The
TTTA-Academy problem
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Proof
that I am not telling lies in my letter to the TTQ annual general
meeting to be held in March 2012.
(Back to the letter - click here)
From
a letter from TTQ concerning the premary registration at TTTA:
5 October 2011
On the matter of the TTTA bylaw restricting access to club facilities
and competitions, the TTQ Board has determined that this bylaw is
not in the best interests of the development of the sport of table
tennis in Townsville and I have written to TTTA asking them to consider
amending this bylaw.
Yours sincerely
Derek Scott
Executive Officer
E-mail
from TTQ to a player that want to have a hit (he sent a copy to me):
From: Secretary Townsville <ttta_secretary@hotmail.com>
Date: Wed, Mar 2, 2011 at 6:04 PM
Subject: RE: Townsville
To: naitanteng@gmail.com
Monday night the centre is open from 7pm till 9pm
This would be a good night to come with your brother for a hit
Also Saturday morning from 10am to 12 noon or Sunday morning from
11am
Hope to see you soon
Regards
Rhonda
Rhonda Miller
Secretary
Townsville Table Tennis Association
Ph 07 4771 5911
Fx 07 4771 5994
Mb 04 1527 0083
ttta_secretary@hotmail.com
E-mail
from TTQ to their members concerning the Academy:
From: kevintsv@hotmail.com
To: ttta_secretary@hotmail.com
Subject: Academy Affiliation with TTQ
Date: Sat, 15 Jan 2011 03:32:45 +1000
Rhonda, please Fwd to all members as information update.
Hi Everyone,
Just to let you know that any affilliated club with TTQ,
is required to register all it's members with TTQ. Not just Representative
/ Club Tournament players.
TTQ's Bylaws also require social membership players to affilliate
with TTQ as well.
The Academy's $10 membership fee does not even cover the TTQ and
TTA component.
So, I don't know how he will cover his members without player insurance
and what will become of the money?
I do not know how TTQ will see this if the Academy member fee is
not paid as required in the TTQ By laws?
for your information..
E&OE
Best Regards
Kevin Chun Tie
Club President
PS: I hope we do not have to update you more information...
..... we want to get back playing and having fun with table tennis
!!
See you at the hall!
E-mail
from Paul Jones to TTQ concerning doubtful exclusionary practices:
From: Paul Jones <paulusjonas@gmail.com>
Date: Mon, Mar 7, 2011 at 7:47 PM
Subject: Re: Over the Net - Issue 1/2011
To: Derek Scott <derek@tabletennisqld.org>
Hi Derek,
I had a look at Terry's academy website and it makes no comparison
with the Townsville club as regards the Academy being a serious
club and Townsville TTA being only a hobby club. It does mention
that one of the purposes of the Academy being formed is so that
people in Townsville can appreciate that Table Tennis is a serious
sport and not just a hobby. As far as I can recall this has been
Terry's stated aim even back in the early 90's while coaching in
Brisbane. His website specifically makes no mention of any other
club's in this statement only a claim of what he purports the academy
to be aiming for. I think that he has been unjustly maligned for
this and also once again completely misunderstood by certain people
who really don't understand his goals and intentions or who are
using it as an excuse to hit out at him and as an excuse for some
pretty doubtful exclusionary practices.
I am extremely concerned as by the trends (e.g. of Mackay being
fairly quiet and cancelling their tournament) and the North being
pretty quite as well. It is looking at present like North queensland
is sliding off the Table Tennis map. Townsville TTA should be supporting
the new club not trying it's best to scupper it before it gets going
otherwise the sport is likely to die off up here.
yours sincerely
Paul Jones.
E-mail
from TTTA concerning the Stockland event:
Fra: Secretary Townsville [mailto:ttta_secretary@hotmail.com]
Sendt: Wednesday, 23 February 2011 12:23 PM
Til: terje@sydhav.no
Kopi: Derek Scott; morrievalerie@bigpond.com; ronnienjim@hotmail.com;
kevintsv@hotmail.com; pierre@mysoul.com.au; stdnef@bigpond.com; briang77@bigpond.net.au;
annsellwood3@bigpond.com; peta.mayston@bigpond.com; ross@wyse-up.com.au
Emne: RE: Team matches
Dear Terry
Thank you for the invitation but we will not be participating in
this event..
Could you please refrain form any advertising or printed material
suggesting interclub fixtures or events without prior discussion
and approval from the TTTA Board.
Eg: TTQ Over the Net issue and TTAT website
Yours sincerely
Rhonda
Rhonda Miller
Secretary
Townsville Table Tennis Association
Ph 07 4771 5911
Fx 07 4771 5994
Mb 04 1527 0083
ttta_secretary@hotmail.com
Letter
from TTTA concerning co-operation, the reply on my e-mail (underneath):
TOWNVILLE TABLE TENNIS ASSOCIATION
60 Charters Towers Road, Hermit Park. Q. 4812
PO Box 185, Castletown. Q. 4812
Ph: 07 4771 5911 Email:
ABN: 66 401 852 634
Dear Terry
We thank you for your recent emails on 8th March and 8th April
2011 in relation to friendly competition between the two associations.
Your correspondence was tabled at our Board meeting on 17th March
2011.
Regards
Rhonda Miller
Secretary
Townsville Table Tennis Association
(Not dated, stamped post office 11 April 2011)
Fra: Terje Dahl [mailto:terje@sydhav.no]
Sendt: Tuesday, 8 March 2011 11:18 AM
Til: 'Secretary Townsville'
Emne: TTTA and Table Tennis Academy Townsville
Dear TTTA,
When I established Table Tennis Academy Townsville one of the objectives
was to do something good for all table tennis players in our city
- and I hoped for both cooperation and friendly competition between
the two table tennis associations in our city. TTTA has expressed
that you are not interested in this. Can you please tell me why?
Regards
Terry Dahl
President
Table Tennis Academy Townsville
ttatownsville@gmail.com
Phone (office/home): 61-7-47723486
Mobile: 61-0431099274
Temporary webpages: http://www.sydhav.no/terje/tabletennis/academy.htm
Invitation
to our tournament, an e-mail follow up:
(The invitation was also on the internet - click here.
Fra: Terje Dahl [mailto:terje@sydhav.no]
Sendt: Saturday, 26 February 2011 8:15 AM
Til: 'TTQ Townsville '
Kopi: 'Kevin Chun Tie'
Emne: A slight change to the invitation Sunday March 6
We have now changed the Sunday 6 event slightly; To be an open
day for everybody fond of table tennis. The top players can come
to have much needed match-practise, beginners not yet member of
any association can come and have a go! We would like to inform
everybody of this opportunity, so attached is a new invitation I
hope you can hand/send out and hang up in your venue.
(It should be no problem if the old invitation already has gone
out to your established members, we want to give beginners a chance
to try out a table tennis competition even if they are not member
of any association - like our own at the school).
Regards
Terry Dahl
President
Table Tennis Academy Townsville
ttatownsville@gmail.com
Phone (office/home): 61-7-47723486
Mobile: 61-0431099274
Temporary webpages: http://www.sydhav.no/terje/tabletennis/academy.htm
Invitation
to games 18 June, to Gary to give to his players:
Suggestion
to a tournament in December, TTTA's reply and my emails:
2 November 2011
Dear Terry
We thank you for your recent email on 28th October 2011 in relation
to your proposed tournament and possible trip to Fiji.
Your correspondence was discussed at our Board meeting on 30th October
2011.
Our association has to consider our considerable commitment to the
programs implemented and new ones planned for the next few months
leading up to Christmas, the new year and beyond.
Unfortunately this is a very busy time leading up to Christmas for
our members so we will be unable to participate.
Regards
Rhonda Miller
Secretary
Townsville Table Tennis Association
Fra: T Dahl [mailto:terje@sydhav.no]
Sendt: Wednesday, 26 October 2011 10:14 AM
Til: 'BRISBANE'; 'BUNDABERG'; 'CAIRNS'; 'GATTON'; 'Gold Coast';
'MACKAY'; 'ROCKHAMPTON'; 'TOOWOOMBA'; 'TOWNSVILLE'
Kopi: 'Daniel Pun'; 'Daniel O'Neill'; 'Paul Uttley'; 'Bundaberg
Table Tennis'; 'paul@tabletennisworld.com.au'; 'Derek Scott'; 'Paul
Jones'; 'ttatownsville@gmail.com'
Emne: Re: Invitation Tournament in December
Hi,
I have heard from very few of you - did you receive my email?
I guess you have noticed that I managed to use the calendar for
2012, the correct dates are of course 17 and 18 (and 19) of December.
Please tell me if other weekends are better - like 3 - 4 December
(or even the weekend before).
I saw that Antony Ho, the president of Fiji Table Tennis Association
(and a friend of mine) did inform you of the Fiji Open on 9-11 December,
via my mail. Olav and I wonder if we should try to get there. If
other players are interested then might be they/you can contact
me, and I can help out - like taking juniors there. I have been
living in Fiji several times and also was the National Coach of
Fiji for a year (and I have been traveling with Norwegian national
junior teams all over Europe).
Terry
Regards
Terry Dahl
President
Table Tennis Academy Townsville
ttatownsville@gmail.com
Phone (office/home): 61-7-47723486
Mobile: 61-0431099274
Temporary webpages: http://www.sydhav.no/terje/tabletennis/academy.htm
-----Opprinnelig melding-----
Fra: T Dahl [mailto:terje@sydhav.no]
Sendt: Saturday, 22 October 2011 1:46 PM
Til: 'BRISBANE'; 'BUNDABERG'; 'CAIRNS'; 'GATTON'; 'Gold Coast';
'MACKAY'; 'ROCKHAMPTON'; 'TOOWOOMBA'; 'TOWNSVILLE'
Kopi: 'Daniel Pun'; 'Daniel O'Neill'; 'Anthony Ho'; 'Paul Uttley';
'Bundaberg Table Tennis'; 'Auckland Table Tennis Association'; 'paul@tabletennisworld.com.au';
'fokus@fokusbtk.no'; 'Derek Scott'; 'pangwayc@iinet.net.au'; 'Paul
Jones'
Emne: Invitation Tournament in December
Hi,
There is a lack of table tennis activities this time of the year
so we wonder if we should try to arrange an invitation tournament
the weekend 15-16 December. We might even have team events (for
the juniors?) on Monday the 17 December - since the school holidays
are starting that weekend. We might be able to accommodate some
juniors (in dorm style; like bringing their pillows and air mattresses)
without any costs.
What do you guys think?
Regards
Terry Dahl
President
Table Tennis Academy Townsville
ttatownsville@gmail.com
Phone (office/home): 61-7-47723486
Mobile: 61-0431099274
School
competition 19 November - reply from the Principal at Pimlico, I also
got a negativ answer from Belgian Gardens School when I asked them
in person:
-----Opprinnelig melding-----
Fra: MORRIS David [mailto:dmorr63@eq.edu.au]
Sendt: Thursday, 1 December 2011 6:00 AM
Til: 'T Dahl'
Emne: RE: Table tennis
Hi terry
Not that I can recall?
Regards
David
David Morris
Principal
Pimlico State High School
Phone: 4759 3444
Fax: 4759 3400
Email: the.principal@pimlicoshs.eq.edu.au
CRICOS Provider 00608A
From: T Dahl [mailto:terje@sydhav.no]
Sent: Wednesday, 30 November 2011 5:45 PM
To: the.principal@pimlicoshs.eq.edu.au
Subject: Table tennis
Dear Sir,
Just a question: Did the school get an invitation from Townsville
Table Tennis Association (not the Academy) to an inter-school tournament
that was held on the 19th of November?
Regards
Terry Dahl
President
Table Tennis Academy Townsville
ttatownsville@gmail.com
Phone (office/home): 61-7-47723486
Mobile: 61-0431099274
Temporary webpages: http://www.sydhav.no/terje/tabletennis/academy.htm
Letter
from TTTA concerning our request to hire their hall for our Academy
Open:
Mr Terry Dahl
Table Tennis Academy Townsville
30th January 2012
Dear Terry,
At its regular Committee Meeting held on Sunday 29th January at
1pm the members and in Committee of the whole considered at length,
your submission to hire the centre for your event.
I advise that the Committee voted unanimously to not hire the centre.
Yours sincerely
Rhonda Miller
Rhonda Miller
Secretary
The
proposed cadet league, the answer from TTTA and our suggestion:
Fra: Rhonda Miller [mailto:secretary@ttta.org.au]
Sendt: Wednesday, 29 February 2012 11:55 AM
Til: 'T Dahl'
Emne: RE: Table Tennis League for Cadets
Hi Terry
At the Board meeting held on Sunday 26th your proposed Cadet League
was discussed.
Due to the heavy player program and club tournament schedule up
until the end of June we would not be in a position to partake in
your Cadet League.
Regards
Rhonda Miller
Secretary
From: T Dahl [mailto:terje@sydhav.no]
Sent: Monday, 27 February 2012 1:56 PM
To: 'Secretary Townsville'
Subject: Re: Table Tennis League for Cadets
Dear TTTA,
Did you receive our email?
Regards
Terry Dahl
President
Table Tennis Academy Townsville
ttatownsville@gmail.com
Phone (office/home): 61-7-47723486
Mobile: 61-0431099274
Temporary webpages: http://www.sydhav.no/terje/tabletennis/academy.htm
-----Opprinnelig melding-----
Fra: T Dahl [mailto:terje@sydhav.no]
Sendt: Monday, 13 February 2012 9:27 AM
Til: 'Secretary Townsville'
Kopi: 'Derek Scott'
Emne: Table Tennis League for Cadets
Dear TTTA,
We would like to invite Townsville Table Tennis Association to what
we have called "Townsville Cadet League" as a preliminary
name.
One of the reasons that the Academy was established was to get more
young players involved in our game. Interclub-leagues are very popular
in most sports and table tennis team leagues should be no exception
(I started an interclub league for cadets and mini-cadets in Norway
many years ago, and it is still running very successfully!).
The idea is to have two-player teams for cadets, U15, and play a
league throughout the year. It could be a separate league for boy
and girls but if there are not enough girls then the teams can be
a mix of boys and girls, we do not have to specify the gender for
the players. Many sports are having leagues played every week, like
soccer, but might be we can try with once a month or every fortnights
for a start. Leagues are usually played as home and away matches,
and I believe that we should try the same - venues, days and dates
have to be determined of course.
I hope that I can get a positive reply, and that we can co-operate
so that we can get can get a league for the younger players up and
running.
Regards
Terry Dahl
President
Table Tennis Academy Townsville
ttatownsville@gmail.com
Phone (office/home): 61-7-47723486
Mobile: 61-0431099274
Temporary webpages: http://www.sydhav.no/terje/tabletennis/academy.htm
E-mail from Olav to TTQ , 28/07-2011, with a letter confirming the
incident at TTTA:
From: insanityprawn_1998@hotmail.com
To: admin@tabletennisqld.org
Subject: Sunday 11th of march - Verbal abuse
Date: Wed, 14 Mar 2012 17:44:34 +1100
Hello,
this is my personal report of what happened at the Table Tennis
Townsville Association on Sunday the 11th of march 2012.
I have attached my personal opinion to what happened and the explanation
in the word document attached
Sincerely,
Olav Dahl
Sunday 11 March Table Tennis Report
On Sunday the 11th of march, my father and I went to Townsville
Table Tennis Association so I could have a hit with someone. The
moment we stepped into the hall, Rhonda Miller and Gary Walmsley
came rushing towards my dad and making rude comments towards him
that were not true in my opinion. They were both throwing comments
at me and my dad like "Your dad is a liar", "Your
dad is an evil man" and "Your dad is an asshole".
In my opinion, this stuff is unacceptable, it is very rude and is
worthy of bringing them to court. First of all, my dad has not lied
to them at all. Second of all, why would they be calling my dad
an evil man when he has not done anything to earn such a title for
himself? And lastly, calling my dad an "asshole", is that
really mature for a person to be calling others? I think not. Townsville
Table Tennis Association should stop all this nonsense and start
working together with the Academy. They fear that we will take all
their members away, but the truth is that the establishment of the
academy was purely and addition to the Townsville Table Tennis Association.
The purpose of the academy was to promote the sport of table tennis
in Townsville and make more competition in the North Queensland
table tennis community.
Written by
Olav Dahl
E-mail
from me to TTTA, 30/01-11, informing of the establishment of the Academy
and wishing for a fruitful co-operation:
Fra: Terje Dahl [mailto:terje@sydhav.no]
Sendt: Saturday, 30 January 2011
Til: 'Secretary Townsville'
Emne:Table Tennis Academy Townsville is here!
Dear association,
It is my pleasure to inform that Table Tennis Academy Townsville now
is up and running. We are hoping for a positive and fruitful co-operation
with your association, and appreciate any feedback from you!
It was 4 December that I could inform TTQ that the establishment of
Table Tennis Academy Townsville was under way as an independent non-profit
sporting association: That an interim committee had been formed and
we were planning to start up the activities in the New Year. Due to
the holidays and the flooding in Brisbane it took a little longer
than we hoped to get everything sorted out when it comes to incorporation
and the affiliating with TTQ/ATT. It is now in order. It has also
been taking a bit longer time than estimated to get everything sorted
out with the school where we will start our activities, mainly because
of the before mentioned reasons, in fact it was only yesterday that
it finally was confirmed by the school that we could have our beginners
course there - and we are starting on Tuesday!
To recruit kids is our main priority at this stage, one of our main
objectives is to involve children in table tennis as a sport, with
emphasis on fitness and competitive skills. But we will we will also
try to arrange activities like tournaments and coaching for the established
players. The Academy is meant to be an addition to Townsville Table
Tennis Association, - to give the more serious table tennis players
of the city (and Queensland) an even better offer. We sincerely believe
that cooperation and friendly competition between the two clubs can
make the sport of table tennis prosper in Townsville. It is our wish
that the members of the Academy also can be members of Townsville
Table Tennis Association; that they can take part in our activities
and we in theirs - for mutual benefit.
We are hoping that we soon can invite you to an inaugural tournament
and we are also having some plans for staring a league for teams.
We will of course have to start in a fairly small scale when it comes
to a league; the distances in Queensland are as we know a major hindrance
for a poor sport like ours. But we are hoping that we can get everybody
into a positive spirit by starting something so please come back to
us with your thoughts and ideas!
The distances to the rest of table tennis Australia is one of the
reasons that we started the Academy; It is too expensive to travel
to Victoria or NSW to take part in good competitions on a regular
basis - we need more competitions in Queensland, we need more competitions
in Townsville!
You can find more information about the Academy on our temporary web-pages:
http://www.sydhav.no/terje/tabletennis/academy.htm
We also are on Facebook.
With a wish for a prosperous table tennis year 2011!
Regards
Terry Dahl
President
Table Tennis Academy Townsville
ttatownsville@gmail.com
Phone (office/home): 61-7-47723486
Mobile: 61-0431099274
Temporary webpages: http://www.sydhav.no/terje/tabletennis/academy.htm
Letter
to me from the TTTA Committee, 22/12-10, telling that I no longer
can do any form of coaching in their venue:
22 December 2010
Dear Terry,
In regard to your recent email about the development of a "Table
Tennis Academy Townsville" locally, the committee views it as
a conflict of interest with your current TTTA club coaching activities.
At this time, TTTA cannot authorise any Group or Individual coaching
or training sessions by you in TTTA Facilities due to this conflict
of interest. Therefore, we ask you to cease conducting any coaching
or training activities in TTTA Facilities as of 1 January 2011. We
thank you for your efforts with the coaching you have done for members.
You are welcome as a player and member, but no coaching or training
type session will be tolerated.
At its meeting of 19 December, 2010 the Board designated the following
TTTA Nominated Club Coaches.
Gary Walmsley (Club Coach)
Kevin Chun Tie (Level 2 Coach)
"Only the above TTTA Nominated Coaches and their Assistants have
authorisation to conduct Club, Group, Private or Individual Coaching
or Training Sessions in TTTA Facilities.
**All TTTA Equipment is designated for use by Nominated TTTA Coaches
and Assistants only.
**The Monday Night Club Coaching Session will be conducted by a TTTA
Nominated Coach.
Best Regards
TTTA Committee
E-mail from me to TTTA committee members, 29/07-2010, telling that
I had not established a new club:
Fra: Terje Dahl [mailto:terje@sydhav.no]
Sendt: Thursday, 29 July 2010 12:47 PM
Til: 'Secretary Townsville'; grigglesley@gmail.com; paulusjonas@gmail.com;
morrievalerie@bigpond.com; ronnienjim@hotmail.com; kevintsv@hotmail.com;
kforster@kirwanfp.com; stdnef@tpg.com.au; briang77@bigpond.net.au;
peta.mayston@bigpond.com
Emne: To the committee members TTTA.
Dear Committee Members,
I had for a long time been hoping that you should wake up and see
what injustice you have been doing to me but the miserable farce
at the last board meeting have made me give up any hope. It seems
that some of the committee members of one reason or another want
to blame me for about everything, without spelling out what, how
and why. I am always trying to keep a serious and responsible attitude
in the role of a coach and leader, something I am proud of. I am
also a very honest person, and all my friends know that they can
trust me. I am not a diplomat, though, I like to speak my mind and
hope that people are intelligent enough to understand that words
just are words - and that it is action that counts. A fiery debate
will more often lead to positive action than silence, but the people
involved should also be able to listen. I feel that I have been
talking for deaf ears since I got involved in table tennis in Townsville.
Yes, some people seem more interested in sticking their fingers
in their ears than to listen and see if I have something positive
to add - and this is a mystery to me!
The fruitless debate at the last board meeting was so weird that
I hardly could believe my ears. First somebody is mentioning that
we should be helping people wanting to establish clubs at uni or
other places - and then a few minutes later they try to blast me
off me feet because somebody has told them that I am establishing
a new club. Does this make any sense?
I said, and I say it again: I have not established a new club, I
have no members in a new (non existent) club!
If somebody is establishing a new club in Townsville it will not
be a conflict of interest with TTTA, if the person is a committee
member or not. As it has been said in committee meetings: We should
be happy if we get more clubs in Townsville!
There should also be no problem if a person a committee member of
the more than one club/association. I have myself been helping to
establish establishing new clubs in Norway, while I was committee
member (even president!) of Norway largest club. Nobody felt that
this was a problem - everybody was on the contrary very happy that
I wanted to help out with this (and I was also board member of two
table tennis associations for a short period, nobody thought that
was strange)! This kind of work was later a part of my (voluntarily)
job as chairperson of the Norwegian TTA's Development Committee,
but it started when parents and players wanted to establish more
clubs in Oslo.
If some of the board members of Townsville TTA should have heard
rumours, true or not, that I was starting a association/club then
the reaction should rather be like this: - That is great, Terry,
but why?
Nobody seemed happy, and nobody asked such a question at the board
meeting. Strange.
I could have given you some interesting answers why I should want
to establish a new association - like that I do not want to disappoint
young beginners. To get in about 15 new kids and see them disappear
because they are not looked well after is not something I would
like to experience again (so far nobody but me have been looking
into why we lost beginners - even if it was decided at a board meeting
that we should look into it)! Another answer could be that to establish
another association could be a back-up plan if TTTA collapses because
of reasons like bad economy (and/or that a lack of a proper development
plan with mission statement and goals is hard to live with for a
person who know how important this is and knows the positive potential
if plans are made, and the potential catastrophic results if they
not are made). Another very natural answer for me would be that
I have a son playing table tennis. He will not last long in the
sport in an association where the majority of the board members
(and might be parents) do not recognize how important the social
aspect is - that young players must practise together and form friendly
bonds. Also: Olav has set quite high goals (on his own) and there
is no way ha can reach his goals in an association where coaches
are doing old fashioned training and teaching the players old fashioned
techniques. He was the only TTTA-player improving his results (matches,
not medals!) in the Queensland Juniors this year - and about the
only one with a playing style you see internationally but the coaches/board-members
are not interested in hearing about this or co-operate. Another
reason is, as earlier mentioned, that Townsville needs more than
one association/club. It is too expensive for most parents to pay
for their children to travel to the (few) tournament in Queensland.
There must a far better offer on the competition-side if the sport
shall prosper!
So the above are some of the reasons you would get to a "why?".
There is no secret that I have been fiddling around with the thoughts
of establishing another association/club - but it is far from thoughts
to action (at least if you are a responsible person)! I know what
it takes to establish a new club, and even if I am very unhappy
with the situation at TTTA it is a big question if I have the time:
I have other things to do (I have delayed an important book-project
about the climate change for about a year now because I felt I had
to help TTTA). At this moment I have not made any decision.
I have been looking for a suitable venue (but not really seriously
- just looking). You cannot start an association without a place
to play. Another thing you need to start an association/club is
at least two coaches. I have not done anything here. Members to
a potential club? I have not approached any of the TTTA-members
- and if I start looking it will of course be of Olav's age and
younger! Again: There are no plans in place.
I might be taking the sport of table tennis too serious but I see
no use in wasting my time just fooling around without a plan or direction.
That will give no motivation at all. I have done and achieved a lot
in table tennis both as a coach and administrator. This time my motivation
is to help Olav as good as I can (even if I rather saw him sticking
to his soccer).
For the new member of the committee I might explain the following:
I have long experience in coaching and committee work, on association
level, district level and national level (http://www.sydhav.no/terje/tabletennis/terry_dahl.htm).
I did not want to get back into table tennis coaching when I moved
to Townsville, even if Paul Jones asked me time and time again. It
was first when he gave Olav, who was playing competitive tennis, a
flyer about free Christmas holiday table tennis things changed (it
was raining too much for Olav to play tennis). After the holiday Olav
wanted to keep on playing table tennis and I was pulled in. Paul then
wanted me to help him out with the junior squad; to help him to get
the intensity up at the training sessions. So we agreed upon how it
was going to be done, with him helping out at the tables and me running
around encouraging them vocally to step up the intensity. A few of
the players did not seem to like this method but Paul was happy (personally
I wanted Paul to keep on with his way of coaching and me just assisting,
because it is not always successful to bring in a new coach in established
routines). Later on we came up with the idea of establishing an Academy,
which I quite successfully had done when doing a pilot project for
Logan TTA in 1992 (Paul was a member of the Academy, his letter about
me here: http://www.sydhav.no/terje/tabletennis/paul_letter_suppor_terry.htm),
because we felt that we had to help the keen juniors in an even better
way. The majority of the members of the board were, to my surprise,
very negative. Later on we suggested and established a Coaching Committee,
with Paul as chairperson and all the coaches working in and for TTTA
as members (at that stage it was only Kevin in addition to us but
we but we were hoping to educate more). Unfortunately Paul lost his
position as development officer at TTTA, and had to concentrate more
on supporting his family in another way. He also wanted to concentrate
on his own game (he was quite successful when I coached him in Logan,
together with Peter Lander and a number of other players) and that
meant that I suddenly was the only coach to look after all the members,
and more or less at the same time; Beginners, intermediate, elite
and veterans. I informed Paul several times, as he still was the chairperson
of the Coaching Committee, that we just had to get more coaches to
help out but not much happened. Also the junior fixtures had to suffer.
The number of players had been decreasing steadily the last year and
it kept on decreasing but Paul did no longer have time to look into
this - even if he also was the chairperson of the Fixture Committee.
The only thing he did was to give his input on the format of the fixtures.
Katrina and I tried to keep both the junior fixtures and the beginners
coaching going, and I believe that it was a big mistake of the board
members to stop the fixtures; At that point in time we had a new set
of beginners almost ready to start. And for the established juniors
it is so important to play against each other; Most of the senor fixture
players are social players with an old fashioned style - they need
to play against players that have a more modern style!
Then my parents both died of old age and I have to go to Norway for
a while. Again: I informed Paul and believed that he should be able
to look into the coaching while I was gone - if he did not have the
time to do the coaching himself or find other coaches then it of course
was his role to inform the TTTA-committee (I learned later that Paul
also had family-problems, so he must have been in a too difficult/busy
situation). This did not happen - I was much later informed by a father
of two beginners that they had found the door closed without any notice.
They also later saw the "for-rent" sign and believed that
the association had closed down.
I was also elected to the TTTA-committee; I felt that I with my experience
had something to contribute besides coaching. I urged the committee
to look into making a proper development plan (I was told there were
no plans at all but much later learned about the incomplete Action
Plan), because without mission statement, goals and a plan on how
to reach the goals it is for an association like stumbling around
in the dark - getting nowhere. I had seen sad and serious personal
catastrophes (like several divorces and the president of a soccer
association where I was board member and coach taking his own life)
in sports administration because the lack of planning always leads
to overwork for just a few (or often just one person doing about everything)
and too often mostly negative feedback. So together with Paul I suggested
that the TTTA should establish a Development Committee (http://www.sydhav.no/terje/tabletennis/development_committee.htm
). That happened, but then the management committee decided that all
sub-committees should be dissolved. Not a smart move in my eyes -
it was to take a giant step backwards!
I was sad (but not surprised) to see Brian resign as the president,
because it was him that urged me to keep on when I felt that the association
or one reason or another (I still do not know why) was not interested
in my help and I wanted to quit. And it was even more sad to see that
nobody seemed to care, and that nobody wanted to look into why the
president had resigned. "It is now very evident to me what the
systemic problem is in the TTTA. Everybody just does whatever suits
them", were Brian's words in his letter of resignation. This,
and his warnings that the association might end up bankrupt, would
normally have lead to that the committee members asked him to reconsider
his resignation and promise to speed up a process of making a development
plan after a problem-solving process where the association and it's
situation was analysed.
My last try to start at process that could get the association on
the right track was to suggest and plan a Coaches Workshop http://www.sydhav.no/terje/tabletennis/coaches_workshop_index.htm.
It was decided at the board meeting that we should hold the workshop
and that I should conduct it. And then it was cancelled when everybody
were present and I was about to start - just unbelievable incredible!
(I might add that it was on the internet-pages prepared for the Coaches
Workshop that the board meeting told me to remove the TTTA logo -
something I had believed that the association should be proud of!)
It's just amazing how the negativism is flowing when it comes to everything
I try to help out with. Is it just a "nobody shall come and tell
us what we shall do"- attitude - or what is wrong? It is like
there are forces trying to stop every normal way of running a sporting
organization. I had in Norway sometimes problems to get table tennis
associations to understand that our sport is a sport like other sports,
and if we want to succeed then we at least must do as good as them,
but it seems like people here do not have any pride in table tennis
as a sport. It's like a "it's only ping-pong"-attitude.
Why they want to get involved, or involve their kids, in table tennis
as a sport is a mystery to me.
When I got into table tennis coaching and administration in Norway
it was quite natural for me to take coaching courses (Level 3 in both
Norway and Sweden), physiology courses and coursers for administrators
- I had to know what I was doing. So when I through Olav was pulled
back into the sport I of course had to upgrade my knowledge base,
which I did before I made a decision to get back into coaching. Both
when it came to coaching techniques and playing styles (and was surprised
to find some of the techniques used were the same as I developed back
in 1996). And of course I also had to study all the players and confer
with Paul before I could give the players any feedback at all on their
techniques. Too many cooks can spoil the food, and Paul had been coaching
them for quite a while. I had been approached by one of the TTTA parents
some time before Olav started, to help out with private coaching because
there seem to be a problem with Paul's way of coaching. Paul was the
TTTA-coach and I only could advice to take the problem up with Paul,
which as far as I am concerned is the correct way of doing things.
Yes, the players shall of course take up any concerns with the coaches
(and Paul and I encouraged them to do so). If they are too shy to
talk to a coach then they should talk with their parents so that they
can take it up with the coaches in a sensible way (the parents should
also be present at some training session to see for themselves).This
is normal procedures in sports all over the world!
Well, this is turning out to be a long e-mail, so I better stop,
but I felt that I had to explain my concerns.
If somebody does not agree (or agree) with the information I have
given then I hope they will contact me!
Terry
Regards
Terry Dahl
Phone (office/home): 61-7-47723486
Mobile: 61-0431099274
(By
the way: I did not get feedback from anybody on the e-mail above!)
E-mail from me to TTQ , 28/07-2011, confirming that I am willing to
take part in a mediation discussion with TTTA.
Derek
Scott at TTQ sent me an e-mail on the 27/7/11 and again 31/08/2011
saying that I had set preconditions on the mediation process. Well,
I still do not feel that I made any preconditions to a mediation meeting
(that I had suggested). I simply asked TTQ if it not would be wise
to clarify important matters before the meeting. I believe that it
is quite natural and common for a mediator to collect information
that might be important to the meeting, to have the necessary background-information
to be able to act as a mediator! I still believe that my questions
were very relevant!
I would not had refused to come to a mediation meeting even if TTQ
did not want to ask TTTA these questions but it turned out that TTTA
was not at all interested in a mediation meeting - which of course
was unfortunate!
Here
is the e-mail with my questions:
From: Terje Dahl [mailto:terje@sydhav.no]
Sent: Thursday, 28 July 2011 11:22 AM
To: 'Derek Scott'
Subject: Re: To the board concerning issues in Townsville.
Hi Derek,
Thank you for your reply. I will of course be willing to take part
in a mediation discussion with TTTA but I feel that it is important
that some of the questions I am asking in my letter should be answered
before such a meeting.
Have TTQ asked TTTA why they do not want to communicate and co-operate
with the Academy? In so case: Is there an answer?
Have TTQ asked TTTA if they can rescind their new by-law and once
again allow players who have primary registration with other associations
to compete in their weekly fixtures? In so case: Is there an answer?
If not: Why not?
I also feel that it would be useful if TTQ could ask TTTA if they
would be willing to take back the decision that I no longer can
do any group or individual coaching or training sessions in TTTA
facilities and/or if they would be willing to allow me to
coach my son Olav at the TTTA venue (if we are members), also at
the club coaching sessions in cooperation with the club coaches.
It should also be clarified if TTTA will allow all members and also
non-members to have a hit or practise if there are free tables
also during club coaching sessions.
The above are the most important problems/questions on the more
practical side that it also should be of interest to get answers
to before a mediation meeting.
Regards
Terry Dahl
President
Table Tennis Academy Townsville
ttatownsville@gmail.com
Just
a few thoughts on having more than one association in a city:
That somebody
wants it to be only one table tennis association in Townsville is
very hard for me to understand - might be especially with my background
from Norway (and also Sweden and other countries). I Oslo there are
many associations and nobody believe that it is anything wrong or
strange about that. On the contrary; everybody are very happy that
there are several associations - for of course the more associations
the more activities like leagues and tournaments! Yes, we were even
working hard to establish more associations all the time!
The associations are also co-operating. If one association is having
a tournament, often held in large school-halls (for free), then they
borrowed tables from each other and help each as good as they can
with the arrangement!
When Olav and I went to Norway last year then Olav could experience
how my old association was open for players besides the members to
come and practise. During the club-squad practising for the juniors
there were always a couple of players from another association - and
they were even using their own uniforms. They practised with Olav
and they practised with the association's other players. The players
of my old association always thought it was great to have "new"
players to practise with! They do not have the Fixture-system i Norway
but players from other associations were welcome to play in the social
Friday-ranking.
When I was coaching in Noway I was coaching squads on many levels.
Oslo I had weekly squad training for the most promising players -
keen players picket from all the associations. I also visited other
associations besides my own - to help the coaches to get their training
organized in a best possible way, and to give input to the players.
Most of my work was done on a voluntarily basis, as a board member
of the "state" and the Norwegian association it was natural
that I tried to help out because everybody had to help out to improve
our sport! I am sure that many think it is strange that I am not doing
private coaching but private coaching does not exist in Norway. Might
be you could give a couple of players some extra training one-to-one
or as a small group when needed but very seldom (might be prior to
championships) and you never charged them for it! The social aspect
of playing together in squads is more important than rapid development
- you want to keep them in the sport!
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