When you are a young cricketer just starting out in the world of senior cricket you judge another club by the quality of their cricket teas.
Each Saturday and Sunday ladies, some men do get involved to be fair, but generally ladies, make the cricket teas. Some are simple affairs done on a tight budget generally sandwiches, crisps, salads and fruit/cake. Some however are more extravagant including warm food such as curries or chillies, hot pot or pies, Lasagne or pasties, chips, baked potatoes, ice creams, yoghurts, trifles and fairy cakes.
You will often hear younger cricketers, when they find out where we are playing next week say "Oh I love/hate it there.The teas are fantastic/crap" delete appropriately!!
As you get older though you judge a club on much wider issues such as the culture of a club or the facilities.
The culture of a club is about how they play the game, how they treat the opposition, opportunities for young players to play first team cricket - quite simply do they play the game hard but fair and are they the type of club you would be happy to have a pint with in the bar after the game?
Facilities are a slightly different kettle of fish. There are many clubs who have a great culture but simply don't have the money to invest in their facilities. They therefore struggle to attract new players or develop clear pathways from junior cricket into senior cricket.
Wigan Sports Club where I play cricket (quite badly I may add) and coordinate the junior section is one of those clubs. We have a great culture. This is largely down to the players but most credit should be given to club captain Mark Rowe. He has been instrumental in developing a fantastic culture at the club. Don't get me wrong when he leads the team out on a Saturday there is a steely determination in his eyes. His team play the game on the edge and play to win and on the odd occasion a player oversteps the mark, he instantly rectifies the situation and has a "quiet" word with the relevant player.
After each game the umpires score each team as to how they behave and how well the captain keeps control of his team. It's no coincidence that Rowie has received the top marks in this area, and Wigan have received the Spirit of Cricket award too, for the past 2 seasons.
We have though, struggled for years without investment in our facilities. The changing rooms and clubhouse badly need refurbishing. The cost to the club in utilities due to inefficient heating and lighting systems as well as essential maintenance costs each year is enormous. The cricket section badly need some new cricket nets and there are significant issues with drainage to the pitch too.
Now however we will begin to develop facilities to match our culture. Myself and Rowie set about applying for a grant from Sport England back in the autumn. We chose to submit a project to refurbish the changing rooms and the common areas in the clubhouse. If successful the work would benefit the whole club - Hockey and Squash as well as Cricket; would help attract new members and retain existing members.
The announcement today by the Sports & Tourism Minister of a maximum Inspired Facilities Grant of £50k is fantastic for the club.The club is match funding this to the tune of £31k meaning a £81k investment in changing room facilities at the club. We should be able to install energy efficient lighting, heating and hot water facilities - seeing a reduction in our utility bills. We should also see more attractive and functional changing rooms that require less maintenance too. We will also see new kitchen facilities so should see good cricket teas as well!!!
Not a bad effort for 2 blokes from Wigan - one a great cricketer, extremely intelligent, well educated man with thoroughly decent principles. Oh, and me!!
So hopefully over the next couple of years young and old cricketers of other clubs when they find out they are playing at Wigan the week after will say "Yes, they are a great club, great culture and great facilities. Oh and the teas aren't bad either!"
Thursday, 24 January 2013
Thursday, 17 January 2013
I will (un) follow - Social Media - Censorship, Offence and Shock
Im a lover of Social Media. It's power is immense. Recently I have helped source a printer for a charity event and solved a friends technical problems for a presentation - just through tweeting a friend.
I Tweet and I blog. I also use Facebook, Yammer and Linked In.
I find them incredibly useful in my work life as well as being very informative and entertaining in my private life. Recently though events have made me question how I use them and the appropriateness of my use.
The Chairman of the Bolton, Bury and District Football League (BBDFL), Warren Barlow, recently received a 5 month suspension from office, imposed by the Lancashire FA for inappropriate Tweeting. I don't know enough about the case to comment here, suffice to say that Warren is incredibly passionate about grassroots football and can often find himself in the middle of emotive arguments. However he was suspended for passing a personal comment in an official position.
A colleague of mine recently Direct Messaged (DMd) me on Twitter informing me of a BBC parody account that I may find funny and subsequently choose to follow. They wouldn't tweet me as they felt it was too rude. I looked at the parody account, followed and instantly retweeted. The retweet contained 3 swear words - 2 fucks and a bastard. I was happy to retweet but my colleague wasn't.
So what rules do you use when you are considering blogging, tweeting or posting? What is acceptable and what isn't.
The rule of thumb that I use is "Would I say what I say in an unfamiliar city centre pub?
I'm quite happy to talk football with anyone, no matter where I am, although I admit I'm less likely to be received warmly talking about Latics in Burnley or trying to convince a Rangers fan that Henrik Larsson is the greatest Celtic number 7 - even better than King Kenny!
I'm also quite happy to talk endlessly about music - although I'm not well up on certain genres like Dance, Reggae or Rap.
I can talk politics especially Social and Housing policy and indeed waffle on about virtually any subject as good as the next man or woman. I'm likely to use the word fuck quite a lot, I'm also likely to refer to some people as bastards and other mildly offensive swear words. I am not racist or homophobic and am likely to positively challenge anyone that is.
So that's the rule I use. If I offend you via my Social Media then I would probably offend you in the pub.
Other people often have different standards. I read with interest the conditions attached to Greg Hoffmans iPhone that he got from his parents for Christmas http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2255285/Janelle-Hofmann-Mom-makes-son-13-sign-18-terms-conditions-giving-iPhone.html in short his mum, Janelle, made him sign a 20 point agreement before he could use the phone. Condition 9 is "Do not text, email, or say anything to someone that you would not say out loud with their parents in the room. Censor yourself."
I Tweet and I blog. I also use Facebook, Yammer and Linked In.
I find them incredibly useful in my work life as well as being very informative and entertaining in my private life. Recently though events have made me question how I use them and the appropriateness of my use.
The Chairman of the Bolton, Bury and District Football League (BBDFL), Warren Barlow, recently received a 5 month suspension from office, imposed by the Lancashire FA for inappropriate Tweeting. I don't know enough about the case to comment here, suffice to say that Warren is incredibly passionate about grassroots football and can often find himself in the middle of emotive arguments. However he was suspended for passing a personal comment in an official position.
A colleague of mine recently Direct Messaged (DMd) me on Twitter informing me of a BBC parody account that I may find funny and subsequently choose to follow. They wouldn't tweet me as they felt it was too rude. I looked at the parody account, followed and instantly retweeted. The retweet contained 3 swear words - 2 fucks and a bastard. I was happy to retweet but my colleague wasn't.
So what rules do you use when you are considering blogging, tweeting or posting? What is acceptable and what isn't.
The rule of thumb that I use is "Would I say what I say in an unfamiliar city centre pub?
I'm quite happy to talk football with anyone, no matter where I am, although I admit I'm less likely to be received warmly talking about Latics in Burnley or trying to convince a Rangers fan that Henrik Larsson is the greatest Celtic number 7 - even better than King Kenny!
I'm also quite happy to talk endlessly about music - although I'm not well up on certain genres like Dance, Reggae or Rap.
I can talk politics especially Social and Housing policy and indeed waffle on about virtually any subject as good as the next man or woman. I'm likely to use the word fuck quite a lot, I'm also likely to refer to some people as bastards and other mildly offensive swear words. I am not racist or homophobic and am likely to positively challenge anyone that is.
So that's the rule I use. If I offend you via my Social Media then I would probably offend you in the pub.
Other people often have different standards. I read with interest the conditions attached to Greg Hoffmans iPhone that he got from his parents for Christmas http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2255285/Janelle-Hofmann-Mom-makes-son-13-sign-18-terms-conditions-giving-iPhone.html in short his mum, Janelle, made him sign a 20 point agreement before he could use the phone. Condition 9 is "Do not text, email, or say anything to someone that you would not say out loud with their parents in the room. Censor yourself."
So everyone views what is acceptable slightly differently. Mrs Hoffman, my colleague, Warren Barlow and I and probably the millions of people using Social Media at this very moment will all use a different rule of thumb to censor ourselves effectively.
The easy ones to rule out are the illegal comments racist, homophobic, threats to kill etc.. if you made those comments in a pub or in front of your friends parents then you are likely to be assaulted, arrested or both and would probably deserve it.
The rest its fair to say, is down to our audience.
The rest its fair to say, is down to our audience.
So what do we do though if someone says something that offends us? There are 2 options I suppose
1. We either challenge the comment and put our view across; or
2. We ignore it, possibly tutting like Skippy the Kangaroo, and move on to the next comment. In the pub analogy we might move seats or even drink up and move on.
On Social Media we can choose to unfollow or unfriend someone but, because we are British, we feel we might upset the feelings of the person we are unfriending or unfollowing.
So if Im in a pub and Im spouting off and I offend you - Im sorry but you either need to move seats or drink up and move onto another pub.
If I offend you via Social Media then unfriend me or unfollow me - I wont be upset
Waits for loads of unfriending and unfollowing........
2. We ignore it, possibly tutting like Skippy the Kangaroo, and move on to the next comment. In the pub analogy we might move seats or even drink up and move on.
On Social Media we can choose to unfollow or unfriend someone but, because we are British, we feel we might upset the feelings of the person we are unfriending or unfollowing.
So if Im in a pub and Im spouting off and I offend you - Im sorry but you either need to move seats or drink up and move onto another pub.
If I offend you via Social Media then unfriend me or unfollow me - I wont be upset
Waits for loads of unfriending and unfollowing........
Friday, 21 December 2012
It's the End of the World as we know it, and I feel fine
The Mayans predicted the end of the world today, appropriately on Mad Friday too!!!
11.10am passed without incident. I was stuck in the waiting room at Manchester Royal Infirmary in a Myeloma clinic for my final check up of the year. I was back at MRI for the results of my MRI scan on my pelvis. You may recall from previous blogs that they found cause for concern following x-rays that they thought were lesions caused by the Myeloma.
Unfortunately the MRI scan is inconclusive - there is some bone damage and there are marks on the bone but the consultant is not 100% sure they are caused by the Myeloma. Although my blood levels remain affected - the amount of Myeloma is high, the amount of calcium is high, kidney function is impaired and white cells are low - they remain stable; so a decision to closely monitor has been made.
The most effective course of Chemotherapy is the first one and so they don't want to waste this and whilst I am now borderline for treatment they want to wait until a clear symptom of end organ damage is present before they start. This can change quickly and so this is why I remain on monthly check ups with some clear warning signals to look for.
This is all round good news. It means I can park the disease and enjoy Christmas with Jen and the kids - my next check up is 1st February 2013.
So today could have been a bad one, the Mayans aside, but in the words of Michael Stipe "It's the end of the world as we know it and I feel fine"
Have a very Happy Christmas and healthy, happy New Year
11.10am passed without incident. I was stuck in the waiting room at Manchester Royal Infirmary in a Myeloma clinic for my final check up of the year. I was back at MRI for the results of my MRI scan on my pelvis. You may recall from previous blogs that they found cause for concern following x-rays that they thought were lesions caused by the Myeloma.
Unfortunately the MRI scan is inconclusive - there is some bone damage and there are marks on the bone but the consultant is not 100% sure they are caused by the Myeloma. Although my blood levels remain affected - the amount of Myeloma is high, the amount of calcium is high, kidney function is impaired and white cells are low - they remain stable; so a decision to closely monitor has been made.
The most effective course of Chemotherapy is the first one and so they don't want to waste this and whilst I am now borderline for treatment they want to wait until a clear symptom of end organ damage is present before they start. This can change quickly and so this is why I remain on monthly check ups with some clear warning signals to look for.
This is all round good news. It means I can park the disease and enjoy Christmas with Jen and the kids - my next check up is 1st February 2013.
So today could have been a bad one, the Mayans aside, but in the words of Michael Stipe "It's the end of the world as we know it and I feel fine"
Have a very Happy Christmas and healthy, happy New Year
Sunday, 16 December 2012
Summer v Winter
A discussion has started in the last week or so about the merits of switching winter football to summer. The debate has come about because since early November many of our weekend football matches have been postponed, either because of waterlogged or frozen pitches; or because in order to protect the pitches the relevant local authority has closed the playing fields for that weekend.
The advantages for playing summer football are quite clear. Playing in warmer conditions on firmer playing surfaces means players will develop better skills - you only need to look at Brazil and Spain to work that one out. Many of our youngsters have to develop skills like trapping a ball in an inch of mud, running through puddles or how to take a throw-in with frozen fingers rather than the skills of the likes of Fabregas, Messi, Ronaldo et al.
Other advantages are light nights - this enables games to be played midweek but also for clubs to train on grass thus reducing the cost of expensive astro turf training facilities, reducing club overheads in these crucial times of austerity.
By playing regularly you are unlikely to encounter players losing interest by having long periods of time in between games and training due to inclement weather.
There are some hurdles to overcome though. Player availability during the summer may be an issue - and that's not player availability in terms of your best player has been picked for the town team - it's around family holidays. Some families have caravans or tents and use the summer weekends to take short breaks - which may prevent their children's involvement.
Pitch availability may be an issue - many Councils use the 3 months in the summer to repair and reseed the pitches.
Finally the competition from other summer sports, in particular cricket, may affect player availability. Some that don't know how cricket works don't understand that it can be played 7 days a week at a club (depending on how many junior sides you have) which would prevent coaches and co-ordinators from staying involved in football whilst it was underway at the same time.
The overlap in March, April and May is tough enough now, without totally overlapping the seasons. Those 3 months see me out 5 nights a week as well as Saturday and Sunday and test my marriage to the full!! I often have to choose between coaching a football or cricket team and therefore all my players, football or cricket, don't get the best from me. In terms of administration we are at the outset of a new cricket season so there's membership, kit, league entry, team management as well as coaching (and I play a bit too so there's practice). The football season is coming to a close at this point so you are trying to bring together the end of season fixture congestion, as well as arranging end of season trips, presentation nights, fund raisers on top of usual coaching, fixture arranging etc.
So for me I am not in favour of football moving to summer. It is a selfish view I agree but I would be forced to choose between the sports and that means one of the sports I love, and am passionate about, would be robbed of my input and dare I say it, skills?
What's the alternative though? As a boss I have always encouraged my staff to come to me with a problem but also with a suggested solution. So if summer football isn't a viable option what can we do to negate the 3 month break we usually get due to bad weather?
I would suggest planning a 3 month break. Plan the league around a break between mid-November and mid February. This means small divisions, around 8 teams - 7 games between Sept & Nov and 7 games between Feb-May add. A couple of rounds of the cup into both halves and you have a season. There you go simple as that !!!!!!
Other more fundamental infrastructure is necessary though. On Saturday my under 9s Greens played Ladybridge at the ESSA Academy in Bolton. They have a quite brilliant 4G facility and to see it full of under 8 and under 9 footballers was brilliant. These are the facilities we need more of. Bolton Arena, ESSA Academy, Leigh Sport Village are a rare commodity and clubs should be looking to form partnerships with schools to raise the necessary funds to fund their construction. In my area Whelley, Aspull Juniors, New Springs Lions and Aspull RUFC could get together and apply for some funding to provide such as facility. This would be a fantastic community asset but may also create local employment as well as contributing to the wider health, social inclusion and Big Society agendas.
This is the way we can keep tradition with football played in the winter and cricket played in the summer. Besides if we have another summer like last year it may be cricket that looks to winter and not the other way round!!!
The advantages for playing summer football are quite clear. Playing in warmer conditions on firmer playing surfaces means players will develop better skills - you only need to look at Brazil and Spain to work that one out. Many of our youngsters have to develop skills like trapping a ball in an inch of mud, running through puddles or how to take a throw-in with frozen fingers rather than the skills of the likes of Fabregas, Messi, Ronaldo et al.
Other advantages are light nights - this enables games to be played midweek but also for clubs to train on grass thus reducing the cost of expensive astro turf training facilities, reducing club overheads in these crucial times of austerity.
By playing regularly you are unlikely to encounter players losing interest by having long periods of time in between games and training due to inclement weather.
There are some hurdles to overcome though. Player availability during the summer may be an issue - and that's not player availability in terms of your best player has been picked for the town team - it's around family holidays. Some families have caravans or tents and use the summer weekends to take short breaks - which may prevent their children's involvement.
Pitch availability may be an issue - many Councils use the 3 months in the summer to repair and reseed the pitches.
Finally the competition from other summer sports, in particular cricket, may affect player availability. Some that don't know how cricket works don't understand that it can be played 7 days a week at a club (depending on how many junior sides you have) which would prevent coaches and co-ordinators from staying involved in football whilst it was underway at the same time.
The overlap in March, April and May is tough enough now, without totally overlapping the seasons. Those 3 months see me out 5 nights a week as well as Saturday and Sunday and test my marriage to the full!! I often have to choose between coaching a football or cricket team and therefore all my players, football or cricket, don't get the best from me. In terms of administration we are at the outset of a new cricket season so there's membership, kit, league entry, team management as well as coaching (and I play a bit too so there's practice). The football season is coming to a close at this point so you are trying to bring together the end of season fixture congestion, as well as arranging end of season trips, presentation nights, fund raisers on top of usual coaching, fixture arranging etc.
So for me I am not in favour of football moving to summer. It is a selfish view I agree but I would be forced to choose between the sports and that means one of the sports I love, and am passionate about, would be robbed of my input and dare I say it, skills?
What's the alternative though? As a boss I have always encouraged my staff to come to me with a problem but also with a suggested solution. So if summer football isn't a viable option what can we do to negate the 3 month break we usually get due to bad weather?
I would suggest planning a 3 month break. Plan the league around a break between mid-November and mid February. This means small divisions, around 8 teams - 7 games between Sept & Nov and 7 games between Feb-May add. A couple of rounds of the cup into both halves and you have a season. There you go simple as that !!!!!!
Other more fundamental infrastructure is necessary though. On Saturday my under 9s Greens played Ladybridge at the ESSA Academy in Bolton. They have a quite brilliant 4G facility and to see it full of under 8 and under 9 footballers was brilliant. These are the facilities we need more of. Bolton Arena, ESSA Academy, Leigh Sport Village are a rare commodity and clubs should be looking to form partnerships with schools to raise the necessary funds to fund their construction. In my area Whelley, Aspull Juniors, New Springs Lions and Aspull RUFC could get together and apply for some funding to provide such as facility. This would be a fantastic community asset but may also create local employment as well as contributing to the wider health, social inclusion and Big Society agendas.
This is the way we can keep tradition with football played in the winter and cricket played in the summer. Besides if we have another summer like last year it may be cricket that looks to winter and not the other way round!!!
Sunday, 2 December 2012
2 steps forward, 3 steps back
Its been a busy couple of weeks, hence no blog.
The week before last I took the week off and redecorated the children's bedrooms. We also had Sky TV installed in each of their rooms as part of an early Christmas present.
Last week was busy at work. I am trying to develop a training programme to reach 2000+ tenants before April 2013. The training programme is in 2 strands - encouraging people to GET Online or Money Management Training and is part of our wider approach to readying tenants for the Welfare Reforms.
So I spent a lot of time in schools and Children's Centres looking at possibilities of training venues out in the Community. It was really interesting visiting schools in different areas and seeing their different approach to school life.
Thursday was Jens birthday and to say its been a rotten year for her is a bit of an understatement. I wanted to try and make it a special day and show her how grateful I am for her unstinting support. The children bought her a new coat and thermal gloves (great timing) and I bought her 2 tickets to watch one of her favourite bands, The Courteeners, in Manchester this Friday 7th December. They are one of my favourites too and so I hope she invites me!!!!!
I have also asked her sister Alison, to pick the children up from school that day and so the plan is to go into Manchester in the afternoon for a few beers and something to eat, then to the gig then last train home.
We don't get a lot of time on our own and so I hope we have a great day and it shows her how much I love her.
On Friday we went to Manchester Royal Infirmary for a monthly check up. As well as current blood levels they also had the results of my skeletal survey which I had done in early November. Unfortunately there is some cause of concern around my pelvis and my skull with irregularities which could be lesions. This is where the Myeloma sort of overflows from the bones and attacks them from the outside. It is usually accompanied by bone pain. So I have been referred for an MRI scan at MRI (confusing I know) and then back to see the consultant on the 21st December.
This is frustrating on a couple of levels. I have had pelvic pain for the last 18 months and complained to Wigan about it but after an xray they simply put it down to general wear and tear of a 40 year old. The consultant radiologist at MRI says it isn't wear and tear at all!!!
The second frustration is that after gearing ourselves up for Chemotherapy in October and then to be told that Chemo wont start I'll just be monitored, to be then told you may need Chemo again is like 2 steps forward 3 steps back.
I suppose that's what fighting cancer is all about. You have ups and downs. I know of 3 former colleagues of mine that have been struck down with a cancer of some sort in the last 3 weeks. 2 of them were in remission and they probably feel like its 20 steps back not just 3!!
It is what it is - my approach to life, family, work, football, cricket and music won't change. I'm still the same person and will approach it with the same determination and a bit of humour too. You do have to laugh. As a colleague of Jens says "You should have at least one good belly laugh a day". How True.
Am looking forward to another busy week this week. Lots more school visits and a service planning day with the Director, Group Managers and Service Managers on Thursday.
Then on Friday a day out with my best friend. Can't wait.
The week before last I took the week off and redecorated the children's bedrooms. We also had Sky TV installed in each of their rooms as part of an early Christmas present.
Last week was busy at work. I am trying to develop a training programme to reach 2000+ tenants before April 2013. The training programme is in 2 strands - encouraging people to GET Online or Money Management Training and is part of our wider approach to readying tenants for the Welfare Reforms.
So I spent a lot of time in schools and Children's Centres looking at possibilities of training venues out in the Community. It was really interesting visiting schools in different areas and seeing their different approach to school life.
Thursday was Jens birthday and to say its been a rotten year for her is a bit of an understatement. I wanted to try and make it a special day and show her how grateful I am for her unstinting support. The children bought her a new coat and thermal gloves (great timing) and I bought her 2 tickets to watch one of her favourite bands, The Courteeners, in Manchester this Friday 7th December. They are one of my favourites too and so I hope she invites me!!!!!
I have also asked her sister Alison, to pick the children up from school that day and so the plan is to go into Manchester in the afternoon for a few beers and something to eat, then to the gig then last train home.
We don't get a lot of time on our own and so I hope we have a great day and it shows her how much I love her.
On Friday we went to Manchester Royal Infirmary for a monthly check up. As well as current blood levels they also had the results of my skeletal survey which I had done in early November. Unfortunately there is some cause of concern around my pelvis and my skull with irregularities which could be lesions. This is where the Myeloma sort of overflows from the bones and attacks them from the outside. It is usually accompanied by bone pain. So I have been referred for an MRI scan at MRI (confusing I know) and then back to see the consultant on the 21st December.
This is frustrating on a couple of levels. I have had pelvic pain for the last 18 months and complained to Wigan about it but after an xray they simply put it down to general wear and tear of a 40 year old. The consultant radiologist at MRI says it isn't wear and tear at all!!!
The second frustration is that after gearing ourselves up for Chemotherapy in October and then to be told that Chemo wont start I'll just be monitored, to be then told you may need Chemo again is like 2 steps forward 3 steps back.
I suppose that's what fighting cancer is all about. You have ups and downs. I know of 3 former colleagues of mine that have been struck down with a cancer of some sort in the last 3 weeks. 2 of them were in remission and they probably feel like its 20 steps back not just 3!!
It is what it is - my approach to life, family, work, football, cricket and music won't change. I'm still the same person and will approach it with the same determination and a bit of humour too. You do have to laugh. As a colleague of Jens says "You should have at least one good belly laugh a day". How True.
Am looking forward to another busy week this week. Lots more school visits and a service planning day with the Director, Group Managers and Service Managers on Thursday.
Then on Friday a day out with my best friend. Can't wait.
Tuesday, 13 November 2012
Picture but no sound.
Jen and I fell out this weekend. She was/is extremely angry that only a few weeks after surgery and only 1 week after being given a stay of execution for chemotherapy, I am throwing myself into football and cricket business and in her mind "taking too much on". My defence is/always has been that if a job is worth doing its worth doing properly and so because I'm a bit of a perfectionist "you like to dot the i's and cross the t's" is another of her favourites, we didn't speak to each other much over the weekend hence the title of this blog.
It has been a busy week this week with a whole range of different activities going on.
Tuesday evening saw my first Finance & Premises Committee of the academic year at Mabs Cross Primary School where I am vice chair of governors. I chair this particular committee which looks after the money and the school buildings.
Immediately following this on the 6th November the cricket section AGM took place. As junior section coordinator I am required to write and present a report to the meeting. The Chairman had asked that they be sent to him by Sunday 4th. Therefore Sunday morning was taken up by writing the report, compiling statistics and setting out plans for the section for 2013. As a senior player I also wrote the 3 XI report on behalf of the 3XI skipper who I knew was away on holiday and wouldn't meet the Sunday deadline.
The cricket club have also agreed to replicate the football club by selling club hoodies in aid of Myeloma UK. I had also agreed to co-ordinate the cricket sections order. I therefore took a range of hoodies to the club for people to try on before ordering, took orders and money.
Following the meeting in which it became apparent that we needed to raise some funds urgently to pay for some much needed drainage, I set about planning a fund raiser, which I circulated to a select few.
On Wednesday night I researched and planned my training sessions for the Greens and Whites the following evening.
On Thursday I was on leave from work as I had to go to MRI for the skeletal survey. In the afternoon I visited B&Q to buy ground equipment - brushes, spades, forks, sand, soil to carry out some work to the pitches at Cale Lane. I had learned earlier in the week that there was some holes in the pitch that were unsafe. I also knew the pitches were wet. This rather annoyed me as several people knew about these holes but rather than do anything about it, simply said "the pitch isn't fit". On Thursday afternoon I spent at Cale Lane with a colleague filling holes, forking water away, cutting and laying turf sods etc.. All this so we could get some games on that Saturday.
Thursday evening was spent delivering the previously planned coaching sessions - both teams seemed to be incredibly distracted which left me reviewing the sessions later Thursday evening to see where they might have gone wrong.
After getting in from training at 8.15pm and putting balls, bibs, cones, etc..away I was straight back out to meet Steve Heaton from Rose Leisure about holding our annual fund raiser and end of season presentation evening. We talked about themes, costs, dates etc.. Last year was a disappointment, poorly attended and didn't make much money - this year needs to be different to reinvigorate interest.
On Friday at lunchtime I went up again to check the pitches due to heavy rain - they would be borderline for Saturdays games.
Saturday morning and I left the house at 7.30am to pack the car with all the equipment we need to get a game on - we were also holding our coffee morning month to raise money for Myeloma UK so additional equipment such as cups, coffee, tea, sugar, milk, stirrers, biscuits, cakes, hot water flasks, camping table etc.. needed to be taken.
After putting up, and taking down goal posts, supervising 2 games, putting equipment away in the cabin, locking up, getting home and putting stuff away, cleaning up, reporting results etc. it was too late to take Alex & Callum to Latics as I had promised them - it was 2.30pm.
Sunday morning was spent doing secretary admin - checking the bank account for standing orders, completing the Income and Expenditure sheet on behalf of the Treasurer, Jen, who was out with the children at the roller rink (to make up for missing Latics).
Sunday evening was spent coordinating the charity hoodie order for the cricket club - between the hockey and cricket section we have ordered a fabulous 74 hoodies which means £370 for Myeloma UK.
On Monday evening I attended the league committee meeting on behalf of the club. The Chairman was unable to attend due to having no babysitter and so I went with another coach to represent the club.
On Monday night/Tuesday morning Callum became ill and was sick 5 times through the night. Alex started vomiting at 6.30am this morning and carried on until around 2.00pm this afternoon - I took the day off work to look after them but also to have a bit of a rest too. Yes I forgot to say I work full time too!!
People say I should delegate more. I am happy to do that but unfortunately there isn't a queue of people waiting to take things off you. I was disappointed that on Saturday parents walked past the coffee stall and didn't offer to help. Jen stood for 3 hours and missed both Alex & Callum and Liams games for the Greens and the Whites as a result. We raised £92 for Myeloma UK which is fabulous, but it was disappointing how people didn't offer to muck in. I was also disappointed that I had to take goal posts down. Its the first time Ive had to do this in 2 years as my parents are usually very good at helping clear away. I hope this week was just a blip.
We provide the players with an awful lot - much more than football and I don't think its unreasonable to expect people to help out a little.
This next week doesn't show any signs of letting up. As well as the usual training, matches etc. I am very excited about a meeting I am going to with Jonathan Jackson, Chief Executive of Wigan Athletic and Councillor Chris Ready about getting my Kit Bank idea off the ground. Latics are brilliant at supporting community initiatives and are keen to get behind the idea. Next weeks blog will be about the Kit Bank.
Jen has warned my though that if I take this on it has to be at the expense of something else. She said "I cant be all things to all people". So I'll either have to set it up and delegate it to someone or drop something else.
Any volunteers? No I thought not!
I will have to do it though, cos I hate it being picture no sound in our house.
It has been a busy week this week with a whole range of different activities going on.
Tuesday evening saw my first Finance & Premises Committee of the academic year at Mabs Cross Primary School where I am vice chair of governors. I chair this particular committee which looks after the money and the school buildings.
Immediately following this on the 6th November the cricket section AGM took place. As junior section coordinator I am required to write and present a report to the meeting. The Chairman had asked that they be sent to him by Sunday 4th. Therefore Sunday morning was taken up by writing the report, compiling statistics and setting out plans for the section for 2013. As a senior player I also wrote the 3 XI report on behalf of the 3XI skipper who I knew was away on holiday and wouldn't meet the Sunday deadline.
The cricket club have also agreed to replicate the football club by selling club hoodies in aid of Myeloma UK. I had also agreed to co-ordinate the cricket sections order. I therefore took a range of hoodies to the club for people to try on before ordering, took orders and money.
Following the meeting in which it became apparent that we needed to raise some funds urgently to pay for some much needed drainage, I set about planning a fund raiser, which I circulated to a select few.
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| An all too familiar sight at Bull Hey this year - drainage is essential |
On Wednesday night I researched and planned my training sessions for the Greens and Whites the following evening.
On Thursday I was on leave from work as I had to go to MRI for the skeletal survey. In the afternoon I visited B&Q to buy ground equipment - brushes, spades, forks, sand, soil to carry out some work to the pitches at Cale Lane. I had learned earlier in the week that there was some holes in the pitch that were unsafe. I also knew the pitches were wet. This rather annoyed me as several people knew about these holes but rather than do anything about it, simply said "the pitch isn't fit". On Thursday afternoon I spent at Cale Lane with a colleague filling holes, forking water away, cutting and laying turf sods etc.. All this so we could get some games on that Saturday.
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| We dug that puddle out, sanded and soiled it then laid turf |
Thursday evening was spent delivering the previously planned coaching sessions - both teams seemed to be incredibly distracted which left me reviewing the sessions later Thursday evening to see where they might have gone wrong.
After getting in from training at 8.15pm and putting balls, bibs, cones, etc..away I was straight back out to meet Steve Heaton from Rose Leisure about holding our annual fund raiser and end of season presentation evening. We talked about themes, costs, dates etc.. Last year was a disappointment, poorly attended and didn't make much money - this year needs to be different to reinvigorate interest.
On Friday at lunchtime I went up again to check the pitches due to heavy rain - they would be borderline for Saturdays games.
Saturday morning and I left the house at 7.30am to pack the car with all the equipment we need to get a game on - we were also holding our coffee morning month to raise money for Myeloma UK so additional equipment such as cups, coffee, tea, sugar, milk, stirrers, biscuits, cakes, hot water flasks, camping table etc.. needed to be taken.
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| The Greens and Aspull Juniors at our Myeloma UK Coffee stall |
After putting up, and taking down goal posts, supervising 2 games, putting equipment away in the cabin, locking up, getting home and putting stuff away, cleaning up, reporting results etc. it was too late to take Alex & Callum to Latics as I had promised them - it was 2.30pm.
Sunday morning was spent doing secretary admin - checking the bank account for standing orders, completing the Income and Expenditure sheet on behalf of the Treasurer, Jen, who was out with the children at the roller rink (to make up for missing Latics).
Sunday evening was spent coordinating the charity hoodie order for the cricket club - between the hockey and cricket section we have ordered a fabulous 74 hoodies which means £370 for Myeloma UK.
On Monday evening I attended the league committee meeting on behalf of the club. The Chairman was unable to attend due to having no babysitter and so I went with another coach to represent the club.
On Monday night/Tuesday morning Callum became ill and was sick 5 times through the night. Alex started vomiting at 6.30am this morning and carried on until around 2.00pm this afternoon - I took the day off work to look after them but also to have a bit of a rest too. Yes I forgot to say I work full time too!!
 |
| 2 poorly boys on the sofa with juice, bucket and SpongeBob on the TV |
People say I should delegate more. I am happy to do that but unfortunately there isn't a queue of people waiting to take things off you. I was disappointed that on Saturday parents walked past the coffee stall and didn't offer to help. Jen stood for 3 hours and missed both Alex & Callum and Liams games for the Greens and the Whites as a result. We raised £92 for Myeloma UK which is fabulous, but it was disappointing how people didn't offer to muck in. I was also disappointed that I had to take goal posts down. Its the first time Ive had to do this in 2 years as my parents are usually very good at helping clear away. I hope this week was just a blip.
We provide the players with an awful lot - much more than football and I don't think its unreasonable to expect people to help out a little.
This next week doesn't show any signs of letting up. As well as the usual training, matches etc. I am very excited about a meeting I am going to with Jonathan Jackson, Chief Executive of Wigan Athletic and Councillor Chris Ready about getting my Kit Bank idea off the ground. Latics are brilliant at supporting community initiatives and are keen to get behind the idea. Next weeks blog will be about the Kit Bank.
Jen has warned my though that if I take this on it has to be at the expense of something else. She said "I cant be all things to all people". So I'll either have to set it up and delegate it to someone or drop something else.
Any volunteers? No I thought not!
I will have to do it though, cos I hate it being picture no sound in our house.
Sunday, 4 November 2012
You can choose your friends....
The brilliant news is that chemotherapy has been delayed indefinitely. Following my visit to MRI on Friday - it was a family day out due to half term and the children were superbly behaved too, my Myeloma levels remain really high but my haemoglobin levels and kidney function are returning to normal. The likelihood is that my illness throughout summer and subsequent surgery has had an impact on these readings.
I return to MRI this Thursday for a full skeletal survey. This involves numerous X-rays of every major bone in my body from 2 or 3 angles. The purpose is to ensure that the Myeloma isn't causing any bone lesions which is quite common given it exists in the bone marrow. As I've no major bone pain I'm confident on the all clear on this too. Following this I will attend Myeloma clinic at MRI once a month for monitoring. At the point treatment is required all consent forms, permissions etc have been completed and we are good to go with the Myeloma XI trial. Hopefully this will be a long time in the future.
On Friday night it was good to relax and enjoy a beer or 2 with Jen. It was good to see her relax too - the first time that we've enjoyed a meal without the stress and dread that seems to have loomed over us since June.
As mentioned in previous blogs I believe children, and adults for that matter, should play as many sports as possible. Trying many different activities not only gives the individual a richer experience but also enables them to develop several different circles of friends. I am very fortunate to be involved with 2 fantastic sports clubs and am lucky to have developed some lifelong friendships.
Team Martlew also has a fantastic support network of friends. The support comes from several different circles of friends, from work colleagues to school friends to neighbours, but many are friends that we have made at the 2 sports clubs and these friendships have developed and blossomed over the past few years. Without the messages of goodwill, the practical support and the listening ears, it would have been an incredibly difficult summer - far more difficult than it has been.
It's essential that sports clubs provide the opportunity to play sport on a variety of levels. Different people have different motivations to play sport. Some wish to play on a serious level, wishing to be the best and compete at the very highest level. Often this may be at district/town team level or even professional club/county level. Often many of these types of players do not stay at any particular club for a long time, moving round to different clubs, taking the view that the next club may offer a better development opportunity. There is nothing wrong with this and it is a fact of life.
Some players motivation is to play for enjoyment and its essential that clubs offer this facility too. These players are the ones that will make up the large majority of your membership, and are the future of your club. If you retain them, by providing opportunities to play for enjoyment, then you are likely to produce future coaches, secretaries, Child Welfare Officers, groundsman etc from this cohort.
At Whelley Alexandra and Wigan Cricket Club, I believe we have struck the right balance between these 2 drivers for involvement. At the cricket club there is a pathway from the youngest junior cricket team to the first team. We provide a variety of coaching on this pathway from the fun and enjoyment side at the very early age to focused group and 1:1 coaching at the higher end - we even have a New Zealand Test opening batsman, our pro Aaron Redmond, who is available to do 1:1 batting sessions - I challenge any club in the area to match that!!
At the football club it's slightly different. We do insist on fun and enjoyment no matter what level (I hate the word division) the team plays at. However what we find is the higher the team rises in the divisions, the more transient the players become. We do have a hardcore cohort of players that have been there since day one, but around them players come and go with more regularity as they look for "the next best thing". Sadly this can often be a parent rather than a player decision.
My hope for my children playing cricket and football at the 2 clubs is that they have fun, enjoy themselves and make some lifelong friends along the way. I would also like them to stay loyal, develop to the best of their ability and when the time is right develop new skills such as refereeing or umpiring, scoring or officiating, coaching or another volunteering role to put something back into the club that has served them well over the years.
This is already happening at the cricket club with some of our younger senior cricketers. They have taken the view that they should help the next group of young players coming along by taking their coaching qualifications. It makes me incredibly proud to see 19 and 20 year old young men choose to coach rather than us having to twist reluctant dads arms up their backs. As a result I believe that the quality of coaching is better as it wasn't that long ago they were in the position of the learner.
Already at the football club we have under 14s players asking about coaching and refereeing courses. We have elder brothers who will become qualified coaches later this year and are willing to specialise in areas such as goalkeeping, to help develop the younger goalkeepers at the club. Add to that the maturity that many of our older players are now beginning to display, helping tidy up at the end of the session, not requiring prompting to undertake a warm up or cool down, makes me really proud and positive that the future of both clubs is rosy but the future or these young people is even rosier.
I return to MRI this Thursday for a full skeletal survey. This involves numerous X-rays of every major bone in my body from 2 or 3 angles. The purpose is to ensure that the Myeloma isn't causing any bone lesions which is quite common given it exists in the bone marrow. As I've no major bone pain I'm confident on the all clear on this too. Following this I will attend Myeloma clinic at MRI once a month for monitoring. At the point treatment is required all consent forms, permissions etc have been completed and we are good to go with the Myeloma XI trial. Hopefully this will be a long time in the future.
On Friday night it was good to relax and enjoy a beer or 2 with Jen. It was good to see her relax too - the first time that we've enjoyed a meal without the stress and dread that seems to have loomed over us since June.
As mentioned in previous blogs I believe children, and adults for that matter, should play as many sports as possible. Trying many different activities not only gives the individual a richer experience but also enables them to develop several different circles of friends. I am very fortunate to be involved with 2 fantastic sports clubs and am lucky to have developed some lifelong friendships.
Team Martlew also has a fantastic support network of friends. The support comes from several different circles of friends, from work colleagues to school friends to neighbours, but many are friends that we have made at the 2 sports clubs and these friendships have developed and blossomed over the past few years. Without the messages of goodwill, the practical support and the listening ears, it would have been an incredibly difficult summer - far more difficult than it has been.
It's essential that sports clubs provide the opportunity to play sport on a variety of levels. Different people have different motivations to play sport. Some wish to play on a serious level, wishing to be the best and compete at the very highest level. Often this may be at district/town team level or even professional club/county level. Often many of these types of players do not stay at any particular club for a long time, moving round to different clubs, taking the view that the next club may offer a better development opportunity. There is nothing wrong with this and it is a fact of life.
Some players motivation is to play for enjoyment and its essential that clubs offer this facility too. These players are the ones that will make up the large majority of your membership, and are the future of your club. If you retain them, by providing opportunities to play for enjoyment, then you are likely to produce future coaches, secretaries, Child Welfare Officers, groundsman etc from this cohort.
At Whelley Alexandra and Wigan Cricket Club, I believe we have struck the right balance between these 2 drivers for involvement. At the cricket club there is a pathway from the youngest junior cricket team to the first team. We provide a variety of coaching on this pathway from the fun and enjoyment side at the very early age to focused group and 1:1 coaching at the higher end - we even have a New Zealand Test opening batsman, our pro Aaron Redmond, who is available to do 1:1 batting sessions - I challenge any club in the area to match that!!
At the football club it's slightly different. We do insist on fun and enjoyment no matter what level (I hate the word division) the team plays at. However what we find is the higher the team rises in the divisions, the more transient the players become. We do have a hardcore cohort of players that have been there since day one, but around them players come and go with more regularity as they look for "the next best thing". Sadly this can often be a parent rather than a player decision.
My hope for my children playing cricket and football at the 2 clubs is that they have fun, enjoy themselves and make some lifelong friends along the way. I would also like them to stay loyal, develop to the best of their ability and when the time is right develop new skills such as refereeing or umpiring, scoring or officiating, coaching or another volunteering role to put something back into the club that has served them well over the years.
This is already happening at the cricket club with some of our younger senior cricketers. They have taken the view that they should help the next group of young players coming along by taking their coaching qualifications. It makes me incredibly proud to see 19 and 20 year old young men choose to coach rather than us having to twist reluctant dads arms up their backs. As a result I believe that the quality of coaching is better as it wasn't that long ago they were in the position of the learner.
Already at the football club we have under 14s players asking about coaching and refereeing courses. We have elder brothers who will become qualified coaches later this year and are willing to specialise in areas such as goalkeeping, to help develop the younger goalkeepers at the club. Add to that the maturity that many of our older players are now beginning to display, helping tidy up at the end of the session, not requiring prompting to undertake a warm up or cool down, makes me really proud and positive that the future of both clubs is rosy but the future or these young people is even rosier.
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