LEAGUE COMPETITIONS

The most recent EKCO newsletter from Les mentions the future of the League singles, doubles and triples competitions and we're asking for your feedback.  So please let us have your ideas by adding a comment to the ones we've already had from David Blakeley and Alan Cregeen.

Les wrote in the EKCO

 The committee meeting, held at the start of the season, discussed the lack of support for all three league competitions and what, if anything, could we do about it. The following e mail has just been submitted by Rob Sheridan on that very subject.

“The vexed question of the league competitions is developing into a profound ongoing irritation!
We can be pretty sure that…..
Most of the Broadstairs/ Ramsgate players won’t bother to travel to an event in Herne Bay.
Very few of the Whitstable/ Herne Bay players will travel to an event in Broadstairs (we couldn’t get anyone from East Kent, Whitstable or The Monument to the Whitstable Oyster competition!)
These are the only venues where an event of any size can be held.
Div 2 and D3 players won’t be interested because they feel they have no possibility of winning and run the risk of being badly defeated, and for most of them petanque is a mainly social activity.
The Div 2 doubles at The Vale is a success because it is a good social event.
Ditto the Hoverspeed triples.
So, the numbers will always be limited
I don’t believe that a weekday event will attract any more entries, which leaves the options of…
1.1. Abandoning these competitions altogether. Probably my preferred option.
2.2. Holding them on Sundays as usual this year and then ask the clubs what they want to do in advance of a discussion at the AGM.”

We had a response from David Blakeley (Brown Jug B)
First thoughts on League competitions:


 (1) They should continue to be held
 (2) There is new blood in EKCPL; new people might be interested
 (3) It doesn't matter where competitions are held, most clubs have never had competitors
 (4) It's always been a hard core of clubs that have competed - Brown Jug, Herne Bay, Swalecliffe, Yellabacks
 (5) If each club had to send at least one team to each competition, there would be more competitors
 (6) Some competitions have been badly organized in the past; this has led some players not to bother
 (7) Scheduling issues - dates clashing with other comps
 (8) Lack of ambition from players who think 'they are not good enough';  how often do you have to tell players that to improve you need to play  against and learn from better, more experienced players?
 (9) Manston and Charlotte Court are big enough to hold comps; I don't know how big new venues like Monument, Whitfield are
 (10) Social events are fun, but competitions are meant to be competitive; there's a prize, a trophy, etc.
 (11) There should always be a Plate for those who don't make it to the main; prize money for this should be part of the entrance fee, not an extra
 (12) If possible, the League should guarantee a minimum prize for  winners; a few years of League subsidy may encourage more players to compete for worthy prizes. (This is, of course, if League funds allow.)
 Hope this gives some discussion points.

And this from Alan Cregeen (The Bottles)
Hi Les
I know this doesnt apply to everyone in the leagues but it will to those who generally turn out to petanque competitions.
The main reason i and others have not done any as yet is due to EPA and KPA weekend titles competitions clashing, it may be an option to plan your events around these in the hope that you may get players from the rest of kent at least. Or maybe hold them on a Saturday as most of the Region and EPA events are Sundays, i wouldnt go with weekdays as many people work.
Also publisiting these event on the Petanque Portal and Forum http://www.petanque.co.uk and the EPA website may also get you more entries but at this point you would need a much larger venue.
Just my thoughts