16-06-2010, 01:14 PM
Laurie,
This is not just about my son. This is about the almost 2500 athletes across England who have been similarly affected.
The ESAA sets the standards (advisory or otherwise). Stick to them or dont have any whatsoever! Stating that there is no "qualifying standard" is semantics on your part. In addition your argument about the variables etc etc just doesnt hold water. Athletes accept that it is only really possible to achieve "the standard", or qualification, on a day when all the variables are right. A standard is a standard is a standard. There can be no "advisory" about it. Your current "advisory" system is all akin to "Indian Giving". If they dont qualify they dont qualify. But if they do qualify the ESAA is oblidged to give them an opportunity to compete at the next level.
If UKA can arrange a similar event which allows ALL across Britain who qualify to compete, then why cant ESAA? Have you asked UKA how they do this, even asked them for help? The number of events and potential number of athletes should be a cause for celebration not a reason to deny athletes opportunity.
The logistics have become unmanagable because you cant see the forest for the trees. Have you considered an interim filtering event for each of North of England, East of England, West of England and South of England where at least the winners (champions) from each county, and possibly 1 or 2 others who meet the "qualification standard" compete for a place in the ESAA Champs? Only those who meet a strict qualification criteria go through, much in the same was as selection for the Olympics.
You say that there are potentially 132 athletes for each event. Yes there are. But have you confirmed this? 132 is a worst case scenario. The best case scenario is there may only be 1 and the likely case 44. So eliminate the guess work and plan for what you know.
You say you are restricted to 1715 entries. At the stroke of a pen you have dashed the hopes, dreams and aspirations of 2500 young people across England (if not more). The current system is broke. It needs fixing, and fixing fast. To claim "I'm only a volunteer" also does not hold water. Being paid or a volunteer is irrelevant. You accepted the role...........
Have you reviewed the systems from other countries? Do they have a quota system? I think not. How is England ever going to compete on the international stage if its champions are "cut off at the knees" (sic) before they've had a chance to get there?
Schools are about education. Education is about equipping our young people both academically and physically. At this point in time denying them opportunity, for whatever reason, flies in the face of the objectives of the principles of education.
You say the ESAA has no input into the selection from each county. I disagree. The quota system the ESAA employs forces each county to choose. So yes you do have a real effect on the county selection process. There is no getting away from this.
To deny an athlete opportunity is bad. But to deny them opportunity when they have won their county championshp and/or achieved the standard is unforgiveable.
John Halsted.
This is not just about my son. This is about the almost 2500 athletes across England who have been similarly affected.
The ESAA sets the standards (advisory or otherwise). Stick to them or dont have any whatsoever! Stating that there is no "qualifying standard" is semantics on your part. In addition your argument about the variables etc etc just doesnt hold water. Athletes accept that it is only really possible to achieve "the standard", or qualification, on a day when all the variables are right. A standard is a standard is a standard. There can be no "advisory" about it. Your current "advisory" system is all akin to "Indian Giving". If they dont qualify they dont qualify. But if they do qualify the ESAA is oblidged to give them an opportunity to compete at the next level.
If UKA can arrange a similar event which allows ALL across Britain who qualify to compete, then why cant ESAA? Have you asked UKA how they do this, even asked them for help? The number of events and potential number of athletes should be a cause for celebration not a reason to deny athletes opportunity.
The logistics have become unmanagable because you cant see the forest for the trees. Have you considered an interim filtering event for each of North of England, East of England, West of England and South of England where at least the winners (champions) from each county, and possibly 1 or 2 others who meet the "qualification standard" compete for a place in the ESAA Champs? Only those who meet a strict qualification criteria go through, much in the same was as selection for the Olympics.
You say that there are potentially 132 athletes for each event. Yes there are. But have you confirmed this? 132 is a worst case scenario. The best case scenario is there may only be 1 and the likely case 44. So eliminate the guess work and plan for what you know.
You say you are restricted to 1715 entries. At the stroke of a pen you have dashed the hopes, dreams and aspirations of 2500 young people across England (if not more). The current system is broke. It needs fixing, and fixing fast. To claim "I'm only a volunteer" also does not hold water. Being paid or a volunteer is irrelevant. You accepted the role...........
Have you reviewed the systems from other countries? Do they have a quota system? I think not. How is England ever going to compete on the international stage if its champions are "cut off at the knees" (sic) before they've had a chance to get there?
Schools are about education. Education is about equipping our young people both academically and physically. At this point in time denying them opportunity, for whatever reason, flies in the face of the objectives of the principles of education.
You say the ESAA has no input into the selection from each county. I disagree. The quota system the ESAA employs forces each county to choose. So yes you do have a real effect on the county selection process. There is no getting away from this.
To deny an athlete opportunity is bad. But to deny them opportunity when they have won their county championshp and/or achieved the standard is unforgiveable.
John Halsted.