We have requested specific info regarding the resumption of hockey and any regulation changes from Hockey Ireland.

We would currently advise all members to await further details prior to umpiring any type of match.

More details to follow as we receive them.

Following the postponement of this year’s IHUA AGM, notified on 20th April 2020, this is an advance notice that the reconvened date for the Meeting will be Saturday 5th September 2020 at 10:00am.

Due to the on-going restrictions imposed in the current Covid environment the Executive Committee has taken the decision to hold the AGM via Zoom conference call in order to reduce risk and keep people safe. This will present unfamiliar challenges for hosting the Meeting so please bear with us as we continue to operate in special circumstances.

IMPORTANT: Please respond to robertjohnston42@aol.com by 20th August 2020 to confirm your intention to dial-in to the AGM. The Zoom call will be a private event so you will need a password to join the meeting. Only those who respond positively will be sent the joining instructions, agenda and AGM papers.

In the meantime please stay safe, keep following Government and Health Authority advice and look after each other wherever you live or work.

Back in April I told you that we were postponing the AGM until further notice. I have watched other organisations and hockey clubs running AGM's via Zoom and it seems to be working. At the Executive Committee last night we decided to investigate Zoom as an option and we have set a provisional date of 26th August to hold the AGM.

Over the next few weeks we will look at what is involved, how we can manage the voting processes, and if it is a viable option to hold our AGM in this way which we hope it will be.

As always, all roles on the committee will be up for re-election and I would encourage you all to think about what you could contribute to the committee. To help with that I am going to look at all the roles we have and give you a description of what each one involves and the level of committmentt they would need from any one wishing to take them on.

Please see the attached link for the latest statement from the Hockey Ireland Board re a return to hockey

Please see the attached link for the latest statement from the Hockey Ireland Board re the conclusion of the season at national and provincial level.

The Board and the Branches in reaching their decisions are keen to emphasise the magnitude of effort each player, coach, umpire, volunteer, school, club and hockey entity has invested into this season.

We are aware of a few problems that have developed at the end of last season and the start of the current season with some of the UmpireTalk radios, mainly due to natural wear and tear. Of course there are a number that continue to work with no problems.

This notice is just to say that we are working on solution in conjunction with the Provinces as everyone recognises the widespread importance of radio usage for all matches. It is important that we try and get a radio that suits our wider needs as well as ensuring the cost is affordable. For this reason we will be looking to test some options in the next couple of weeks.

If we can agree on a radio then realistically we are probably looking at just after Christmas for their introduction.

Folks

Please do not ask to swap games on WhatsApp, Facebook or any other medium. If you are not able to fulfil a fixture then YOU MUST let the relevant appointments secretary know and they will remove you from the game and appoint a replacement.

There are selection committees that make these appointments and umpires are appointed to most games for a number of reasons so we cannot just swap when we need to sorry

Thanks

We are delighted to inform you of the announcement from the EHF that Ellie Duffy has been selected on their Umpire Development Programme (UDP). Ellie will join five other participants in the 2020-2022 Programme.

We would like to congratulate Ellie on her selection and this excellent opportunity. We wish her every success in what will be a challenging three years.

Tom Goode has also been selected as a mentor on the Programme along with Caroline Brunekreef (NED) and we also wish Tom Goode a successful three years developing umpires of the future!