shout. (For Under-20s (and Under-17s) Phil will probably already have been talking to people; this will also be considered.)

Eric and I will then pick the Senior teams, and write to all members within a week (I may do the actual writing for both, for convenience.

Once the letters are out, anybody who then lets me or Eric know later will only be considered for inclusion if somebody’s injured.

Athletes who let me know well in advance that they’d prefer particular events on particular dates will have their wishes passed on to the appropriate team manager. While every effort will be made to accommodate people, they in turn must expect that sometimes the team managers may ask them to do something different. Athletes in areas where the Club is very strong (Senior Men’s middle distance in particular) may have to recognise that to give people a chance there may have to be some ‘rationing’ of selections.

As far as Under-17s are concerned, nobody will be ‘pressured’ into competing for Senior teams on Saturday and Young Athletes’ on Sunday; anybody who wants to will not be turned down, but will be strictly limited in the number of events they do for the Seniors.

Members who haven’t settled up this year’s Subscriptions can expect not to be picked.

I hope this clears any doubts and makes the process seem fairer and more open.

John