President's Report October 18, 2011
2011 was another good year for soccer in Castlegar. I would first like to say thank you to all the volunteers that make up the CMSA for the hard work and time they have put in, doing all of the "behind the scenes" jobs that are necessary to keep soccer alive and well. Contrary to what some people think, it doesn't "just happen". New roles were taken on by new people in the CMSA, and new roles were also taken on at Kootenay South, where we hold 2 of the 8 directors' positions. My thoughts for the past year:
Highlights:
* Memebership was up for 2011, with approximately 400 players registered
* Money was saved by using the office of one of our executive members, instead of renting a room.
* The on-line registration system saw an increase in usage from parents.
* A successful "wind up" was held for Mini soccer division, with kids once again dominating in the "kids versus parents" finals.
* A successful "wind up" was held for Youth Soccer division, with a skills competition, door prizes, barbeque, and team "MVP" awards given out.
* Castlegar successfully hosted the soccer games for the BC Senior Summer Games.
* Attendance at the Kootenay South meetings improved considerably in 2010/2011, and having a strong voice at the meetings representing CMSA was definatley in our best interest.
* CMSA officially becaem a society in the Spring of 2011. This enabled us to apply for and recieve a grant of $15,000 that will be used towards operating expenses.
* Players from the U10 age group practiced and travelled to a tournament in Sandpoint, Idaho. The teams did well, and were excited to be a part of the tournament. While this was done by a group outside of CMSA, I mention it because it demonstrates the excitement for soccer in Castlegar.
Opportunities for Improvement:
* While registration system through IT Sportsnet is powerful, it can also be complex. This can make it a challenge for a volunteer to use when they have limited hours in which to give.
* The portfolio for "Player and Coach Development" did not have a dedicated person, and as such suffered in 2011. We hope to remedy this in 2012 by having someone take on this portfolio; facilitating various development clinics.
* No-one volunteered for "Field Coordinator", and as a result this task had to be picked up by a member of the executive.
* Other positions not filled, and partially picked up by others included Fundraising Coordinator, Indoor Coordinator, and Risk Management Coordinator.
*Drainage at Twin Rivers (Millenium) fields continued to be a problem. In the relatively wet spring of 2011, there were often puddles on the West field where mini soccer is held. This must be remedied-and will involve discussions with the City of Castlegar.
* No new progress was made on fields / facility development. The current executive still has the vision to develop this facility into an even better venue for soccer, and three members participated in a park "design charrette" hosted by the city.
* the cost of sponsoring entire mini divisions became excessive for some long-supporting businesses, leading CMSA to reconsider this part of its funding model.
Overall, I am pleased with what CMSA has accomplished over the past year. Looking forward, the executive has detirmined that in order to continue, all key positions need to be filled. It is simply too much to ask the same, few people to continue to do these jobs year after year
Ralph Lunn
President, CMSA
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