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Minutes of IOA Executive Meeting, Feb6th 2011

Attendees: Brendan O’Brien, Finn van Gelderen, Aine Joyce, Brian Power, Fergal Buckley, Ed Niland, Andrew Cox, Sara Ní Ruairc, Ruth Lynam, Ivan Millar. Apologies from Harold White.

Agenda:1. Budgeting- Sarah 2. Sponsorship - Finn 3. Event registration fees - Fergal

4. WRE in Ireland - Ivan 5. Schools Orienteering 6. Chairperson's governance proposal

7. Chairperson's Awards proposal 8. Passing of Joss Lynam and Joss Lynam memorial award 9. O club in Wicklow/Wicklow sports partnership - Ed 10 Permanent O courses11. AOB

Budgeting

The budget for 2011 was circulated by email in advance. The need to break even on Income and expenditure each year was emphasised by the Chairman. Extra expenditure over budget will have to be discussed by the Executive Committee. Each Officer is responsible for their own budget and there is no need for further approval.

When grant from ISC is known all budgets may have to be reassessed.

It was clarified that the budget runs from Jan to December each year. The difficulty facing newly elected executives was discussed, that is, arriving half way through the financial year.

It was agreed that a document showing each officers budget position would be available soon.

It was requested that the executive begin the planning and budgeting process earlier that ISC grant applications are received.

Currently all contributions made by Juniors are recorded in IOA accounts. The Seniors may adopt this policy to show contributions.

The question of what happens any underspend in a year was discussed. Should it be carried over to the next year ? It was concluded that this should be agreed between the Treasurer, the Chairpersonand the Officer.

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Sponsorship

The Communications Officer is considering the sourcing of Sponsorship for Irish Orienteering. In doing this a number of questions are raised egShould Sponsorship be for the Senior Squad or for the Sport generally or for specific athletes. Sponsorship is difficult to achieve in this economic environment.

Ed Niland spoke about his experience of organising Sprint O events in a town or city and the willingness of the Town officials or Local Businesses sponsoring the event. This could be a Permanent Orienteering Course or a once off event.

Registration Fees Review

Fergal Buckley spoke about the need to review event registration fees. Fees have remained unchanged for a number of years

The following changes were agreed and will be implemented from August 2011 for the next seasons orienteering.

Leinster League: from €70 to €80Other events: from €35 to €40Championship events: from €100 to €120Over ten events: from €10 to €20

Proposal for WRE events in Ireland

The High Performance Officer, Ivan Millar, proposed to the committee that a WRE event should be held in Ireland each year. This would reflect the Strategic Plan. Such an event would aid the senior and Junior Squad.

There would be extra recourses required.

There was support for the idea that of a WRE Sprint Event each year. It was felt that such an event may also get sponsorship.

In 2012 The Irish 2 day is to be held near Galway and perhaps a Sprint O in Galway would be suitable.

Schools Orienteering

Mapping work is being done in Cork, Kilkenny and Waterford.

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There is also a need for a Trophy for Schools Orienteering. The executive agreed to help fund perpetual trophies for Irish Schools competition.

Affiliated schools: 19 primary and 12 secondary are currently affiliated in Munster. In Leinster, 10 secondary and 6 primary.

Selection for World Schools Event is an issue at the moment. A letter will be sent from the IOA to clarify this situation in this regard. AC to draft letter and send to BOB

The IOSG blog, the CSOA website and the Leinster schools results page on the GEN website have all helped to develop the profile of schools orienteering. Well done to Mary Healy in getting a clip on RTE news2day.

Governance and Awards Proposal

Comments were invited on the text of the proposals distributed (see appendix).

What is the criteria for the performance award ? Qualifying for the A final in the World Championships. Or top 50 in JWOC or WUOC

Should World Masters be included or not ?

FVG, IM, BO’B and RL to form a sub- committee to work on the details.

Joss Lynam

The committee voted sympathy to Ruth and family on the death of her father Joss Lynam.

AOB

Direct membership of IOA:There has been an enquiry about the possibility of direct membership of the IOA. This is allowed in the constitution. A fee of €25 was set. The current club affiliation form will be used as a direct membership form.

Archive Project for TIO

This is proceeding.

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Affiliation Form and FeesA sub-committee will be formed to discuss this and return an answer by the end of February. The

Committee will consist of AC, FB and EN.

JournalistA fiend of Sarah’s who is a journalist has asked to cover the JK. This committee favoured this suggestion. He/She will liase with the Communications Officer.

Next Meeting:

A conference call will be arranged when the grant is received from the ISC.

Appendices:

Governance proposal

Awards Proposal

WRE Proposal

Irish Orienteering Association, 2nd Floor, 13 Upper Baggot Street, Dublin 4, Ireland info@orienteering.ie www.orienteering.ie

 

Proposed  Governance  Model    

1. Introduction  This  is  a  proposal  to  formalise  the  IOA  executive  governance  model.  

 

2. Meetings  The  IOA  executive  will  meet  at  regular  intervals  as  needed  during  each  year.  These  meetings  will  be  conducted  either  via  conference  call  or  face  to  face.    A  minimum  of  4  meetings  will  take  place  (more  may  be  necessary)  including  the  annual  AGM.  The  executive  will  meet  face  to  face  at  the  annual  AGM  and  one  other  time  during  the  winter  season,  at  a  convenient  location  either  before  or  after  Christmas.    Each  meeting  will  have  minutes  taken.  These  minutes  will  be  circulated  and  assumed  to  be  adopted  unless  modifications  sought  within  7  days  is  issue.    3. Reports  Each  member  of  the  IOA  executive  will  provide  a  brief  report  of  activities  and  plans  to  the  meetings.    Two  (2)  written  reports  are  required,  one  at  the  AGM  and  the  other  for  the  face  to  face  meeting  in  winter.    Verbal  reports  will  be  given  and  minutes  taken  as  needed  at  other  meetings.    4. Responsibilities  of  Officers  Each  officer  has  complete  responsibility  for  their  own  area.  This  includes  developing  and  executing  an  annual  set  of  plans,  managing  the  financial  resources  to  deliver  this,  and  applying  common  sense  and  good  practice  guidelines  on  behalf  of  the  IOA.  All  officers  can  contribute  to  the  association  however  they  wish,  including  discussion,  debate,  new  ideas/initiatives,  representing  the  IOA  externally  etc.    Every  officer  undertakes  to  act  in  a  manner  that  conveys  respect,  courtesy,  inclusiveness  and  fairness  in  all  interactions  within  or  on  behalf  of  the  IOA.    5. Budget  guidelines  Annual  budgets  are  allocated  to  individual  members  of  the  IOA  executive  during  the  budgeting  process  as  part  of  the  grant  submission  to  the  Irish  Sports  Council.  These  are  revised  as  necessary  based  on  funding  provided.  Individual  executives  have  the  authority  to  spend  their  budget  allocations  as  they  deem  necessary,  using  reasonable  and  fair  judgement,  to  deliver  their  plans  for  the  year.  Any  over-­‐spend  or  re-­‐allocation  of  un-­‐spent  resources  must  be  by  prior  agreement  with  the  treasurer  and  the  chairperson.  The  IOA  aims  to  operate  annually  on  a  break  even  level.    Spending  of  cash  reserves  shall  only  be  for  strategic  investment  reasons,  such  as  the  development  of  assets,  or  targeted  growth  of  the  sport.  Any  such  investment  will  be  subject  to  agreement  by  the  executive  in  advance.      6. Proposals  Any  member  of  the  executive  may  from  time  to  time  put  forward  proposals  to  alter  or  amend  the  rules,  guidelines  and  structure  of  the  sport.  These  proposals  will  be  in  short  written  format  and  submitted  prior  to  an  executive  meeting.    The  executive  may  adopt,  reject  or  seek  further  clarification  on  the  motion.  Adoption  or  rejection  is  by  a  vote  at  the  meeting,  and  if  further  clarification  is  needed,  the  proposal  may  be  re-­‐submitted  via  email  and  voted  on  by  email  reply.    

 

Irish Orienteering Association, 2nd Floor, 13 Upper Baggot Street, Dublin 4, Ireland info@orienteering.ie www.orienteering.ie

 

Proposed  IOA  Awards      

1. Introduction  This  is  a  proposal  to  the  IOA  executive  to  introduce  a  series  of  2  additional  awards  for  achievement  in  the  sport.  These  awards  will  be  based  upon  a  set  of  criteria  as  defined  by  the  IOA  executive  and  updated  from  time  to  time,  and  be  in  addition  to  the  3  existing  awards  outlined  in  Appendix  I  below.  

 

2. Award  Categories  IT  is  proposed  to  introduce  two  award  categories  

i. Performance  Excellence  Award  ii.        Spirit  of  Orienteering  Award  

 3. Performance  Excellence  Award  This  award  will  be  given  to  each  orienteer  in  a  given  year  that  achieves  an  outstanding  result  in  international  competition.  The  criteria  for  this  award  applies  to  both  junior  and  senior  athletes  running  in  their  elite  categories:  

-­‐ Finalist  in  world  championships    -­‐ Finalist  in    world  cup  event  -­‐ Top  10  in  JK  -­‐ Top  30  in  European  Champs  

Any  athlete  reaching  the  performance  excellence  standard  during  a  calendar  year  will  automatically  be  a  recipient  of  this  award.  

 4. Spirit  of  Orienteering  Award  This  award  will  be  given  to  one  person  each  year.  It  is  in  recognition  of  outstanding  service  or  performance  in  the  sport,  either  for  exceptional  efforts  in  a  single  year  or  for  a  long  term  contribution  that  makes  a  lasting  impact  on  the  sport.  

4.1.    Nomination  process  The  IOA  executive  will  nominate  candidates  for  this  award.  The  support  of  two  members  of  the  executive  are  required  for  a  successful  nomination,  and  in  the  event  of  more  than  one  nomination  a  vote  will  decide  the  winner,  with  the  Chairperson  having  the  casting  vote  in  the  event  of  a  tie.  

 5. Roll  of  Honour  All  award  winners  will  be  remembered  in  a  ‘roll  of  honour’  maintained  by  the  IOA.  It  will  be  updated  yearly  and  publically  available  on  the  website.    6. Awards  Each  award  will  consist  of  a  specially  commissioned  medal  or  memento  as  well  as  a  formal  presentation  at  the  AGM.  

   Prepared  by:  Brendan  O’Brien  February  2010      

IOA  AWARDS    

© IOA, 2011 P a g e | 2

APPENDIX  I  -­‐  Existing  IOA  Awards:   The Irish Orienteering Association presents three annual awards. These awards are of equal status and reflect the Irish orienteering community's recognition of an individual's contribution to the sport. Silva Trophy: for the development of orienteering – achieving something that will grow the sport. Some examples are: a new map; a new technology; bringing orienteering to a new part of the country; introducing a new group to the sport; re-vitalising a neglected area of the sport; enhancing the social aspects of the sport. Mactire Trophy: for achievement in orienteering competition by a member of an IOA affiliated club in the previous calendar year, in any age category, in any orienteering discipline, anywhere. Silva Award: for the administration of orienteering at a local or national level, or for involvement in the staging of a major event.

Eligibility

• Once five years have passed a person is again eligible to win an award that they have won before

• Serving IOA committee members cannot receive the Silva Trophy or Silva Award, but they can receive the Mactire Trophy

Nominations

• must be from an IOA affiliated club or a member of an IOA affiliated club and they do not need to be seconded

• must contain a short description of why the nominee should receive the award - typically this will be two or three sentences.

• should indicate if the person was nominated unsuccessfully in a previous year • must clearly state which of the three awards the nomination is for • must be submitted by the closing date • should be for an individual – group nominations are discouraged • will be published on orienteering.ie in advance of the award ceremony • cannot be from a current Judge or from a current member of the IOA Executive committee

Judges

• the previous year's award winners will form a committee with three equal votes and will select the winners of this year's three awards

• if committee members are unavailable then the IOA chairman will nominate alternative members

• the judges' decision is final • if the judges feel that a nominee has been put forward for an incorrect category then they

can re-assign the nomination to any other category • group awards are discouraged – the judges should strive to select individual winners • if there are no nominations, or if the Judges feel that the nominees are not of the required

standard, then an award may not be given.

Awards • will be publicised on orienteering.ie and elsewhere • should be given out at the AGM of the IOA, unless there is a good logistical reason for

choosing another occasion • will be kept safe by the winners and returned to the IOA administrative assistant in good

time for the next award ceremony.

Annual WRE proposal for lOA meeting 060211

Could the committee please consider the possibility of Irish clubs holding at least one World rankingevent per year.

The lOA should support this for a number of reasons:

• It would provide the opportunity for more Irish orienteers to experience internationalstandard competition in their own terrain.

• It would improve overall performance and further develop orienteering in Ireland• It provides higher levels of experience for Irish event officials and administrators

The IOF world ranking list is a very important facility for our elite orienteers - it is beneficial for thesenior squad members to compete in and experience as many major events as possible includingmore locally available WR events.The Irish juniors would gain further experience from a regular Irish WR event before progressingtowards competing in more WRE overseas.The provision of at least one WRE per year in Ireland would emphasis the fact that the lOA iscommitted to providing quality major events to our orienteers.

The provision of a WRE does mean extra work for event officials but this could be viewed also asf.urther experience for our officials,At present there are a number of annual/bi-annual events established in Ireland that could quiteeasily support WR events:

• Annual Irish Champs weekend (May each year) consisting of a Long and usually middledistance.

• The Shamrock O'Ringen (June every odd numbered year) 3 days of high quality competitionin high quality terrain which often attracts large numbers of overseas competitors.

• The Irish 3 Day (June every even numbered year) same as above.• Regular high quality regional competitions could also host a long distance WRE

Another option would be to hold an annual sprint distance race that would be of WRE standard.Many city/sprint type events are now on the orienteering calendar.In Ireland we have plenty of areas suitable for providing excellent sprint competition. If there was aregular WRE sprint here that became an annual'must do' event there would be endless possibilitiesfor promoting the sport (possibly Olympic) in Ireland. Perhaps also, developing Irish elite sprintorienteers who could challenge on the world stage in the future.

Ivan Millar(High performance director lOA)