Where are the younger committee members?

Mark Wintle · Apr 10, 2006

Having had enough for the second time around with one of my local angling clubs after a twelve year spell, that followed a fifteen year spell as match sec then treasurer, I know where Jeff is coming from. It is hard enough to get anyone to serve on a committee never mind young people. Yet I first served on a committee at 16 which was too young, and when the politics got a bit rough I couldn't handle it so only lasted a year but came back five years later.

But good committees are rare beasts, and I no longer have the time to get really involved at a very local level though I will help on some waters.

Perhaps it is a symptom of modern living where we all seem to be busier than ever?

So will the small clubs literally die out?

darkuser80 · Apr 10, 2006

Mark, it could happen.
I?ve been involved in my club for 28 years. And at our last meeting the S$*t hit the fan. None of the senior members would condone younger member joining the committee. (age 20-30) I voted against this every motion.
I?ve been involved with my club for 28 years, in various committee positions, and have resigned due to apathy of the committee . Although there is a large membership, no one wanted (including senior members) to take on the responsibility of any of the vacant committee positions , although some of the younger members tried, the stalwarts had the vote.
I don?t know why, people have this attitude, don?t worry, someone else will do it. I fore one have had enough, I will go back to fishing and enjoy it. I will not worry about CRB clearances, bailiff duties, and insurance policies, fishing rights etc.
I fore one will wait, and when the time is right, and try again, but until then I will enjoy my fishing.

jon helyer · Apr 10, 2006

I've ben a committee member and a secretary (I'm a PAC RO now) and found it very frustrating to the point that it almost drove me mad! The club I officialed on was full of older members and others who did nothing and had probably forgotten while they were there in the first place! I am one of a kind that likes to 'cut the crap and get the job done' and just found it too much, despite having 6 or so members on my side, in the end it was just too much, after 2 years and 3 months I couldn't take it anymore.

PAC Regional Organiser on the other hand is much easier.....

I'm 38 by the way...

darkuser80 · Apr 10, 2006

Allright I`m 47.

BAZ (Angel of the North) aka Fester · Apr 10, 2006

I don't really know how to reply to you Jeff, except to say that I am sure there are a great many more clubs that are veeeery choosy who They would "allow" on to their committee.
I know a number of clubs, big and small with members who would have perfect references and expierience for certain positions within the committee. But "They" would never be co-opted into such a position, Not on your Nelly they wouldn't.
One particular small club was operated by the old boy network. A thief for a secretary, and a drunkard for a chairman. Do you think these kind of clubs are going to let anybody in from the outside, and take over with the running of their little Empires????
Sorry it's just a rant as usual, but that is how I see things.

How I envy the members of the type of club that Jeff is taking about including his own.

Bill Cox · Apr 10, 2006

I'm the secretary of my local club and all committee members are voted on or off at the AGM. Any senior member can be nominated and our present committee has lads in there early twenties up to our development officer who is 67. I think apart from him the longest anyone else has been on the committee is about five years. So as you see not all clubs conform to Baz's format.

BAZ (Angel of the North) aka Fester · Apr 10, 2006

As I was saying Bill, not all clubs conform to your or Jeffs format either.

Paul Christie 2 · Apr 10, 2006

The question is, hasn't it always been that way? twenty or thirty years ago, could you not have raised the same concerns?

I've fished local club waters for over 20 years and can't recall it was any different back then and yet the officals have passed on and been replaced.

Most club offical jobs need dedication and that unfortunately is where it causes younger anglers with kids a problem(parties, school footy teams, coaching kids footy teams, swiming, golf, trying to stay married..... etc...) plus any other interests one likes to get in before the body says 'no more'. Hence, its often hard enough to get access to a few hours to spare and when you do, you'd rather spend it fishing than doing what often amounts to thankless (but important)committee work.
selfish maybe, but it's a juggling act that often peters out as kids leave home, giving you time to do more

personally, I firmly believe I will get involved at club level. But, sadly when it happens, I suspect I'll then be an old codger moaning about the lack of youngsters involed in angling!

Bill Cox · Apr 11, 2006

Paul, as Brian Clough was prone to say , very well put young man.

Graham Whatmore · Apr 11, 2006

I became involved with my local club when I first moved down to the Forest of Dean, both on the committee and running the junior section (very rewarding). It soon became obvious to me that getting anything done was a very rare achievement and, I had been warned of this by ex committee members. I thought I could bring about some changes that the club members had wanted for years but after a futile 4 years I surrendered, having failed miserably in most cases.

I have said for more years than I care to remember that committees are like governments, lots of talk and promises but very little realisation, that period only served to reinforce that notion. The trouble with my local club and I suspect with most clubs, is that, though everyone has a good old moan about everything they are very reluctant, or too lazy, to actually do anything about it.

Neneman Nick · Apr 11, 2006

it seems to me that most fishing club committee posistions or posistions of importance are a closed shop....its an old boys/mates thing.
lets not forget that angling isnt just a sport for the middle aged,retired etc....its a sport for all and the opinions of both young and old,male and female should be listened to....everyone has a part to play in the running of an angling club and everyone should be encouraged to run/apply for the top posistions....go to your annual meetings etc and voice your opinions....make yourself heard.

levelspiker · Apr 11, 2006

i attended a local club agm last monthwith jon helyer.
the committee told those present that the prices of licences were to rise by 25% (up to 78% in the case of disabled\oap permits)
they also told us that they intend to dam off a one acre bay on a prolific carp\coarse fish lake,using soil from a decommissioned nuke power station.
neither proposal was put to a democratic vote,as the committees attitude is,we are elected by the members to run the club and don`t need a vote on our proposals,so they WILL go ahead.
hows that for democracy?

BAZ (Angel of the North) aka Fester · Apr 11, 2006

The chances are that the membership voted to give the committee the right to make decisions without informing the membership in the past.
So little notice is taken of what is being said at some agm's that most people haven't got a clue as to what they have just put their hand up for.

STEVE POPE · Apr 11, 2006

Hi Mark,

I know it isn't quite the same but the Barbel Society has a committee of seventeen of which five would definitely be classed as younger guys.

We actively try to seek out the keen, young anglers who have organising ability and I'm sure if angling clubs did the same the response would be different.

If you wait for people to put their hands up you could wait forever, seek out and encourage is the way forward here.

yoggy · Apr 12, 2006

I have to agree with Nick here.I was on 2 committee`s.Both of which were completely run by men over 50.They were so "set" in their ways it was unbelievable.The remaining committee members consisted of myself 36 at the time [i`m 40 now] and two other guys aged around 25 and 32.Whenever there was a debate,our views were totally dismissed by the other members,even though we thought our decisions were the way forward.[and in some cases they were].These senior anglers without a doubt "ran the club,no questions asked".We all felt as though we were just filling the gaps.Without going into depth one of the clubs lost a prime water due to the fact that they just wouldn`t listen to us younger anglers,we all felt like saying "told you so",but instead we all left exactly the same time.I honestly think clubs like these and others like it wont change until the more senior anglers have left or to old to serve!!. "Voice our opinion" we`d love to,we just aint given the chance!!!!!!!

Michael Heylin · Apr 13, 2006

I have to agree with Steve. In my club, where I am secretary, we search out younger members and co-opt them onto the committee in the first instance, sometimes starting them as bailiffs, and then they go to the AGM for a members' vote.

I think I am the oldest on our committee at 59. The young guys do all the hard work,I concentrate on admin, paperwork and fisheries management.

It is all about team building and you need a team which can work together in spite of differences. A successful committee needs starters and finishers as well as quite a lot of specialist knowledge, not easy to acheive but worthwhile when it produces results, as good committees should. The secret of acheiving change is to get committee members to buy into ideas and projects. When that happens things go very quickly, recently a new toilet block in seven weeks, previously a new equipment store inside 9 weeks.

Importantly, when members see the committee making a difference they also buy into projects and help out. We have sparks, builders, roofers, chippies, plumbers and all sorts working for the club through the year.

Mike

Where are the younger committee members?

Mark Wintle

Well-known member

darkuser80

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jon helyer

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darkuser80

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BAZ (Angel of the North) aka Fester

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Bill Cox

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BAZ (Angel of the North) aka Fester

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Paul Christie 2

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Bill Cox

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Graham Whatmore

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Neneman Nick

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levelspiker

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BAZ (Angel of the North) aka Fester

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STEVE POPE

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yoggy

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Michael Heylin

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