Hi all,

RE: Emergency Meeting for Ladies Section – Tuesday 18th October 2022

As you will have seen from the team sheets so far this season, we have struggled with availability to fill three games each week.

Last year was difficult, but we were aided by a number of bye weeks within the 2s and 3s leagues which enabled us to hold the 3 squads. The return from Covid has seen a number of clubs suffer, and sadly our club is no different. People have found other activities, changed their fitness and lifestyle habits, and it’s been hard to bring people back to the pitch.

This season has already been challenging. We have regularly started the week with less than 20 people available, and this does not improve as we look forward.  The captains and I feel there is no other option at this point but to lose one of our three teams, which will enable us to put two strong sides each week. We have been fined 3 weeks in a row for dropping a fixture (which increase in value on an upward scale week on week), and are now at the point where the decision to keep three teams is almost out of our hands with the rules the league has in place.

Yesterday I have emailed the league to understand how we drop one team for this season. League rules state the lowest playing team would need to forfeit the rest of the season, and only in extreme circumstances (where there is evidence that most of one team has left a club) would they would consider an appeal to drop a higher playing team.

This leaves us with three options:

1) We lose the team currently playing in division 5 (the ladies 3s)

2) We mount an appeal to remove the 2s (playing in division 4)

3) We mount an appeal to remove the 1s (in division 1)

Given that the 2s and 3s play only one league apart, there would not be a strong justification for us removing the current 2s side. We therefore in reality need to decide if we continue with the 1st XI in division 1 or, submit an appeal to remove the 1s, and pay with two teams in divisions 4 and 5.

To have the discussion on what the ladies section would like to do, we will be holding a online meeting at 8pm on Tuesday 18th October and as part of the meeting, will vote on how we progress. The meeting will be on teams, so please follow the link below.

Microsoft Teams meeting :Click here to join the meeting

Meeting ID: 326 713 323 43
Passcode: 7wwy9Z

If you are unable to attend but wish you make a written submission, please email this to Shellynash@outlook.com no later than Saturday 15th October.

This is not the news I ever wanted to deliver as your ladies’ club captain. 4 years ago we were considering adding a 4th side as we had too many people willing and able to play, but we are in a very different world now, so need to make some significant decisions in order to ensure those who do want to play can enjoy the game time they get.

If we see our numbers grow, we can include a 3rd XI next season, who would re-join at the same level that the 3s currently play in.

For this week, we will be playing the 2s and 3s fixture, and the team sheet will be out shortly.

As always, any questions, please get in touch with me, Welshie, Lottie, Izzy or Sarah Cox.

 

Thanks,

 

Shelly