The BSF Executive held a conference call meeting on Thursday evening, December 1. Below are highlights of discussions and decisions.
Present: Stella Ackrell (President), Mike Jennings (Treasurer), Vicky Hall (General Officer), Chris Moon (BASU Representative).
Apologies: Liz Graham (Tournaments Officer), Lesley Morisetti (Tournaments Officer), Julie Calver (Website Officer), Mark Wigington (Marketing Officer), Debbie Moores (General Officer).
Guest: Bob Fromer (BSUK).
2012 Calendar
Most tournament dates and other events on the 2012 Softball Calendar have been established except for a potential clash between the Pioneers Tournament and the Bristol Main Tournament. BSF Tournaments Officers Liz Graham and Lesley Morisetti are working with these tournaments to arrive at a solution, but other events may be affected.
The question of which tournaments will host National Softball League competition in 2012 also remains to be resolved.
NSL Questionnaire
The results of the BSF's online questionnaire about the future shape of the National Softball League were discussed at the League Heads Forum on November 26 in Birmingham.
There were 55 responses, with almost everyone favouring a league structure for the NSL, with all teams playing each other an equal number of times over the season.
There was support for extending the NSL structure downward to the next tier of teams by creating an NSL2, and 65% of respondents favoured promotion and relegation between NSL1 and NSL2.
League Heads Forum
Most of those who attended the League Heads Forum saw it as a very positive meeting.
The BSF Executive felt that BSUK Joint CEO John Boyd had done an excellent job of taking the meeting through a consultation on BSUK's development work in relation to the funding submission that will be made to Sport England next year, and the rest of the meeting was then able to focus on current softball issues.
Plans to extend and reshape the National Softball League were one of the major topics. Whether some or all of the NSL1 and NSL2 competitions will be hosted at existing tournaments next year or run by the BSF as stand-alone events is still up in the air, but the BSF Executive increasingly feels that NSL competition should be spread around the country rather than concentrated exclusively in the South.
BSF finances
BSF Treasurer Mike Jennings will be submitting full accounts for 2010-2011 to the auditors shortly and plans to circulate a budget proposal to the rest of the Executive before the Christmas holidays begin.
The Executive agreed to give a one-off subsidy (amount to be determined) to the GB Slowpitch Team to support their participation in a series of slowpitch exhibition games in the Netherlands next May, arranged by the ESF to try to kick-start the slowpitch format in Holland.
GB Women's Team fundraising
The meeting agreed to a request from the GB Women’s Team to ask for donations from the softball community towards the cost of preparing for and competing in the 2012 World Championships in Canada.
Bob Fromer confirmed that efforts are continuing to find the necessary sponsorship or other support for the trip, and all the players are seeking funding as well.
Slowpitch pitching DVD
Both the BSF and BSUK are supporting the creation of a DVD on slowpitch pitching that will be produced by former GB Slowpitch Team Head Coach Mark Saunders and former GB Slowpitch pitcher David Lee.
However, the BSF is waiting for some promised footage from Combat Sports on 10-foot arc pitching, which is prevalent in the United States, for potential incorporation in the programme and to give it wider appeal.
BSF AGM
The 2012 BSF AGM will be held on February 18 or 25, probably in Manchester. Some Constitutional changes may need to be brought to the meeting to adjust officer roles and terms on the Executive.
Morning workshops or discussion sessions before the AGM remain to be decided, but there will be a 30-minute session on how leagues can run corporate events to raise funds.
Next Meeting
The BSF Executive's next conference call meeting will be held on Thursday evening, January 5.
Anyone with items to submit for consideration should contact General Officer .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).