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Sandeep
05-30-2005 2:01 pm
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there is a FH god
Congrats Reg.
You have a lot of work ahead of you
Stay Calm
Watch for the signs
Be brave
Many of us are behind you
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Reg
05-31-2005 9:24 am
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Thanks all for your support and help. I expect you to keep me grounded with the usual hard hitting PFH criticism and advice.
Rob Fleming - great to hear from you. Canada made a big mistake when we let you go. If you can't make it back, send your kids - we need more hockey players.
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Carl Dalton
05-31-2005 7:05 pm
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Congratulations Reg, all the best for the new position - from Aus
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Butch Worth
06-01-2005 1:13 am
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Well done Reg. You continue to fight the long, hard battle. Keep it up.
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reg supporter
06-01-2005 11:26 am
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Go reggie
reg you rock...hopefully they'll be a shakeup
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Sarwan Dillon
06-01-2005 12:35 pm
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FHC is on it way to mend
We are thrilled on your election and look forward to your leadership. We are all behind you. Congrats.
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observer
06-02-2005 12:57 am
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I find it interesting that someone who was so harsh and destructive to FHC and their staff has the gall to comeback and lobby across the country for votes to run an association he dissed. Reg, what is your platform and what are you trying to accomplish after such destructive behaviour?
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Vik Desai
06-02-2005 2:13 am
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Hearty Congratulations Reg. Best luck in your duties.
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Hpy
06-02-2005 8:06 am
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Harsh, yes, destructive, no.
Observer, your comment about Reg is out of touch with reality! Reg had very harsh comments for FHC in the last six months, but the destruction didn?t come from him, it came from FHC who pushed him out like a villain because he dared to disagree with the party line.
I think that Reg can be admired for two things in this saga (apart, of course, for his past as a player and his permanent involvement in junior coaching over the years):
1) When he was involved with FHC in the last few years, he was not afraid to change his mind about the way the association was led after discovering that his initial impressions were erroneous (mislead?). This at least shows intellectual honesty, when it is easier to stick to a line of thinking without questioning it, even in light of the hard facts.
2) After been booted out, he could have moved on to other activities, like so many former FHC volunteers. Instead, he decided to fight an uphill battle to try to come back and help field hockey in Canada. This certainly shows that he is passionate for the game and dedicated to its development (survival?) in Canada.
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Peter Jones
06-02-2005 10:41 am
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Congratulations to Reg and best wishes on what will probably the most time consuming and toughest job you have had, (paid or like this, unpaid). If your passion for the sport and intelligence can be translated into action, field hockey in Canada should be set for a renaissance.
Good luck!
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SapceMan Spiff
06-02-2005 2:19 pm
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Observer
Reg circulated his manifesto all over. how can you call yourself observer when so many people got this document but you did not?
Harsh and destructive? That's what many would say describes FHC and Staff's involvement in fild hockey for the last 20 years.
Get some glasses observer
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Obvious
06-02-2005 6:47 pm
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re: observers opinion
You alway's seem to be the odd one out on these threads. Reg's comments were constructive critisism. Some people just can't handle the truth I suppose.
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Peanut Butter
06-02-2005 7:19 pm
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Were's the Jam?
What exaxctly is the role of the President of FHC? I think that many people have very high expectations for someone put in a VOLUNTARY job and exected to turn around a struggling game. I admite the effort and desire to change things and hope Reg the best in his new positions, however. I think that a long term achievalbe strategic plan is what FHC needs and I hope that Reg is the man who is able to take are of this and not be bogged down in the day to day running of FHC. The day to day running is the PAID psoitions. Does anyone know who are the PAID employees of FHC?
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Can Fan
06-03-2005 9:54 am
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England Hockey to get 500,000 Pounds for 4 years to...
Wow... 2 million pounds to get ready for Bejing 2008..
Sport Canada is cutting our funding.. this is where we should be focusing on .. putting pressure on our Federal politicians.. not bickering amongst ourselves. 2008 Bejing will be on us soon so we need to be in "position" to qualify.
Congratulations to Reg ! You and FHC face an incredible challenge over the next few years..
My only concern is that ..don't forget the "Grass Roots" if it weren't for those who plug along year after year on the local scene, there would be no FHC.
It's not all about the few but the many..
Cheers.
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Alex Philippi
06-03-2005 3:21 pm
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Congrats Reg!
I will always remember seeing players like Nikki Sandhu and Reg Plummer on the tapes of the LA Games... wondering whether I might get the chance to play against you one day. I also remember seeing Reg play at one of the indoor tournaments in Ottawa many years ago as I was just beginning to play. I was inspired by his skills and on court demeanour. There is no doubt in my mind that his experience and example will benefit many others that come along. Congrats on the appointment Reg.
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Whalley
06-03-2005 4:38 pm
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FHC issues
FHC will need to communicate better, describing the issues more specifically. Those of us at the club level see Newletter's,outlining events, tourneys etc., but rarely any comment on difficult issues or decision making. When one, who is not close to the issues reads this and other threads, being critical of FHC or specific individuals, it is hard to evaluate.
The negative comment tends to be very general, ie poor National team results.
Best of luck to Reg. He does have a long history of being involved at many levels and has played and lived in several communities across the country,so should have some valuable perspective on regional needs.
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Can Fan
06-04-2005 10:42 am
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If FHC were a Corporate entity...
Should the FHC Move to where the Client base resides?
Vancouver should be the home of a restructured organization whose "head office" is accessable to the majority of it's clients? Have a regional office in Ottawa and Halifax?
Reg.. what are the FHC plans to address the discourse that we face, where the impression is left that FHC is aloof? This is not only evident in the small group of PFH
commentators.... but in the clubs and leagues...
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Observer
06-05-2005 7:59 am
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Moving FHC
Can Fan,
The head office is in Ottawa because that is where the government is. Field hockey Canada is supported by government money, ergo, makes sense that the office is in Ottawa. What sort of access do people want to the office anyway???
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Spaceman Spiff
06-05-2005 3:09 pm
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Canfan
more good comments.
It certailny makes snse to move the office where all the players and volunteers are.
I cannot see how keeping the office in Ottawa is of any benefit...even to those who live in Ottawa.
I would hope the first major undertaking by the new administration would be to count the number of member s FHC has as this information has been purposely withheld by FHc for years.
As Whalley points out the What's Up newsletter is only a propaganda vehicle so far, it never addresses challenges nor problems only what the national team is doing and who got appointed to be an international judge. While domestic coaching is ignored there is tons on the latest FIH coaching seminar being held in some place none of us can get to....
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Can Fan
06-05-2005 6:37 pm
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Moving FHC... does make sense...
What does FHC cry out for? Do you not think a FHC office would gain by...
A huge volunteer base ...A pulse on the Hockey Community ( the only real hockey center ) ..Teams and Leagues , Climate ( 12 months worth ) ...Facilities...
FHC funding is based on how well it developes / increases it's player participation, it's ranking in the world, coaching base..etc.
If the only reason FHC is based in Ottawa is because the Federal Governmet is based there then make no wonder we are in trouble.
Have FHC based in Vancouver and Ottawa can mail us a cheque. Have a "regional" office there instead as well as Halifax.
If FHC is to succeed it needs to be close to it's "client base" as any corporate entity would be. Access to FHC...is not the issue it is the other way around FHC will now have access to the largest concentration of the the hockey community here in Canada to draw from.
I welcome the discussion and challenge everyone to weigh the pros/cons. It is also your Team Dues and Player Levies that go into FHC as well.
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Whalley
06-05-2005 7:21 pm
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Good Debate. Let's keep it going
FHC should be providing leadership to assist the provinces in building our sport at the Grassroots level. We will never achieve the goals set out by our National teams', Coaching, Umpiring etc, unless participation numbers grow. I don't feel even in BC we are doing as much as we can. Example - an excellent Turf in Coquitlam, for over 5 years. Yet no Junior Boy's program being developed to take advantage of a great, growing suberban community of young families. This is something BC should be tackling. I wonder if there aren't other examples across the country as well?
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Spaceman Spiff
06-05-2005 11:23 pm
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Observer Again?
Observer said.....
"What sort of access do people want to the office anyway??? "
The members own the office or have you forgotten?
When Canfan says that the majority of the owners of this office live 4500 KM away.
Hey Canfan you make sound, logical arguments
I am an easterner in fact from Ottawa and there is no question it makes sense to move the Offices to me for exactly arguments you put forth.
The members are to be served by the FHC Office in fact they should keep a very very close eye on the goings on as its track record has been abysmal over the last 20 years.
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Sherlock
06-06-2005 8:00 am
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Location of National Office
If I remember well, there was a time when all National Associations were hosted in a single building in Ottawa, resulting in a positive interaction / cooperation between the sports.
This has now been dismantled and quite a few Associations have moved to what they see as a more logical place for their sport: Calgary (winter sports), Toronto (rugby), etc?
Whether you are in Ottawa or elsewhere, there is a strong possibility that most of the exchanges with Sport Canada are done electronically anyway (phone, e-mail).
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Agreed
06-06-2005 9:36 am
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Excellent discussion and very timely. With the pending funding cuts, it only makes sense to "shore up" the power base we have and move FHC to Vancouver. FHBC (particualry the womens side thanks the Mrs Broom) is an exceptionally well run organization that FHC should be modelled after.
The Federal Government doesn't give a rats-arse about FHCs location. Heck they might even see the logic in moving hq into the power base.
And forget regional offices, thats just throwing good money after bad. Empower the provincial partners further - provided they all have professsional staff (FHO does, what about the Maritimes?).
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Huh?
06-06-2005 11:38 am
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re: Halifax
Give your head a shake if you think there should be an FHC office in Halifax. Why?!?!?! You want to move the Head Office to Vancouver because that is where the members are. Fair enough. Then why would you put one in Halifax?!?! By that logic it should be in Calgary or Toronto. Do you want it in Halifax so that you have an FHC staff member in the maritimes? Hasn't there been one there more a few years and it was an abysmal failure.
Why should there be an office in Halifax?
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spaceman spiff
06-06-2005 1:58 pm
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regional representation
its not about an office in Halifax its about help for the areas whee hockey hangs by a thread.
I am all for moving the office but I can only hope that when BC gets it they attempt to export their success to other regions and do not abandon the rest of the country like FHC staff has up until now
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Malcolm
06-06-2005 2:52 pm
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Observer
FHC office in Ottawa !!!
I guess this show my ignorance in the association. All these years, I naturally assumed the office was in Vancouver, where the national teams trained.
I see no reason why the office has to be in Ottawa, unless Paul Martin or Stephen Owen, every now and then, drops by the office for a cup of coffee and to chat about the latest field hockey stick.
How about PFH doing a poll?
However, something to ponder, what happens in, say, 10years. If Alberta or Ontario or PEI becomes the country?s hockey powerhouse, do we move the office?
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manny
06-06-2005 3:13 pm
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This sounds like a dicussion of USFHA. Hockey is a difficult sport to sell. There is no magic solution and FHC is not yhe answer. If you want hockey to grow, I think you would be better suited to get out of the house and start coaching or knockng on some doors to get funding. If we wait for the gouverning bodies to act we will be long in the tooth. Let's get busy and stop pointing fingers.
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FIH
06-06-2005 7:07 pm
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FIH just moved to Lusanne, Switzerland to be at the heart of the IOC. USFHA is in Colorado Springs, home of the USOC. Neither of those locations represents the player base. Carry on.
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spaceman spiff
06-07-2005 12:31 pm
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FIH
so what does that prove?
FIH has been at the back of the pack as far as IOC groups for years
And the USFHA! what a shining example of an office that has been mostly ineffectual in promoting their sport despite the fact they have 1000's of college hockey players. the real work is being done in California and NY by volunteers where the players are.
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The Coast
06-07-2005 1:26 pm
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re: Spiffy
SS - the point is that many organizations "live" close to the money that feeds them. FIH moved from Belgium to Lusanne recently. But you rightly point out that FIH is at the bottom of the Olympic pack. Maybe because they were distant from the IOC?
What do you want FHC to do? If it moves to Vancouver it will certainly help the National Programs - this is a good thing.
But you said it needs an office in Halifax where "hockey hangs by a thread." So weigh those options and decide which priority you want to accomplish. Why Halifax? Why not Kelowna, Edmonton, Calgary, Regina, Winnipeg, Montreal? Those places struggle to get hockey going. But you want it centered in one of only two thriving hockey centres.
Having "access" for members is really an ambiguous reason to move an office. How many Vancouver league players walk into the BC offices? I would imagine very few. How many have even phoned? What does "access" mean?
Please, Spaceman Spiff, explain what the benefits of having the office in Vancouver are. Don't tell me why Ottawa is bad - you don't have to sell that idea. Tell me how the office in Vancouver will improve FH across Canada.
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SapceMan Spiff
06-07-2005 3:42 pm
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repronse to the coast II
sorry I hit submit before I meant to....
In moving the office to Vancouver we would also be able to engage the majority of the membership in the activities of FHC. How many people travel from Vancouver to Ottawa to participate in the AGM yearly other than your President?
THis essential part of democratic process has been lost and again in my (some would say warped) opinion this is a great failing. If volunteers are needed to staff a comitee or help with an event they would be much more accessible.
Just tossing this out people if its not a good idea and there is no benefit then lets not do it,but please lets explore the possibility
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Spaceman Spiff
06-07-2005 10:01 pm
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Going Coastal
thanks for the opportunity to respond. First let me say that if moving the office does not make sound financial or organizational sense then lets not do it but let's explore the possibilities first. I also do not beleive that we should be consumed by this debate either becaue we have many other issues which are far more pressing than the status of the office, next to nothing has been prodeced from there for development in 20 years so a couple more will not change anything.
I don't think we should compare ourselves to the FIH but rather to like sized National Sports Orgs here in canada. The FIH is a lobby and FHC is not in a position to be anything like that. There was a time when all NSOs were housed in the same building in Ottawa but times have changed as many NSO have matured and had to deal with an ever smaller piece of the pie.
Some NSO have moved to not only be closer to a high concentration of their members but have also found benefit in moving to these areas as their dport has a higher profile. For instance there are many many more corporate sponsors in Toronto than in Ottawa and when you sport like soccer has a high profile in the community where the sponsor is making a decision you have a better chance of securing sponsorship. For FH Van is the place. FH has a higher profile becasue it has been institutionalized and has a better chance of obtaining sponsorship in that community.
I also think it would be better for deabte and the democratic health of FHC to be in a location where debate can foster good ideas and "police" the activities of the org. When I say police I mean in a check and balance kind of way.
How many people attend the AGM from BC yearly? It is always in Ottawa and it has been a largely closed affair. If it was in Vancouver maybe we wouldn't be surpirised by the outcome of bizzare decisions and inactivity. Also we may not see so many un filled posts and commites.
There is also the question of duplication of work, BC FH has an office and it is undoubtedly staffed to meet requirements of the members. How much more staff would be required to fulfill the current duties of FHC? Needs study.
The "living ' next to the funding issue does not hold water with me in that virtually all correspondance is done electrically these days as mentioned somewhere in this thread.
Lastly I did not say that an office was required in Halifax, what is required is help from BC hockey in terms of adminsitrative and structural advice for the maritimes to help them transpose the successes of BC hockey and make it work out east too. Granted it cannot be a forklift approach but rather a morphing of ideas between the strong association and the one that needs help.
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ztar
06-07-2005 11:40 pm
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The Coast on Vancouver
The Coast asks "what the benefits of having the office in Vancouver are."
I'll not presume to answer for "spiff", and I'm not sure my answer is compelling, but let me try. In Vancouver or the South Island, the HQ would be immersed in a FH culture. In these two locations, the people at HQ could see, on a daily basis, what the possibilities are. Daily, there would be evidence of success and examples of how to establish success.
In Ottawa (or Halifax, or wherever), the people at HQ, I suspect, will slowly lose the sense of what it takes to build a winning organization. To use the sports metaphor, the people at HQ can only stay sharp and on top of their game if they are constantly exposed to the game (in this case building FH in Canada) at a higher level. I'm afraid that in a place like Ottawa, without a thriving FH community, a degree of lethargy or complacency sets in.
I could be wrong, but I firmly believe that "culture" plays a significant role in the success of organizations. HQ needs to be located in a culture or climate that is excited about FH year round (daily).
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Ms V
06-08-2005 12:26 am
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The FIH and the international scene is a very different circumstance to a national program. Members will come from all over the world to attend Lusanne over, what, another city in Europe. Hockey is spread sporadically across the world, and has strengths in places such as UK, Netherlands and Australia - but one would never suggest that Aust becomes a venue for the FIH. Many, many other sporting and affiliated organisations are located at Lusanne, Anti Dopping, Sports Science all the ancillary things around sport; as well as FIH being able to draw from the other sports.
I cannot see why Ottawa would be a necessary place for FHC. Hockey is not based in Canberra (our nations capital) but in Melbourne. It used to be Melbourne for the men and Sydney for the Women, now combined.
I also cannot see a reason for moving it to an 'upcoming' or disadvantaged area. Move it to a city that is of world standards, with business surrounding it, and a good stable base for hockey.
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Yan Huckendubler
06-08-2005 8:42 am
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National Office location is irrelevant...
Regarding the office location, I am not sure that the comparison between the FIH and FHC is relevant: their office is much larger (only 3 persons in the FHC office) and their mandate different.
Frankly, with the modern means of communications, whether the office is in Ottawa, Vancouver or Iqualuit is somewhat irrelevant as long as the work expected from the staff is done.
It can be argued that the National Office would benefit from being in the middle of a vibrant hockey community, but, ultimately, the fate of field hockey in Canada depends on the vitality and dynamism of the Board and Committees, and on the activity of the volunteers on the grounds.
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Viper
06-08-2005 11:29 am
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FHC Staff
3? That says a lot right there...
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spaceman spiff
06-08-2005 1:00 pm
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my typos
man I do not know how I can run a computer with my typing skills...
Did I type that most of the correspondence is done "electrically"?
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spaceman spiff
06-08-2005 1:28 pm
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Ms V and Yan
using Ms V's criteria for keeping FHC in Ottawa...
-world standards----check
with business surrounding it ---- check
good stable base for hockey ---nope
Yan said "field hockey in Canada depends on the vitality and dynamism of the Board and Committees"
Many of FHC posts have been empty for long periods and some of those holding posts may not always be called dynamic , could the proximity of larger numbers of volunteers help?
I have to agree with ztar's comments on the imapct of immersion in hockey culture
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Viper
06-08-2005 11:02 pm
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FHC Staff
FHBC has 4 (well...3.5) jobs posted on their website as of now.
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J.D.
06-10-2005 10:14 am
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AGM's
All Agms have NOT been held in Ottawa. They have been moved to various Provinces including BC and the news is that the attendace is the same. It has always been the same people attending these meetings and you can't tell me that if the office was in BC that the there would be more perticipation at the AGM. You need to look at the attendance at the provincial meetings. The bottom line is not very many people attend. So at the end of the day it does not matter where the office is as long as the provinces have working committees. If the concern is National teams than the national team manager needs to be in Vancouver in order to "police" the coaches and keep them within budget and help them with their administrative work.
As for the national Championships they should be a showcase for FHC. The only way this can happen is if it is mandatory to attend the nationals in order to make the team. I also think that a camp should be held right after the nationals in that city giving provincial coaches a chance to see how camps are run and the direction the national coach is going. Athletes are more apt to attend if there is a chance to make the national team versus "just another tournament". These tournaments are getting expensive almost $500.00 per athelete. It has to be worth it to attend.
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JD
06-10-2005 4:41 pm
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Good Idea
I love the idea about the Camps following the National Championships! Good Call!
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Peter and Jane Griffiths
06-13-2005 1:41 pm
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Congratulations
Congratulations Reg from the Canadian Field Hockey Supporters Club in Virginia.!
Hopefully we can look forward to more high level Hockey at Canadian venues.
Good Luck in your endeavours.!
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Reality Check
06-14-2005 9:46 pm
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Nationals
Try to think about marketing strategy in 2001.
Exactly what are the national championships supposed to be?
Are they for club teams, or provincial teams, or just a high performance camp?
The media needs to know what is happening - in the simplest possible terms.
Saying, this is a 'show case' event is not enough.
If it's just a national camp then no one is interested except the players and their parents or girlfriends.
Get real ? are we promoting the sport or running a try-out for the national team?
The media are not interested in the latter. If the media are not interested, we should not put any $$?s into it.
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spaceman spiff
06-15-2005 3:51 pm
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reality checks in
Man do I agree with that...
National Camp is exactly that Natinal Camp...play all the red white games you want but you will not have anything to market when you play one provice against another largely becasue the you will always end up with the same two teams playing each other.
You want rivalries? you want media coverage? you want participation from a broad base?
There might be a FH rivalry between BC and Ont but there is no real rivalry like there is between edmonton and calgary.
As far as media attention you think the Cowichan newspaper will carry a story about their local heroes playing in the nationals or will they carry a stroy about BC which might have a player or two from the local area on the team?
There is no Ontarion Sun but there is a Toronto Sun....
As a vehicle for "showcasing" FH the Provincially Based Nationals is dead in many sports.
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x48
