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VI Region News BC/YT Section AGM
Lori Thomson and myself travelled to Burnaby for the BC/YT Section Annual General Meeting. The workshops on Friday were comprised of an Open Forum, a Synchronized Skating presentation by Helene Gagnon, a Skate Canada Board member and Synchronized skating representative, a CanSkate workshop with Jeannie Leshures and a Junior Academy on ice demonstration with Joanne McLeod. The Synchronized Skating workshop was very entertaining and informative. The whole competition structure for this discipline has been redesigned and Helene went through all the logistics that led to the changes. The Regional events were ending up costing Festival level teams more money in the long run in their steps to competing at Nationals. The new categories follow the LTAD (Long term athlete development) model and a later entry age for skaters entering the synchronized skating discipline. The new categories: Beginner (previously CanSkate synchro and Pre-Juvenile), Elementary, Juvenile, Pre-Novice (were Juvenile and Pre-Novice), Novice, Intermediate and Open (were Festival Junior, competitive Novice, Festival Open, and both Adult categories), Junior and Senior (were competitive Jr. and Sr.), and Adult I, Adult II and Adult III (were Festival Adult and Festival Masters). Almost every category has some guidelines regarding age or percentage of age, numbers of skaters on the team, and types of elements allowed in the programs, with an emphasis on Skating Skills. Some of the specific structures for individual categories are currently being devised. The goal of the new structure is to create athletes with the skills necessary to compete but allowing for 'competition to not interfere with skill and athlete development'. The teams are encouraged to enter the category that has elements that the skaters can do and can have fun doing them. Jeannie Lechures presentation on CanSkate was done under the theme of 'Senses'. The 'See' was what people.the children, the parents, and the spectators see when the program is up and running. The colourful teaching aids are a prime focus. What people 'Hear' about the program and how 'word of mouth', and perhaps some liaison people at the rink during the sessions, can sell the program. How the client 'Feels' in the nurturing, caring and fun environment while using various Promotional Ideas or Special Days to enhance the program. The 'Team' atmosphere makes for a stronger club, utilizing all professional staff and P.A.'s. Costs must be comparable to other sports and offering sponsored bursaries, payment plans, and breaking up the lessons into shorter blocks or seasonal sessions were suggestions. I did not attend the Junior Academy at Burnaby Eight Rinks as I assisted Diane Neilsen with the setting up of the Athletes' Trust Auction to take place later in the evening. As usual the Auction offered hundreds of items that had been donated by Clubs and Individuals or collected by Diane throughout the year. Several BC Team members assisted in the showing of the live auction items and many people went home with their treasures after a few hours of bidding and bartering. Following an early morning breakfast on Saturday, May 2nd the formal part of the Annual Meeting began. The various reports and address by the Chairperson, Gail Weber, previous minutes, Board of Directors actions, the election speeches, voting and other meeting formalities were all part of the agenda. Ted Barton did an LTAD update and review. The scientific principles and philosophies of the athlete model were presented and the adoption of the program will be spreading to all athlete programs in Canada that are reliant on national funding. Ted reiterated that Tests, as we see them in Figure Skating, will not disappear. There may some realignment with the LTAD model but they are still 'an ideal skill development program'. Diane Tennan, Skate Canada's Communications staff, gave an overview of the national body's emphasis on interacting as a group, sharing values and traditions, sharing knowledge and focusing on business excellence. The wants, needs and differences of every club, region, city, etc. have their own personalities but sharing amongst each other to pass on things that have been successful is important. An informal sharing session occurred throughout the tables of delegates. Regional differences, good things happening in clubs, volunteer bases, lack of available ice times, lack of coaches, attracting P.A.'s, music players and parent volunteers, and using a team approach to run a club successfully were all topics of conversation and sharing. After a short break the Awards Reception and Banquet began. Ted and his television hostess Lynn once again presented a fun filled and video highlighted evening of entertainment and presentations. Congratulations to VI Region recipients Peter Thomson and Betty Smith for their awards. |
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