Club councils

[stevek1969]

Evening gents ,looking for some help suggestions here in a bit of discussion with our captain and council at this minute . Our Captain ,council are in general all retired and like an old boys club and a bit of a closed shop if being honest . Our captain took umbrage to comments made on Facebook last week about the course set up in the winter , the comments were not on the clubs FB page and no mention of the club but on a members page and guys from all over were giving there views on there course winter set up.

Anyway we received emails from him so this has opened a can of worms with me telling him its an old boys club with no new young blood coming thru to drive things forward, he is a control freak and from what I've seen doesn't like to be challenged, my question to you lads is what has your club done or doing to drive things forward getting younger people to join councils etc

 

[jim8flog]

The biggest problem with younger people on committees is simply a time thing. All of our committees hold their meeting during working hours and of course paid staff who you might need to talk to are only there during working hours.

Slagging off the course on social media is considered a disciplinary matter at our club because you could be putting off societies etc from booking the course. If you have a complaint about the course you are expected to submit your complaint to the Captain who will arrange for it to be discussed at committee.

 

[DCB]

A lot depends on your club constitution and the term that a member can sit on council. We have a maximum of three years then a council member must retire from council. That way it is very difficult for a situation like you have described to take place. A captain serves for two years and is replaced by the vice captain. All positions are voted upon at AGM.

As far as bringing younger blood on board, we have done it that way for a good while. A tone could be voted onto council if they received enough support. Getting younger guys to volunteer is the hard part. It takes a fair amount of time to do the job properly. Been there done that, got the bruises to prove it. Council are always the whipping boys if things go slowly or go wrong, members are always too willing to point out the errors of their ways. It is though an interesting and rewarding job.

Hope you get things sorted out, but, it sounds like a bit of a shake up is needed over there 😉

 

[stevek1969]

The biggest problem with younger people on committees is simply a time thing. All of our committees hold their meeting during working hours and of course paid staff who you might need to talk to are only there during working hours.

Slagging off the course on social media is considered a disciplinary matter at our club because you could be putting off societies etc from booking the course. If you have a complaint about the course you are expected to submit your complaint to the Captain who will arrange for it to be discussed at committee.

Our meetings are held at night , we play in an 8 club winter league a few comments back and forward between guys who have all played against one another for years now, there was no mention of the club in the comments .

 

[stevek1969]

A lot depends on your club constitution and the term that a member can sit on council. We have a maximum of three years then a council member must retire from council. That way it is very difficult for a situation like you have described to take place. A captain serves for two years and is replaced by the vice captain. All positions are voted upon at AGM.

As far as bringing younger blood on board, we have done it that way for a good while. A tone could be voted onto council if they received enough support. Getting younger guys to volunteer is the hard part. It takes a fair amount of time to do the job properly. Been there done that, got the bruises to prove it. Council are always the whipping boys if things go slowly or go wrong, members are always too willing to point out the errors of their ways. It is though an interesting and rewarding job.

Hope you get things sorted out, but, it sounds like a bit of a shake up is needed over there 

Captain serves for 2 then vice takes over none of which are elected by the members but from the past captains , so you see how it starts as an old boys club they all play together a couple of times a week and its like a club within a club .

Understand its a thankless task at times Dave but its got to change as its not the best the appointed d anew general manager he has changed things a bit but has only lasted 6 months and is to pastures new.

 

[jim8flog]

We have 3 committees

Directors all vote for by the members they get 3 years then have to stand for re-election if they want to continue.

Captains Committee , Captain, non voting Vice Captain, Lady Captain, non voting Vice lady Captain, Junior Organiser, Club Manager and then 3 elected members who can stand for 3 years.

Handicap Committee, Chaired by a person from the Captains committee plus 3 members co-opted to the committee plus office staff.

Current Captain serves one year chooses his own vice Captain who has to get voted in at AGM.

 

[stevek1969]

We have 3 committees

Directors all vote for by the members they get 3 years then have to stand for re-election if they want to continue.

Captains Committee , Captain, non voting Vice Captain, Lady Captain, non voting Vice lady Captain, Junior Organiser, Club Manager and then 3 elected members who can stand for 3 years.

Handicap Committee, Chaired by a person from the Captains committee plus 3 members co-opted to the committee plus office staff.

Current Captain serves one year chooses his own vice Captain who has to get voted in at AGM.

You have a lot of people on committees , we don't have any directors, just Capt, vice captain , greens, house, social, match , finance ,general manager and 2 members

 

[duncan mackie]

... my question to you lads is what has your club done or doing to drive things forward getting younger people to join councils etc

Surely the question is the other way round - "what have the younger people done to join the councils etc?"

I'm afraid that, in general, those that don't have the time or aren't able or prepared to commit their time, tend to have the most issues with the status quo.

One point that did stick out from your post was the suggestion that you don't vote on incoming captains at your AGM? That's very surprising. Whilst the committee, or outgoing captain, frequently put forward a candidate it's normal for the membership to vote them in.

 

[DCB]

From your description I see where the problem lies. It would need a huge change to stop that happening. Strange that Captain and Vice don't need to be voted into post. Ok, Captain is a shoe in as he's done his stint as vice, but, there might be a time where the membership decide enough is enough, but not allowing membership to vote on a Vic is strange. In effect it is a cub committee decision that is running the club and not the main club committee..........

 

[stevek1969]

Surely the question is the other way round - "what have the younger people done to join the councils etc?"

I'm afraid that, in general, those that don't have the time or aren't able or prepared to commit their time, tend to have the most issues with the status quo.

One point that did stick out from your post was the suggestion that you don't vote on incoming captains at your AGM? That's very surprising. Whilst the committee, or outgoing captain, frequently put forward a candidate it's normal for the membership to vote them in.

Duncan its such an old boys club ,the captain puts forward his vice captain then the past captains vote on that

 

[MadAdey]

Clubs I have been at have sort of voted in the vice. But it has been more of a case of the incoming Captain proposes his nomination forward for vice, then it needs seconding. Then the floor is asked is anyone opposed to him. So unless you want blackballing for standing up and objecting it is more of a formality. I know what people mean about the old guard basically running the club, but as people have said already, younger people do not have the time to run on a committee.

 

[Hobbit]

I suppose you could say that clubs get the committees they deserve/ask for. They vote on them, they get the opportunity to amend club rules at any time of the year, not just at AGM's. There is no reason for clubs and members to be disconnected, providing the members take an active part in making sure they have the right council.

Public discussions about the course; seem to remember a thread recently about a Capt using social media to criticise a club. I see no difference when a member does it. If there dissent or dirty washing, do it direct to the club council and its members. If you don't like the answer the council give, garner support and use due process right up to EGM to sort it.

Email tennis for an argument; guaranteed to make things worse. Emails for info, face to face conversations for arguments.

 

[jim8flog]

I would add that the although Vice Captain gets voted in at AGM at our last AGM there were only about 30-40 members present out of a membership of over 800 and I do not think there was a single person present under the age of 50.

 

[Crazyface]

From your description I see where the problem lies. It would need a huge change to stop that happening. Strange that Captain and Vice don't need to be voted into post. Ok, Captain is a shoe in as he's done his stint as vice, but, there might be a time where the membership decide enough is enough, but not allowing membership to vote on a Vic is strange. In effect it is a cub committee decision that is running the club and not the main club committee..........

Huh, the way it works at our place re choice of Captain is that the current Captain goes around begging mates, I got asked and know of three other as well, to be his Vice or when that fails like this years Captain you turn to others who you hope will like the hassle. It's a nightmare at our place.