From britdisc-owner@csv.warwick.ac.uk Thu Nov 27 20:32:53 1997 Received: (from daemon@localhost) by pansy.csv.warwick.ac.uk (8.8.7/8.8.8) id TAA05726 for britdisc-outgoing; Thu, 27 Nov 1997 19:48:06 GMT Received: from lupin.csv.warwick.ac.uk (esrqr@lupin-fddi [137.205.4.7]) by pansy.csv.warwick.ac.uk (8.8.7/8.8.8) with ESMTP id TAA05709 for <britdisc@csv.warwick.ac.uk>; Thu, 27 Nov 1997 19:47:58 GMT Received: (from esrqr@localhost) by lupin.csv.warwick.ac.uk (8.8.5/8.8.7) id TAA07994 for britdisc@csv.warwick.ac.uk; Thu, 27 Nov 1997 19:47:56 GMT From: Mr A J Tucker <esrqr@csv.warwick.ac.uk> Message-Id: <199711271947.TAA07994@lupin.csv.warwick.ac.uk> Subject: Student Eligibility Rules To: britdisc@csv.warwick.ac.uk Date: Thu, 27 Nov 1997 19:47:55 +0000 (GMT) X-Mailer: ELM [version 2.4ME+ PL31 (25)] MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Sender: owner-britdisc@warwick.ac.uk Precedence: bulk I would like to add my support to Dave Graysons comments regarding his views on the new student eligibility rules. He echoes my views on this subject entirely. Unfortunately I was not in the country when the original discussion took place, and I fully understand the fact that the current student co-ordinator, Simon Weeks, is inheriting a policy which isn't his. For many years the student eligibility rules have certainly needed clarification and Dave is right to applaud the moves to do this. To me however the new rules step in totally the wrong direction. Of special concern, I think, is the one which bans experienced student players from student competition. It is both flawed in theory and grossly unfair in practice. As Dave states we have to ask what the point of student ultimate competition is? Surely the purpose of having a separate student competition is to determine which university or similar institution has the best team, consisting of players drawn from that institution. Put simply the Student Nationals should be an inter-university tournament. This is the line taken by literally every other student sport and the line taken by student sports governing body, BUSA (British Universities Sports Association), which we are not yet part of. BUSA's policy is clear and simple; players have to be registered for full or part- time study at the relevant institution in order to represent them in student sport. Certainly this is the expectation of Warwick Students' Union who provide, like many other unions, the frisbee club with significant financial support. They give this money expecting the team to consist of the best players the University can produce, to play the best teams from other universities. The team is representing Warwick University. They do not give the money for a small group of people to have a good time with free trips around the country. It is important of course that new players have a chance to play in less intensive competitions to develop confidence and skills. However there is no need to artificially limit the Student Nationals to a beginners tournament. There are plenty of separate beginner tournaments already running although I'm sure a few more are needed. More importantly, not all students are beginners, a situation likely to be even more obvious in the future with many great junior players now coming through. It seems to me that a high standard of student Ultimate is something to be encouraged, not discouraged. It has been shown many times before that infact the top student teams can be amongst the best teams in the country in their own right. To exclude from a team its top few players, which is the situation at Warwick, is both unfair on the individual and the rest of the team. It will often be the case that the best players will also be the most active in running or coaching a club. Can you then turn round and say that those people aren't allowed to play in what is the clubs most important tournament, despite their total commitment to the team, and their unquestionable status as students at the relevant university. It makes a mockery of the whole student champs if everyone knows the winners aren't infact the best student side in the country. The rule states players cannot play in student competition four years after they first completed in a student tournament. This is a ridiculously inconsistent way of limiting the standard even if this was a desirable aim. It means that a highly experienced player can still compete if, for example, they missed the students in their first year for some reason. Exchange students from abroad or ex-junior players could have been playing many years before playing in their first student tournament. Some experienced players will be able to play and others won't. Where is the consistency? How can you make a rule like that to be consistent? The long term aim of Student Ultimate in Britain must be to obtain BUSA recognition. It would provide the sport with so many benefits, most important of which would be a raised profile and considerable funding and sponsorship opportunities. Ultimate would get the recognition it undoubtedly deserves but unfortunately doesn't get within so many universities. The setting up of the new regional leagues is undoubtably an important step in this direction. However BUSA recognition does not stand a chance if the current eligibility policy is continued. The obvious solution is to start using the BUSA rules. That is any registered student is allowed to represent their university if deemed good enough. The student tournaments are inter-university tournaments. Those players attending a university where there is no team cannot play. Of course I have some sympathy for them but there are plenty of other tourneys after all, and it provides some great incentive to set up a new club. The alternative is that the students become just another beginners tourney, where winning isn't important and eligibility rules become totally irrelevant. Im sorry to go on for so long about a subject that will seem irrelevant to so many people, but I feel this to be a very important issue and something that needs to be re-addressed right away. With student ultimate having been the backbone of British ultimate for so long the implications, especially of BUSA recognition, infact effect everyone. Andy Tucker - Warwick Bears / UTI andrew.tucker@warwick.ac.uk