BUCS Competitions Group Meeting
Date: 16 February 2015
Venue: Imperial College, London
Time: 11.30am to 3.30pm
Attendance:
Fiona Dick (Chair)
Mark Brian (BUCS)
Leanne Atkins (BUCS)
Paul O’Leary (BUCS)
Catherine Massie (BUCS)
Ross Simpson (Scotland)
Glyn Parry (North West)
Katy Storie (North East)
Annie Potter (Yorkshire)
Hannah Blandford (London)
???????? (West Midlands)
Christopher Campbell (East Midlands)
Jo Dixon (South West)
Sadie Thwaites (Wales)
Ian Smyth (Invited Member)
Peter Warburton (Senior Managers
representative)
????????? (South East)
Apologies: ????????
Rugby Football League presentation
James Szymik presented to the group on the development of a new competition structure for
Rugby League, a smaller sided game aimed at increasing participation. The current situation
was identified as follows:
52 institutions currently playing in the BUCS structure incorporating 65 teams. There are 10
development teams (2 women) which equates to 1807 individuals
The RFL have run a pilot in the Midlands region 7 teams, 6 festivals and 91 new players most
of them are not playing in BUCS.
The proposal looks to increase participation, retain players, create a pathway and is attractive
to members to support by reducing numbers to 9-a-side, based around a festival, with a flexible
team entry. They will look to develop RL activators who in turn will support the programme.
Several questions were raised by members of the meeting:
Is this a change in what BUCS points are to be used for?
Should we be using points to positively encourage participation at a certainly level?
A greater discussion is to be had about changing structures at the lower level.
ACTION - BUCS to provide a paper for lower level participation back to the meeting in May
2015.
BUCS
1. Minutes and actions from last meeting (24 November 2014)
These were signed as an accurate record of the meeting.
Matters arising:
Matters arising
Indoor Cricket update – SAG Chair and ECB conversations had raised too many questions to
address right now so the paper has been withdrawn and will be submitted in October.
Swimming update – some confusion about what was trying to be achieved and the situation
has now been clarified. BUCS Points will only be allocated to two per institution in all disability
and non-disability heat declared winner events. It was suggested that a position should be
created on the SAG for disability representation.
Playoffs – Each fixture needed to have a conclusion to the match and all fixtures should always
play to Premier League requirements.
ACTION – BUCS to identify how each match is concluded and confirm to institutions that all
matches are played to Premier League standards.
LTA
American Football – A question was raised following a game at Durham where the Director of
Sport had witnessed 4 stoppages in 30 minutes; should women be allowed to play in a mixed
game?
ACTION - Ask the NGB / SAG for the risk assessment into why women can play, also look at
the RFU risk assessments for the same.
PoL
Make-up of the Competition Groups – This had not been porogresed but will be brought to the
next meeting in May.
Action – paper to be written and circulated before the next meeting.
FD
Gaelic football – awaiting a response form the GAA to sign off a proposal and then be brought
to Competitions Group in May.
Action - CM
Squash – Wrong scores being input - representatives have chased up institutions and this
seems to have be resolved. It was raised that teams in Scotland play in a different format. And
the group questioned how the structure works and as a consequence the group recommended
that they would like to see all teams playing each other even if it’s played at a weekend.
Action – RS & LTA
BUCS points discussion – there was further discussion about the relevance or otherwise of
BUCS points and whether they are fit for purpose. A preparatory paper is to be written
identifying different ways to allocate points and a review of the current structure. It was
requested that should any working group be formed that a Senior manager is recruited for the
group.
Action - MB
2. Equestrian
All regions were supportive of the realignment of mini regions and the directive that all contact
will now conducted through AU’s and equivalent and not through captains.
3. Ultimate
A paper was submitted for a change to the structure of the Men’s Outdoor competition.
Scotland:
North East:
Supportive – liked the input form the NGB
Supportive - questioned whether there should be officials in an invasion sport?
BUCS confirmed that the game is self-officiated at the highest levels and the NGB
are not suggesting anything different for our Championships.
North West:
Unsupportive
Yorkshire:
Supportive - keen to play on Saturdays
West Midlands: Supportive – UKU membership was questioned, why should individuals have to
pay and what is the value that they get?
East Midlands: Supportive – They questioned why the entry was higher than in others sports, why
are the matches shorter in the finals, and if it is to be a true league programme then
should it be run on a Wednesday afternoon and follow the normal league
competition format?
South West:
Supportive – facilities could be an issue, although games can be re-scheduled for
a weekend.
Wales:
Supportive
South East:
Supportive –Similar financial questions were raised in relation to the entry fees
and NGB affiliation.
London:
Supportive – Wednesday fixtures work well for the region, but did raise the
affiliation question.
Senior Managers No comment
Action – BUCS to establish why there is a need for an increased entry fee, what is the
breakdown of expenditure? Confirm why an affiliation fee is required and again what is the
benefit to the individuals?
CM
A paper was submitted for a change to the structure of the Women’s Outdoor competition.
Scotland:
North East:
Supportive
Supportive – The group questioned why regional rounds are not compulsory? Is
there to be a Trophy competition and can the finances be explained?
North West:
Supportive
Yorkshire:
Supportive
West Midlands: Supportive
East Midlands: Supportive
South West:
Supportive
Wales:
Supportive
South East:
Supportive
London:
Supportive
Senior Managers No comment
ACTION: Cost breakdown and attendance at regionals.
CM
4. British Universities Indoor Snowsports Championship
A paper was submitted to sanction the running of the Indoor programme and the feedback was
as follows:
North West – SUPPPORTIVE
South East – SUPPORTIVE
Yorkshire – SUPPORTIVE
London – SUPPORTIVE
Scotland – SUPPORTIVE
North East – SUPPORTIVE – why has the points structure been allocated to this sport? BUCS
responded that it is an individual sport and therefore the best teams don’t necessarily qualify
through to the final therefore it was felt that the reward should be across the two stages of the
competition.
West Midlands – SUPPORTIVE
East Midlands - SUPPORTIVE – same questioned raised as above
South West – SUPPORTIVE
Wales – SUPPORTIVE
Senior Managers – No comment
ACTION:
BUCS to look at individual sports where there is a regional competition and
identify the current allocation of BUCS points
LTA
5. Tennis
BUCS submitted the clarification on the point’s structure. A further discussion ensued about
the total number of BUCS points on offer for National premier leagues.
Action – to be incorporated into the paper on BUCS points.
MB
6. Player Movement
The paper form the last meeting was tabled and the following was recorded:
Wales – SUPPORTIVE
South West – SUPPORTIVE – they required more information about how the fringe player
situation would work? Suggested that it would be helpful if a template was provided.
East Midlands – SUPPORTIVE – Spot checks must happen, need to decide on the action
taken, can we have examples of institutions that have fallen foul of the player movement
regulations.
West Midlands – SUPPORTIVE
North East – The view of the region was that fringe players should be about player
management and the replacement of players with better players, they did not agree with
allowing first teams to be displaced. They raised the issue of academic exemptions to allow
players joining the university later in the year to be available.
Scotland – SUPPORTIVE – triplicate books would make life easier. There is now more
awareness from players about the regulations which is a good thing.
London – SUPPORTIVE – Can the document be tailored towards officials so they have an
understanding? Spot Checks are important.
Yorkshire – SUPPORTIVE
South East – SUPPORTIVE – spot checks
North West – SUPPORTIVE – guide to be produced
Senior Managers – Plenty of squad management especially in rugby. What is the impact of
fringe players, how widespread is it? It was also suggested that if you haven’t played in the
league you shouldn’t be able to take part in the playoffs.
Action – BUCS must carry out spot checks and highlights any institutions that have fallen foul
of the player movement regulations.
Look to develop a pilot in a given sport
Produce a guide for officials
LTA
7. Regional competition opportunities.
LTA had visited the Western Conference to address specific issues around tournament style
competition formats within a region where facilities are not abundant and geography players an
important role. More to be done and an update provided for the next meeting.
8. Regulations – mid season changes / amendments
It was highlighted that there is currently no process in place currently to deal with any rules and
regulation changes. I was agreed that such matters will be progressed on a sports specific
basis and a decision made by office in conjunction with SAG and Chair of Competitions group.
9. Volleyball officials
North West – have developed their own officials
Senior Managers – no comment
South East – its ok NGB are trying to get more people on courses
Yorkshire – Some could, some couldn’t, difficult when there are multiple teams at home.
London – rarely have enough officials, even at premier league level (and then only likely to get
one). Running some courses at Roehampton
Scotland – Reffin’ Brilliant each club has to send three students at the beginning of the year.
Fixtures are scheduled to maximise the opportunity for those students to officiate. Slight
problem with neutrality.
North East – lots of officials qualified but mostly students, very few NGB officials.
West Midlands – many are students and so therefore playing and neutrality an issue.
East Midlands – As above.
South West – as above.
Wales – as above.
ACTIONS: SAG needs to develop a regulation change in order for institutions not to break the
rule.
PoL
10. Women’s Futsal
A paper was submitted showing the change to the league format for Women’s Futsal to bring it
into line with the men’s competition.
Wales – SUPPORTIVE
South West – SUPPORTIVE
East Midlands – SUPPORTIVE
West Midlands – No comment
Scotland – where would Scottish teams fit into the structure if they wished to participate?
London & South East – short on numbers and only four fixtures were played this year.
Yorkshire – SUPPORTIVE
North East – no debate
North West – only a few teams and therefore didn’t really have an impact on the region.
Action - Need to have an opportunity to move Futsal to a two premier league in 2016-17.
Quote examples where it has happened in other sports.
LTA / PoL
11. Any other business
Road Race does not currently have an allocation of team points. It should fall into line with the
recent changes to the BUCS points structure and develop a way of allocating to an extracted
team opportunity.
If fixtures are blocked could BUCS provided a framework around which they are then
managed? It was agreed that it was down to the two institutions to agree a specific playing
schedule when the initial fixtures are being re-scheduled.
Why is Worcester in the North Premier League WHICH SPORT?
Why are two teams relegated from Tier 3?
Action – please send specific information to the BUCS office and it will be looked into.
Women playing in men’s competition? FD to take to Advisory Group.
Next Meeting:
May 2015 - London