Note: The minutes were taken by the Webmaster as the Secretary was unable to attend.

Apologies for absence

Apologies were received from Jennifer Cobban (Secretary), Tim Arnold (Competitions Manager), Alun Mitchell (GB Squads Manager) and Helen Field (Publications Officer).

Minutes of last Committee Meeting

The minutes of the last meeting produced by the Competitions Manager were approved.

Matters arising from last meeting

• Chris Careless was now the northern area representative
• An advertisement was being put into Octopush News for a southern area representative
• Ladies Elite Coach: Alun Mitchell was proposed and elected
• Chairman to write to WASAC - not yet actioned

Sports Councils

More progress with Sports Councils

Trying to get BUSA allowed to represent underwater sports to both the Sports Council and the Heath & Safety Executive.

Ladies Elite Coach

Alun Mitchell was appointed Ladies Elite Coach.

National Squads

Funding assistance: Helen Jones is still at school, and therefore has no income. Would the B.O.A. be able to provide an interest-free loan? Keith D said that if we do this once we will have to do this again, and one day the money will not come back. Keith H said that the loan could be paid for by a loan out of the group fund.

Neil pointed out that Mitch must get more details before the BOA can make a decision.

Keith D said we should recommend ways of obtaining alternative funding.

The Committee resolved that if all other avenues have been explored and found to be unavailable, the National Squads Manager and Treasurer found it acceptable, it could be approved. However, it should not be set that the BOA is a bank.

Sponsorship: Ladies Masters are underway with raising sponsorship.

Teams: Mens Elite, Womens Elite, Womens Masters.

As of January, Womens Elite and Womens Masters will be sharing training sessions.

National Teams Subcommittee

Grant Mosedale had been leading the subcommittee, but was no longer available

Nautilus

It was agreed that the Nautilus had been a good first tournament for the new Competitions Manager, and that possible anticipated dissatisfaction with the choice of puck had not materialised. It was therefore concluded that the membership were happy to continue to allow the Competitions Manager to select the puck to be used.

Inter-Regionals

Tim is concerned that not enough teams will attend the tournament. Keith D said that if the tournament were also opened to "national squad" teams there would be no problem with attendance. Neil said he would arrange for the Womens Elite and the Womens Masters to attend, as a training session.

* Martin to contact regional reps.
* Keith D to send to Keith H list of regional reps and job functions

Officers Reports

KEVIN H: Date set for Junior tournaments. Entry fee £48/£58 depending on team.

KEITH H: results of questionnaires. More money spent on development; less money spent on national teams. Almost all monies in from existing teams, plus two new teams: Newport & Coventry. Dewsbury: paid £100 for Nautilus, but didn't turn up. What do we do? Neil proposed giving £50 back. Keith H proposed introducing a formal cancellation fee to invitations of future tournaments.

Metrodome Barracudas cancelled their cheque, and it bounced once it was paid in. Keith H has written to the organiser.

Octopush News: latest issue cost £350. In previous years, a year's issues cost approximately £250. We must look into ways of cutting printing costs. Neil said that availability of paper was no problem.

MARTIN R: almost all committee members, area reps and regional reps were now on email and their BOA email addresses were now forwarded to their "real" email addresses. Explained that the web site had been updated. Proposed to produce online unmodifiable versions of all officers' stationery for download from the B.O.A. web site. This was accepted.

NEIL DIXON: people had been saying "we want referees courses", but no club had taken it any further. Neil has run one referees course this year, and wants to run more.

Keith D asked about the mechanism for qualifying referees: Neil said that he was able to nominate people able to qualify referees. He had been looking to bring on Dave Poyner as the next qualifier of referees, but due to Dave's illness this was sadly no longer available. Chris Careless and Lindsay Poyner were the next likely candidates.

KEITH D: Keith produced a chart detailing the links between the various underwater sports governing bodies, and explained the links from CMAS downwards, via BUSA, BSAC, SAA and the like.

Keith went to the Pembroke Tournament and spoke to the Welsh teams. They are keen to remain part of the BOA.

The Irish are keen to join the BOA in order to get more gameplay, but their players would not be eligible to play for our national teams.

The Scottish have formed their own governing body - the Scottish Underwater Hockey Association - and want to compete as a separate "Scotland" team in international tournaments. They will be having a SUHA meeting in Aberdeen on 12th December which Keith will be attending.

Keith stated that he is intending to prepare the details of the AGM in time for the January issue of Octopush News

Each committee member should prepare a one-page description of their job function.

A.O.B.

Neil proposed a rule change for the AGM to outlaw the wearing of necklaces, and asked the committee if referees could be given temporary power to enforce this prior to the AGM. This was ratified by the committee.

Keith H asked if the BOA or CMAS had a timescale for the introduction of mouthguards. It was identified that CMAS has no timescale for the introduction of mouthguards, and only in the United States were they compulsory, due to the risks of litigation. Neil proposed that either gumshields or external mouthguards should be strongly recommended with immediate effect, and made mandatory in the future, suggesting 2001 as a point in time for complete introduction.

Keith H raised the subject of the constitutional subcommittee. Colin Deller was currently working on this, and would be reporting shortly.

Keith H noted that in other committees, members who did not either attend committee meetings or offer apologies for a total of three consecutive meetings, were liable to be removed from the committee and replaced with other more committed members.

The meeting was then closed.

Minutes taken by Martin Reed, Webmaster.