Camanachd Association board changes
President-elect Burton Morrison is set to take over from outgoing president Steven MacKenzie at the Camanachd Association annual general meeting in the Highland Cinema, Fort William, on Friday November 24.
Burton Morrison, a retired chartered civil engineer, said: “I understand what is
important to players, coaches, team managers, volunteers and officials.
“I appreciate what shinty means to communities and how men and women, boys and
girls in these communities enjoy having shinty play an important role in their lives.
“Over the past few years, I have gained knowledge and a deeper insight into the administration of the game and, as a member of the board, I have become much
more aware of the multitude of issues which confront our staff on a daily basis and
the ongoing dialogue that exists between the Camanachd Association and other
game’s associations.
“It is important to me the history and heritage of the game is protected and celebrated and, in this respect, the growth of Shinty Memories groups and the Bught Park proposals are to be welcomed.
“The traditions of shinty and its unique skills have been enjoyed by generations and I wish to see that continue.
“It is volunteers and the clubs they represent who will lead shinty through whatever
changes lie ahead.
“I see the Camanachd Association’s role as providing a support structure for the
clubs which brings maximum benefits for the efforts of their members.
“If elected as president, I will strive to ensure that support structure remains as
strong and as visible as possible and that the clubs continue to have confidence in
the board, the chief executive officer and staff acting in the best interests of the sport at all times.”
There are four vacant directorships with Alan Clark, Willie MacDonald, Kevin Thain
and Graeme Macdiarmid all up for election.
Alan Clark is a past member of the Camanachd Association Board for six years. Alan worked for sportscotland as head of partnerships management and latterly regional development manager for Highlands and Islands and Grampian.
He was also the sportscotland partnership manager for shinty, supporting and assisting the Camanachd Association with funding and governance.
Alan is not affiliated to any club and brings professional expertise in sports development to help support Camanachd Association staff in their role working with
clubs.
Willie MacDonald is a past member of the board for six years when he held the post of
youth director, a role he enjoyed. He is currently youth development officer
with Fort William Shinty Club.
Willie played shinty for Ballachulish and Fort William and as well as being a former
Scotland internationalist and a Grade 1 shinty referee, taking charge of this year’s
Artemis Macaulay Cup final.
Kevin Thain played senior shinty for more than 40 years, representing Kingussie and Glasgow Mid Argyll with distinction. He has been managing director of the Thain Group for 25 years and would like to give back to the sport of shinty and help guide it through the next phase of its development in an ever-changing world.
Graeme Macdiarmid has been involved in shinty for more than 50 years, winning and competing at all levels and playing in the north and south leagues.
He has managed senior and junior clubs and, for the last 17 years, has been involved in junior coaching, especially in school shinty where he helped set up the Glasgow Gaels School Shinty club and created pathways into shinty in Glasgow.
He was also recently involved in Sgoil Ghalig Glasghu becoming a school of shinty.
Graeme is currently Glasgow Mid Argyll women’s team coach and still assists with
the development of junior shinty in Glasgow.
He recently retired as a Chief Inspector in Police Scotland, following a career working predominantly in the safer communities field.
Helmets proposals
The Camanachd Association will put forward proposals regarding the mandatory
wearing of compliant helmets and faceguards to shinty’s annual general meeting.
It is currently mandatory that all shinty players wear compliant helmets and faceguards other than where an individual opts out and has signed a Liability Waiver prior to the start of the shinty playing season.
The three proposals before the AGM are as:
• Helmets and faceguards are made mandatory from 2024 with the only
exception being First Shinty tournaments when different camans and balls are
in use.
• Helmets are made mandatory from 2024 with liability waivers for face guards
only.
• Under 25s must wear a helmet with faceguard from 2024.
If the first proposal passes, the second and third proposals will be withdrawn.
If the first proposal fails, the second and third proposals will be presented to the
AGM.
Camanachd Association national manager Ronald Ross said: “Wearing a helmet is
the only way to ensure you can enjoy shinty safely.
“When I was younger, I never wore a helmet as it simply wasn’t a thing and I didn’t
appreciate the importance of doing so. I just wanted to play.
“There will be hundreds of players out there in the exact same position now, but it is our duty as clubs and associations to be the guardians of our players’ wellbeing and to make decisions which enhance their safety. There is no question making helmet wearing compulsory is the only way to achieve that.”
Member clubs and associations have been invited to discuss and agree on these proposals.
Oban Camanachd subs proposal
Oban Camanachd have put forward a proposal in relation to the number of substitutes regional division teams can use.
The proposal will only be put to a vote if a proposal from Kingussie fails to gather the required 75 per cent support.
At present, a maximum of five substitutes can be named per team with any three permitted to play during a match, except in representative matches where the maximum permitted to play is four per team.
The Kingussie proposal is that all five substitutes named per team be permitted to play, except in representative matches where the maximum permitted to play remains at four per team.
Kingussie’s thnking is that their proposal allows coaches to play all five substitutes if they wish so no player in the named five substitutes will arrive at a match without a chance of going on the field to play.
Should the Kingussie proposal fail, proposals from Oban Camanachd and Dunoon
Camanachd will be put to the vote with a majority vote sending one of them forward
before members to see if it can achieve the 75 per cent pass threshold.
Oban Camanachd’s proposal leaves the rule unchanged for the Mowi Premiership,
the Mowi National Division and representative matches but, for area league games,
clubs will be permitted to name a maximum of five substitutes with any four permitted
to play during a match.
The justification for this proposal is that it enables coaches/managers to rotate the
squad more and it enables player progression.
Oban Camanachd first team manager Gareth Evans said: “Our idea is to allow more players to play shinty. This change would allow coaches to rotate their squads and enhance player development.”
Dunoon Camanachd have also put forward a proposal allowing for deviation from the
normal rule in matches in North Division 2 and South Division 2 where clubs will be
permitted to name a maximum of six substitutes, of whom no more than three are
permitted to be aged 18 or over and all substitutes named are permitted to play.
Dunoon supported their proposal saying the current rule serves well in the higher leagues but, at the lowest levels, it is rare for substitutes to be in a position to
positively influence the game as they are either a young player or a weaker player.
Therefore, permitting additional substitutions will not give an unfair advantage to teams with bigger squads but it will make it easy for teams to name three young
players on their bench if they wish, together with three adults.
Where games are not closely contested, it will afford the opportunity for younger players to gain valuable game time.
Dunoon believe this change will have broad support among South 2 teams and
expect it to appeal to North 2 teams for the same reasons.
Member clubs and associations have been invited to discuss and agree on these
proposals.
Photograph (March 2021): Fort William Shinty Club youth development officer Willie MacDonald is one of four candidates seeking election to one of four vacant directorships. Photograph: Iain Ferguson, alba,photos NO F14 Willie MacDonald Fort Shinty 03