VIRGINIA RUGBY UNION

1996 Annual General Meeting

10:30 a.m. (College Men @ 9:30), Saturday, January 27, 1996 University of Richmond

Call to Order

Roll call:

Officers	Clubs
In Attendance	Men's	College Men's	College Women's
Vice-president, Carl Schmitt	Blacksburg	JMU	JMU
Secretary, Shannon Russell (late)	James River	Mary Washington	Longwood
Treasurer, David Chapman	Newport News	ODU	Mary Washington
MARFU/USARFU rep., Reyn Kinzey	Norfolk	Radford	ODU
College Men's Coord., Doc Warner	Quantico	SVCC	Radford
College Women's Coord., Erika Nussen	Raleigh	Univ. of Richmond	UVa.
Absent	RATS	VCU	Virginia Tech
President, Johnny McLean	Richmond	VMI	William & Mary
Newsletter Editor, Jeffrey Anderson	Roanoke	Virginia Tech	Absent
Men's Club Coord., Donny Atkins	Virginia	William & Mary (late)	Johns Hopkins
Disciplinary Chair, Tripp Bowles	Virginia Beach	Absent	Navy
RSV President, Jim Thompson	Absent	Hampden-Sydney	UMBC
	None	Longwood	Returning to PRU in fall
		W & L

Officer reports (starting at 11:04)

• MARFU restructured men's division. Instead of div I, IA, and II; MARFU now has division I, II, and III.
• Restructuring college men's division. The college men's reps met before the AGM to discuss restructuring of the division.
• MARFU now has 8 of 36 votes on USARFU.
• Excellent Ed Lee hosted by Roanoke RFC.
• Women's clubs possible in Charlottesville and Norfolk for 1996.
• VCU is attempting to start a women's club.
• High school club in Fredericksburg starting up.
• The VRU is in the black.

• Over $5K in Don Bridges Fund. Don was injured in 1987.
• Five tournaments (XV's) for the year
• Some tours are possible this year
• CIPP compliance. The VRU has the highest CIPP in the US. This was based on our exceeding the projected numbers thought to be enrolled in Virginia.
• While individual compliance was good, insurance and club enrollment was low.
• Carl discussed some of the positive aspects of CIPP (others can be found in the brochure included with the registration packets):
  • Clinics
  • Demographics for marketing
  • Legitimacy for the sport. No ringers.

Asked for latest club officer rosters from clubs

• All clubs have paid through the spring
• Looking at budget.
• Basil Nisbet expressed concern that the clubs are not getting the support they deserve from the dues paid.
• David Chapman. Not sure about the MARFU moneys yet.
• Carl Schmitt stated the following items need to be added to the budget:
  • Tech women funding
  • Web site ($600)
  • High School funding for some seed money.
• Bob Urban, VT women's coach, asked for some funding for the Virginia Tech women going to the nationals in Colorado Springs in May.
• David Chapman indicated that he wants to build up a slush fund for the VRU. If there are too many drains on the funds, a slush fund may not be possible. We are in the black and need to remain there.
• Carl Schmitt- motion for a $500 discretionary expenditure to the Virginia Tech women and let the E.C. discuss it's merits. Adam Kaufman seconded.
  • After some lengthy discussion the motion was withdrawn.
• David Chapman - motion to accept budget and let E.C. make changes as necessary to line items and maintain gain/loss of $0. Seconded (?).
  • 29 for; 1 oppose.
  • Motion carried.

• Rugby is now an open game, i.e. it is professional. The USARFU has agreed to the open policy (Side note: interestingly enough, the French has chosen to remain amateur. The reason being the French rugby union receives a fair amount of money from the government.)
• Reyn thinks the pro game will develop more quickly than some think.
• IRB has been recognized as the head of the game of union rugby. This could lead to use of facilities, and the Olympics logo.
• K.O. Browder was introduced to the members.
• USARFU wants to hear from clubs and have their input on what we want rugby to do.
• MARFU - good first year
• Select side went to Bermuda.
• Women's college clubs from Maryland are returning to the PRU. This includes Johns Hopkins, Navy, and UMBC.
• Jeff Hollier from Virginia RFC asked about the dissemination of information for MARFU select side trials. Apparently some clubs never received information on the select side practices so some players were not considered for selection.
  • Reyn replied it was done poorly the first year, but will be better in the future.
  • Secretary's note: though not mentioned at the AGM, the secretary has been informed that Al Little and other MARFU reps tried to contact VRU Clubs, but it wasn't his fault (or ours) that some club phone numbers/addresses were out of date. This should emphasize the importance of keeping the directory information up to date. rtu

• The newsletter will be published quarterly with anticipated dates of publication of March, May, August, and December.
• Ten copies per club will be sent to the team address and via email to anyone who wants it.
• Jeff relayed how much he has enjoyed being the VRU newsletter editor and hopes to be re-elected for another term.

• Women's coach stepping down. The E.C. will have to select a new select side coach.
• Congratulations to the Virginia Tech and James Madison University women's clubs as VRU representatives in the playoffs.
• Olivia Dunn (?) recognized as VCU's women's representative.

• VRU played well against the other LAUs in MARFU in select side play.
• Virginia Tech and Mary Washington men will represent the VRU in the playoffs.
• Discussed restructuring the men's college division. 10 of 13 clubs were represented.
• Asked how the men's college sides are governed.
• Wants to have Board of Commissioners set up with the men's coordinator as the chair. This board will make a decision on restructuring to be presented to the E.C. for final approval. This decision was reached when no consensus was agreed upon during the college men's meeting held before the AGM.
• Basil Nisbet expressed concern about the eligibility of some the college select side players.
  • David Chapman read from the US handbook regarding eligibility.

• Basil asked why there are an unequal number of division II teams in the north and south of MARFU.
  • This was a compromise for 1996 giving the EPRU time to iron out who will play in div. II and div. III in the EPRU. There will the same number of teams in the north and south in div. II for 1997 on.

• During Ed Lee a player came on the pitch from the sidelines. The club itself ejected the player from the tournament before the tournament director could. The player has been banned until 1 April 1996 by the club. This punishment was accepted by the disciplinary chair and sees no further action needing to be taken by the VRU.
• Kicking incident during the University of Virginia vs. Old Dominion University women's game at the Ed Lee Cup. Player was suspended for the first spring match.

• Spring 1995 - 90 out of 92 matches were covered.
• Fall 1995 - 80 out of 96 matches were covered. The RSV lost some members which accounts for the lower number of matches being covered in the fall.
• Asked that all clubs present give their spring schedules to David Chapman for the February scheduling meeting of the RSV.
• The RSV is actively seeking new members. Anyone interested should contact the Society.
• Changed the way 7s tournaments are done.
• Sportsmanship award. Let the referee know you have some of the things, for example a medical kit present, at a match. This could make a difference at the end of the season when the scores are added to determine the winner of the award.
• Player from ODU men's club asked what can be done if you think a referee cost you the match through poor officiating.
  • David Chapman responded: Did you submit a complaint? If not, it's a non-issue. Until an official complaint is filed, no action will be taken.

Election of Officers

• 1st nominee - Doc Warner nominated: Pat (?).
• 2nd nominee - Kris Kabza nominated: Erika Nussen.
• Doc Warner withdrew his nomination, Kris Kabza elected by acclamation

New business

• Carl explained the need to move the VRU AGM to early December from January. The reason is MARFU meets in late December and USARFU in early January. If the MARFU/USARFU representative changes in a late January VRU AGM, any offices that person holds in MARFU and USARFU is void because the representative must be an officer in their LAU.
• Carl Schmitt - motion to move the VRU AGM to the first Sunday after the first Saturday in December. seconded (?).
  • Motion carried.

• The VRU wants to develop a pool of 50-60 players. Hopes to have trials to determine these players.
• The VRU did well in LAU select side play in MARFU.
  • 11-16 against the PRU
  • 5-11 against the EPRU
• We need to raise the standard of play. One of the tactics used in select side play was flood the defense with back row forwards (author's note: guess they won't be doing that next year!). Defense and handling skills need to improve.

• In August there will be a strategic planning conference. Want to look at options. Who are the best players, clubs, and select sides? What efforts are being made at the grassroots?
• The national level needs input on what direction to take.
• Someone from the board made a comment about the National Office not listening to us (and I believe not communicating) with the rugby community..
  • Carl Schmitt's response: What do you mean? You receive Touchline from the national office.
• Reyn wants to meet with every VRU club for a couple of hours over the next two years. Let the clubs have a chance to discuss what clubs want to do.
• We need to create a vision.