news0798

- NEWSLETTER -
NOVEMBER 1999

Contents
Championships 2000 Sponsorship 2001 AGM 1999 AGM 2000 AGM	Issues to consider Lightweight rowing Reminders Forms - School Declaration Registration Numbers Colours Subscriptions

2000 CHAMPIONSHIPS
The School Rowing Championships will be held at Lake Ruataniwhia with racing starting on Tuesday 28th March, Repacharges on 29th, Semifinals on 30th and finals on Friday 31st March and Saturday 1st April.
If you are planning to send a team to Ruataniwhia then accommodation bookings should have been made by now. I have advice from Twizel that accommodation is very tight already.
By the time you receive this new letter you should have received the first news letter from South Island Rowing Inc who are organising the 2000 regatta.

SPONSORSHIP
It is with much pleasure I advise that Mighty River Power have undertaken to take over from ECNZ and will be the principal sponsor of the 2000 regatta which will be formally known as the

"2000 MIGHTY RIVER POWER NEW ZEALAND SECONDARY SCHOOLS ROWING CHAMPIONSHIPS"

2001 CHAMPIONSHIPS
For the note books, the 2001 regatta will be held at Karapiro on Tuesday 27th March through to Saturday 31st March. Like the two previous regattas at Karapiro the volume of entries and a 6 lane course will probably mean racing in heats will start on the Monday afternoon.

1999 ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
It is perhaps unfortunate that at the 1999 AGM, despite over 60 schools nominating delegates to attend, we did not end up with a quorum at the AGM. The reappointment of the President and Secretary/Treasurer (who stood unopposed), Annual Accounts will have to be ratified at the 2000 AGM. Hopefully the delegates appointed by the principals to attend the 2000 meeting to represent the schools interests will all attend??.

2000 ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
Notice is given that the annual general meeting of the Association will be held at Ruataniwhia on Thursday 30th March. The business will be

Roll Call
Apologies
Presidents Address
Correspondence in/out
Minutes Previous AGM
Treasurers Report
Election of Officers (President and Secretary hold office as per constitution)
Remits
General

Notice is given that Nominations for Life membership of the Association close on 19th January. Reference is made to clause 5.2 of the constitution for persons who may be nominated and the process.
Notice is given that Nominations for Hon Auditor and Hon Solicitor close on 23rd February. The office of President and Secretary/Treasurer are held for two years and the next election will be in 2001.
Notice is given that Remits for discussion at the AGM close on 23rd February
Notice is given that applications to host the 2002 Regatta close on 23rd February

LIGHTWEIGHT ROWING
Those who attended the meeting in 1999 raised a number of matters. The continuation of Lightweight events in the regatta program was one issue.

The principal area of concern is that pupils who are not natural lightweight are being entered in these events. The weight limits are:

Males Maximum weight 72.5kg - average for crew 70kg.
Females Maximum 59kg average for crew 57kg.

While there is no objection or concern if a crew member is a natural lightweight, at past regattas it has been observed at the weigh-in that many of of the lightweight rowers are not natural lightweights. Many have been following a weight loss program, often not supervised or planned and involving going with out proper food on the evening before and morning leading up to the weigh in and racing.

Although the event is an Under 19 event it is noted that many of the rowers fall into the U17 and U16 age groups. If U17 and 16 rowers cannot meet the U19 weight limit then the continuation of the event must be questioned. The concern is that pupils are being encouraged to develop unhealthy eating habits in an effort to loose weight to enter these events. It is well known and documented that such practices and pressures can lead to eating disorders that can develop into grave medical problems.

We cannot eliminate these events until a majority of members vote to do so. The last vote on the matter was lost by one vote.
As the events are on the program we strongly recommend that the school has in place proper checks to ensure only natural light weights are entered into the event and that the school acts to stop pupils who are not natural lights entering. The legal responsibility for consequences for not adopting such a policy rests with the school.

The executive has for the past two years now been of the opinion that there are insufficient checks and balances in place between Schools and Coaches to make it safe for us to continue to allow these events in the program and we will again raise the matter at the next AGM

FORMS - SCHOOL DECLARATION
The School Championships are an age based regatta for full time pupils attending school. One of the forms sent with the entries asks the Principals to sign is a declaration stating the rowers representing their school are of the age stated on the form and are attending as full time students. The form should be signed off by the principal under the last name listed.

We know of instances in the past where the definition of a "Full Time" student has been liberally interpreted.
We know of instances where incorrect ages have been used
We know of instances and where names have been added to the list after being signed by the Principal.

This form was instituted when we found out that a principal did not know the school had a crew at the regatta, and to stop some of the above problems.

Entries will NOT be accepted at the 2000 regatta until this form is correctly filled out and signed and received with the entries.

REGISTRATION NUMBERS
All rowers who pay any sort or subscription to a registered rowing Club, be it school or otherwise, and all rowers who race in Club regattas must be registered with the NZRA. (This is a condition of their constitution but is not always enforced by the NZRA Local Associations.) The file of registered rowers is used at the Schools Championships and other major regattas to enable crew entries to be entered into the Regatta Control Program.

This program is used to manage the regatta and to enable crew based results and programs to be produced. Certain checks are also made when the crew registration numbers are entered such as that the rower is of the correct age.

To enable this program to be used at our Championships it is essential that all rowers for your school are correctly registered by the times required by the NZRA. If you have rowers who do not pay any Club subscription and who have never rowed at a Club regatta then the NZRA Registration form should be completed and be sent to the NZRA accompanied by a declaration from the Club the school is associated with as well as the Local NZRA Rowing Association stating that the rowers are not Club members and have not rowed in a Club regatta.. These rowers will be allocated interim numbers so they can enter the School Championships.

All rowers entering the regatta MUST have registration numbers and these must be entered on the relevant forms else the enteries will not be accepted

COLOURS
Some schools take the opportunity to review their rowing singlet colours at this time.

If your school is contemplating such a change we remind you it is necessary to send a coloured drawing to the Secretary before the singlets are made so we can check them before hand. They should only be ordered after approval is given by this office.
We suggest that you examine the colours we have on the web page before submitting new colours to see there is no clash.
Please be aware that some colours from a short distance look the same Eg Navy Blue/Black/Dark Green

We ask if you could check our web page and see if your colors are listed in this page and if they are check that they are correct. If not, we ask that you supply us with the details (print out the form and send it to us) so we can add them.

Schools rowing in colours that have NOT been approved by the association can, under the Constitution/Rules and Regulations, be disqualified or be protested against at the regatta.

SUBSCRIPTION
The subscription invoice for membership to the NZSSRA is attached. This subscription remains unchanged at $80.00 with a $40.00 discount if paid before 1st December.

The Secretary