Club junior proposal

Dear Members,

The Committee would like to propose a motion at the AGM to establish, on a one year trial basis, a Junior / Youth section of the Club. A majority of those members present at the AGM will either carry or reject the motion. A discussion on the arguments for and against this motion will be held prior to the vote.

The reason for this motion lies in the recent growth of the Junior Division of the sport in Ireland covering Triathlon, Duathlon and Acquathlon. Over 35 clubs in Ireland now have Junior sections and there were 23 Junior events in 2015. Triathlon Ireland has invested material resources in Youth Talent identification for the 2020 Olympics and beyond.

Getting a Junior / Youth Section off the ground will require the support of the Club and the commitment of a group of volunteers to get involved to form a Junior / Youth Committee and make it happen. The commitment required is not to be under-estimated. However, the excellent resources available through Triathlon Ireland and from other clubs will ease the burden greatly.

If a Junior / Youth section is to be established, we propose that it be done initially on a trial basis. If successful, we can renew our commitment at the next AGM and then put a longer term strategy in place. At this stage, we would propose to limit participation to family members of current Club members and to commit to organizing four participation days / events in the coming year. Those participating would then be able to consider entering any of the Junior races that are put on throughout the season: for example, the excellent Splash ‘n Dash events that Pulse host in advance of their Acquthlons and the Port Beach Sprint Triathlon.

In the event that the discussion at the AGM is in favour of establishing a Junior / Youth section on a trial basis, we would propose to put the following formal resolution to the meeting to put the necessary authorisations in place.

Phil Sykes

Secretary – Piranha Triathlon Club

for and on behalf of the Committee

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Notice is hereby given that the following resolution will be put to the Annual General Meeting of the Club to be held at the Clarence Hotel, Dublin on 10th October, 2015 at 8pm:

That the Committee be and is hereby authorised to establish a Junior / Youth Section of the Piranha Triathlon Club (the Club) on a trial basis for 2016 PROVIDED THAT:

at least four Club members volunteer to form a Junior / Youth Committee by 31 January 2016;

such Club members agree to take responsibility for organising and co-ordinating the Junior / Youth section; and

such Club members ensure that all sessions comply with all necessary child protection and other regulations concerning the participation of children in sport.

That the Junior / Youth Section shall operate on the following basis:

the Junior / Youth Section shall only be open to children between the ages of 8 and 18 who are the sons, daughters, nephews, nieces, brothers or sisters of fully paid up members of the Club at least one of whose parents agree to accompany and remain with their children for the duration of any Junior / Youth sessions hosted by or on behalf of the Club;

that the maximum commitment from the Club be to organise up to four training days in the next twelve months at which Junior / Youth members will be afforded the opportunity to receive an introduction to the sports of Triathlon, Duathlon and/or Acquathlon and during which they will receive basic guidance and training in the three key disciplines of swimming, cycling and running together with transition and race day skills;

that a new category of Junior / Youth member of the Club be established, that each applicant pays a nominal fee of €1 for Junior / Youth membership of the Club and that each participant in the Junior / Youth section contributes, where requested, a nominal amount toward the expenses of any training days that such Junior / Youth member attends; and

that each Junior / Youth member of the Club be a fully paid-up Junior member of Triathlon Ireland.

That, following the completion of the initial four training days, the Committee of Piranha Triathlon Club will seek feedback from the Junior / Youth Committee, the parents of Junior / Youth members and all Junior / Youth members themselves to assess the success of this exercise and will then revert to the members of the Club at the next Annual General Meeting with a recommendation either to continue with the Junior / Youth Section or to discontinue it.