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Comments
trails
many thanks to everyone that posted all the info they did as we all prob needed to hear it all
i for one will still be going to the trail so could someone pls post the full address so i can type it into my tom-tom many thanks
also how long should it take from hammersmith ?
again many thanks to all
rileys
cremyll road Reading
junction 11 of the M4 (signs for the Madjeski stadium) is probably best.
http://www.rileys.co.uk/club/113/Reading,%20Cremyll%20Road
county trials
the c team had a squad of 21 for the season 2009.with players going up and down within the county before the trials the c team has a squad of 16 so we will be lookin to add a possible 4-5 to make the squad up again.the squad size is irrelavant in the c as you can make unlimited subs after the 2nd qtr.there are times when you are called up to the c and dont get picked but there is no I in team and no ones place is guaranteed!!!!at the trials we simply are having a look at what is around you may be exceptional and come 1st but you may be exceptional and come 29th a trial is exactly that a trial so feel free to come along everyone is welcome
County trials and team selection
Hi Everyone,
I understand there has been some disquiet regarding the Trials and subsequent County Team selection. I will attempt to clarify both these issues as best I can. For those who don't already know I have previously captained the C team and I am currently Captain of the B team; I also serve as County Vice-Chairman. As such, I hope to speak both on behalf of the Committee but also as an active player. At all times, everyone should know that we (the Berkshire Committee) strive to be as fair and impartial as possible in all matters, regardless of our own personal opinions.
Team Selection
We are obliged by the EPA to field our strongest possible 11 players in the A team, then the next strongest 11 in the B team and then again in the C team. Taking into account, work, holidays, illness, family commitments, unforseen events etc. etc. you need to have a squad of at least 15-18 players. It would be wonderful if all we needed was 13 per team (11 plus 2 reserves) but regrettably, the world doesn't work like that.
To qualify for selection, I have long held the belief (shared by the Committee) that a player has to satisfy all three of the following criteria.
1. Skill as a player appropriate to the relevant team (you must be good enough to win over 45% of your frames)
2. Reliability (fail here and you will almost without doubt, get dropped)
3. Ability to be part of a team and not a Prima-Donna (possibly the most important of all)
Having established this, let's now have a look at the Trials:
County Trials
Firstly, I and the vast majority of the current county players, went through the trials process.
Trials are there to establish the level of skill of players unknown to us at County level. We also look at players conduct; their knowledge of the rules and how they get on with other players. We always make it clear that selection to play is not automatic or guaranteed, irrespective of where a player qualifies. I have given the reasons for this below.
There are players who have bypassed this process. This is because players are known to us, or come highly recommended. If Berkshire are to be competitive in the toughest of all the regions of the EPA (Region 7 contains London and Surrey; arguably the two most successful counties in the whole of England) then we absolutely must field the strongest teams possible.
This is not a case of 'the old boys act'. This is us simply trying to do the best we can. If any player feels they are being overlooked, then they first need to speak to their own League Committee. If their Committee feels that the player is good enough to warrant a place on the county team, then they can speak to us direct and we will look at that player again. This is important. Consider the case of Gieussepe D'Imperio, whose playing ability has improved so dramatically in such a short space of time.
Having said that, we (the County team Captains) will be there at the trials as we are each year. We will be looking for players who we think are good enough to be selected, irrespective of how they finish in the Trials. Obviously, finishing in the top 5 or so, is going to get you noticed. However, as Captains, we are aware of the standards that we expect players to achieve when compared to the existing team players. It's possible that we may not feel that anyone warrants selection, yet in previous years we have seen a deluge of quality players, where the top 10 would have been good enough!
Conclusion
I could go on forever here. The fact is that selecting players for a team is a constantly evolving skill, learnt over years. It is not a precise science. Ask anyone who Captains any team; County, league or otherwise. We (the Captians) continually discuss all aspects of each player's performance, every month. Selection is a team effort. Each of us comment on the other Captain's team selections in an effort to 'get it right'. Hopefully, most of the time we succeed; sometimes we don't but we always try to do our best and to be as fair as possible.
Remember, that as team Captains we are answerable to the Committee. If a Captain does not perform as expected for whatever reason, then he (or she) will be replaced.
If anyone has any specific queries, please reply here or call me on 07889 177584. I will be more than happy to answer any questions to the best of my ability.
Steve Carmichael
Steve , I am going to try
Steve , I am going to try and come down to the trials next Sunday if you want some help or players watched etc.
County Trials explained
Hi Folks, Further to the views & queries posted previous, Steve Carmichael (Vice-Chair) will clarify with a post later this week.
Berkshire County Trials
What's the point of having trials again. The county already have too many players and players that qualify from the trials are not guaranteed a game. The captains just pull in players that they consider to be better than the trialists. It's not fair to the trialists and in my view it's not in the best interest of Berkshire County Pool.
Until there is a set system in place, with a definitive squad size and where players are rewarded purely on performance, I think the trials are a waste of time. I'm sure the committee could be sued under the trade descriptions act, asking players to pay to trial for non existant places.
county trial
This comment posted on 31st Dec 2009 is completely untrue. The ethinic of the captains is to ensure that they put their best county teams on the match day to face their opponents. In the process of doing this, the county need to help, in every way we can to find the "best" players within the county.
Some players are very unlucky on the trial day and did not perform as well as they would have hope. By the same token, there are players who perform well on the trial day but did not perform well or consistent at all during our county matches. It is therefore, down to the captains to make the toughest judgement call whether to continue to allow the players to play just to see if they will perform better, or replace them with more consistent players.
County matches are based on team performance and team spirit throughout the whole season. The whole team must work together to win a match, and the individual performance contribute as part of the team effort/performance. Therefore, all players & forthcoming trialists, please bear in mind - if you do not want to contribute your efforts as part of a team, then there is no place in any team for you. If you want to be part of a team who is fun-loving, enjoyable, bearing great morality , look no further, come to the trial.
We are very grateful to all the players who have stick to us for many years and continue with their supports to the teams, even they weren't being put into play on the match day. We understand the existence of frustration, but let's face it, and stop fighting amongst ourselves and focus to win our matches v other counties and be the best in the Region. Our county B team & C teams set their examples last year, let's not let unjusted comments ruin our goal.
In terms of paying to enter the trial - the money raised from our trial contribute to the table time we use at our trial venue. It also being used as administrational costs that incur within the county during the course of the season. Each year, the county holds an AGM. During the AGM, all registered players are invited to view our financial statement which demonstrate how the county funds is being utilised during the course of the season. In addition, Open Competitions in the Summer, Close Competitions in the Winter, referee seminar, winners trophies, the website you are using to browse this comment, all these formed part of what the county offers to our players. The people behind the scene work around the clock to ensure that all our players are looked after and that we bring the maximum benefits to them.
I hope this helps explaining a few things to you all.
Your secretary
Dom. Chiu
County Trials
Dom,
I don't know why you chose to insert your post out of chronological order. As I already posted, my original post was maybe a little strong, but I stand by the principal. For you to say that the post was completely untrue is in itself untrue. Which part of my post do you disagree with.
1. Discounting the ladies, before last year's trials we did already have more than enough players . In the end we had more than 20 players in the mens C team squad when you need a minimum of 11 and a maximum of 15 for any one match.
2. The second paragraph of your post is complete nonsense. At least one male player that attended last years trials, and qualified for the squad, did not get called up at all, not for a single frame all season. In the past players who have not even attended trials have been brought in as wild cards. We could spend hours debating the pros and cons of having wild cards, my own view has always been that if players are good enough to be in the team they should be good enough to get through the trials. Having said that I can understand the use of wild cards for an exceptional talent, that for one reason or another could not attend the trials or maybe moved into the area after the trials were completed, but then if they are that exceptional I would expect them to be brought into the A team, not the B or C. Other players who had performed extremely well in the team the previous season were dropped and never recalled after they had one short bad spell. So they had already proved themselves over a full season yet were suddenly not good enough. Ultimately the captains choose the players that THEY CONSIDER to be the best, regardless of how they perform.
3. In the Men's section the comment about the captains fielding their best teams at all times is also untrue. Berkshire do not always put out their best performaing players in A, B, C order. It's a fact that some players would never get a fair run in the A team no matter how well they do in the B team. It's a fact that some players prefer to play in the same team all season and don't want to be promoted, or demoted, no matter how well or poorly they perform. It's also a fact that some players want to stay in the same team all season in order to head the averages for that team. It's also a fact that the team managers of the B and C teams sometimes don't want to lose their best players to the A team, just because the A team superstars haven't turned up., and by the way I don't blame them.
4. Yes the mens B and C teams did well last season, but personally I don't subscribe to the view that the end justifies the means.
5. I wasn't questioning how the money earned from the trials is used, but I will if you want me to. What interest is any of the stuff you mentioned to a player that enters the trials, qualifies and then doesn't get picked. By allowing this to happen you are likely to discourage that player, and his friends probably, from entering future trials. It may also encourage them to go and try Blackball instead. Is that really in the best interest of Berkshire County Pool. The whole point of my post was to say that if we are going to have trials, then all of the prospective trialiists should be told in advance that qualification does not guarantee a game. Better still, in my opinion, we should adjust the squad size to a level where everyone who qualifies through the trials is guaranteed a fair run in the team. If necessary have a reserve list that the captains can call from if they are short. At least then everyone knows where they stand.
6. I won't go into the story of the ladies squad it would take too long.
7. I have no doubt that the committee and others working behind the scenes work tirelessly for Berkshire County Pool. I also know that being on the committee is a thankless task. I just feel that the players are our greatest assets and that they should all be treated equally and fairly. I think this is sometimes overlooked.
Going back to the opening paragraph, which part of my post on 31st December do you say is untrue.
Regards
Peter
could someone from the powers
could someone from the powers that be post something here about weather or not this is ture pls?
cos i have plans to come along to the trails but if their really is no point i would like to no now pls as it saves me a pointless drive to reading if lofty post is right ?????
County trials
My previous post may have been a bit strong, I was having a bad day, which at the moment are only too frequent, but I stand by the principle. The fact is that in previous years players have qualified through the trials and have then not got a game at county. Unless the trialists are made aware beforehand that qualification for the squad does not guarantee them a game, I thiink this is totally wrong. At the start of last season there was something like 20 players in the C team squad, and only a maximum of 15 can play in any one match.
Squad Size
The size of the squad must be big enough to accommodate last minute emergency leave from players, or family issues, or accident, or holiday, or sickness..... you name it, I seen it.
We design a squad with a good size so players are not stressed out by lack of attendance on the day. This makes the captain's job a tiny bit easier, amongst all other things the captains have to do on the day, the last thing he/she wants to worry about is not enough players. I was once a captain myself. Believe me, a squad size of 11 to 13 players is not a proper size squad, bearing in mind 11 is the bear minimum we need for the county match.
I think what people here need to comment on, is how we can recruit more ladies players for our county ladies squad. The main concern is, if we cannot side a minimum of 8 players on the match day, none of the men teams will be able to play either. We hope more ladies will come forward to try us out on the trial day, and see for themselves what a fun county we are. Let's keep the spirit up, people!