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The Executive Committee have issued a clarification note following some disquiet over selection following the recent Senior Squad trials. Although it is the Senior Women who have been disappointed this year other squads have been affected in the past. This should be a clarion call to all those with aspirations to represent GB in future campaigns and in all classes to set a training programme in place to achieve the standards necessary to satisfy the agreed criteria.
Statement from the BDA - Senior Women The BDA Executive has become aware of continuing discussion relating to the selection of teams for this year's European Championships. As a result, the BDA Executive believes it would be helpful to clarify the selection policy that was adopted and comment on the way forward. After the World Championships in Tampa Bay last year, the BDA Executive conducted a thorough review of the GB team structure. This review included an electronic survey of 90 GB paddlers and a consultation meeting that included all GB coaches from 2010/11. This review generated the following key outcomes: - Team GB should be more coherent and work together, not as separate (and sometimes competing) teams
- People wanted to paddle in more competitive teams
As a result, a new GB squad structure was designed and implemented. All 2010-11 GB coaches were invited to apply for the period 2012-13 along with new applicants. Many of the coaches did apply, and were duly re-appointed; all of these were supportive of the new structure. The 2010-11 Senior Women's Coach chose not to apply. The GB Management Committee in consultation with the BDA Executive decided that all GB crews would have to meet specific selection criteria to ensure they were competitive. The BDA Executive and the GB Coaches agreed that to advance the sport of Dragon Boat Racing, the principle of representing GB should be one of elitism rather than just participation. Participation was always to be encouraged at grass roots and club racing level, but it was felt strongly that wearing a GB shirt should be truly representative of hard work, determination, sacrifice and talent - in common with all other sporting endeavours. It was agreed by the BDA Executive and the GB Management Committee, that if a GB Coach felt, post-time trials, that a particular crew would not be competitive (i.e., that not enough paddlers of sufficient calibre had trialed, or there was a large disparity between the fastest and slowest paddlers) that a crew would not be fielded. Sadly, as a result of the time trials this year, there were insufficient women of the necessary standard for the GB Senior Squad to field a women's crew. Firstly, not enough women trialed (and, more importantly, far too few 'left' paddlers). Secondly, the disparity between the fastest paddlers and the slowest paddlers was too large, in some cases, times recorded were 50% slower than the fastest paddler. This was despite efforts on the part of the coaches and the Director of Coaching to recruit more women of the neccessary talent, after only 17 senior women attended the pre-trials. Thus, the difficult decision was taken that a competitive crew could not be formed. The BDA Executive fully supports this decision and it will not be reviewed. The women who were selected for the GB Senior squad will be very competitive and will be paddling as part of a strong mixed crew (and some may even be selected for the Open crew). Going forward, the GB Management Committee and BDA Executive earnestly hopes that more paddlers (of all age groups) are candidates for GB team selection so that GB can field strong teams in every age group and in every category. A senior women's crew in the World Championships next year, for example, would be fantastic to see, and the BDA Executive hopes that paddlers will aspire to the privilege of wearing the GB jersey. Please note the BDA Executive will not engage in any correspondance relating to this statement. BDA Executive Committee |
