Last Minute Changes Hurt Everyone

[jason_doust]

This is an open letter expressing my disgust at the decision to move the ACT State challenge.

Firstly, I am not affected. I am writing this because of the domino effect of inconvenience this has caused other people.

It beggars belief that this event has been changed with just on two week’s notice.

The state challenge now conflicts with a real tournament that has been months in planning (the Northern NSW Open).

Six people from the ACT had entered the NNSW Open. Four of them have had to withdraw because the state challenge has a “gun to your head” clause of being compulsory if you want to wear an ACT shirt this year.

This in turn reduces the ability of ACT bowlers to gain experience playing better grade competition than can be found locally. Instead they will all be playing with themselves.

This “own patch” decision has impacted on;

• the Tournament Director of a real event,
• the competitors of that event
• a hotelier in Coffs Harbour,
• at least four of your own players entered in that event
• other state challenge competitors having to change plans at the last minute

A national event calendar is available via either TBA or this site. I suggest looking at both, like the organisers did for NNSW Open.

This is not the only ACT event this year to cause angst among players. ACT Rachuig roll-offs conflicted with another great event at Orange this year, reducing entries for that event. (Orange is always on the Anzac Day weekend.)

This sort of short sighted decision making is hurting bowling in general and the ACT in particular. I note that this phenomenon is not unique to the ACT.

Jason Doust

 

[ChrisG]

Has there been any reason given as to why the State Challenge was moved?

 

[dozer]

check with Drew, he would have been aware of the discission

 

[Andrew S.]

Last minute changes do hurt everyone. We've had a few conflicts here too and we're hoping to avoid anything major next year. We are hoping this is one possible solution.

Here's an extract from the Qld State web site:

TOURNAMENT MEETING AT SPORTS HOUSE WEDNESDAY 12 SEPTEMBER 7.00PM
There will be a meeting for all Tournament Organisers to discuss dates for 2008. TBAQ have asked all their Committees to have their dates ready and all Queensland Associations are asked to bring their major dates to the meeting. The meeting hopes to achieve 2 objectives, the most important being to avoid clashes wherever possible, and the second to set down 2008 dates at an early stage. Anyone who is concerned with any 2008 Queensland Tournament or Regional/Local Roll-Off Fixtures is invited to attend this meeting.

 

[Andrew B]

Jason,

Perhaps this would have been an avenue better pursued in private, rather than on a public forum. Have you even bothered to ask when team managers were notified of the dates for the state challenge> or if the state challenge is even compulsory?
i believe it is not a compulsory event, and being that bowlers have been given a pass from previous training sessions for mediocre events such as country challenge, im sure the FOUR bowlers out of the Thirty odd bowlers in the state challenge, would have been allowed to travel to a tournament if they had asked.
There is not a gun pointed at anyone's head here, we are all capable of making our own choices.

Just my opinion.

 

[jason_doust]

Hi Andrew,

I believed what I was told. It appears that I was misled. I apologise for misinforming people about the false peception of compulsion regarding the State Team Challenge that I was under the impression of. Next time, I'll follow up stuff like this in a private forum.

Still a shame that it clashes with NNSW Open. Rachuig trials also clashed with Newcastle Open at Mayfield this year btw.

Kind regards,
Jason