CHAIRMAN’S REPORT

CHAIRMAN’S REPORT

AT BI-ANNUAL ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

It’s been six months since the election of the present SABF Committee. I would like to thank my whole committee for their assistance and a special thank you to the Executive, who I am almost in daily contact. They always make themselves available to bounce ideas and I value their input.

REPORT BACK ON NEW SABF INITIATIVES

1.                  As you are aware, the SABF has invited the Unions to co-sponsor seminars presented by experts. So far only KwaZulu-Natal have utilised the offer and Craig Gower’s seminars were very well received. There have been enquiries from other centres and we urge the Unions to take advantage of this initiative in order to expose their players to the international players.

2.                  Commencing in the new year, there will be online lessons given by Tim Cope on BBO. Anybody will be able to kibbutz four players being given lessons. There will be a roster that you could apply to play and be coached online. Tim will thereafter prepare a body of notes that will be available only to SABF members.

3.                  I am pleased to report that through Carol’s efforts we have, at last, started to make contact with the Society of the Deaf and plan, with the GBU, to teach bridge at the their community centre on Thursday mornings.

OVERALL AIMS

DEVELOPMENT

The rest of the provinces are nearly a full decade behind the Cape although I have heard very positive reports from what is happening in Pretoria. We are hoping for SASCOC to provide us with the necessary entries into the schools. Experience has shown us that only if you are lucky enough to have a bridge playing teacher or principal can the program retain its impetus. The Minister of Sport has emphasised the importance of school sport and we need to get involved. One can only look enviously at the success that chess has had.

TOURNAMENT DIRECTING

Heidi Atkinson has been selected to attend a course in Germany through which she will hopefully obtain EU accreditation. Heidi will thereafter be conducting Tournament Director workshops throughout the country. I am advised that her workshop on Wednesday at the Orchards was informative and very well run.

The overall aim of the SABF committee is to make the SABF more visible and to provide answers to the old age question “what do I get out of joining the SABF?”

Before Congress next year the SABF Committee will meet with a representative from each of the Unions for further attempts to open up the channels of communication.  We believe that having difficulty in communicating our messages and look for ways to improve the communication.