South Australian Interstate Challenge Petanque Team      (S)=Senior team;   (V)=Veterans team-Over 60

back row l-r: Adrian Clements (V Coach), Brett Williams(V), Alain Rousse(S), John Wright(V), Richard Voskamp(S),
Graham Clark(V), Brenton Key (Coach S).
seated l-r: Valmai Nicoll(S), Raluca Raicu(S), Lleanne Healey(S), Glenis Head(V), Judith Brown(V), Claudia Wright(V),
front row l-r: Mike Mulverhill(V), Tony Stosjic(S), Stan Wilson(V), Luke Randall(S), Craig Stewart(S)

An invitation to State Selection Trials 2008

We are now inviting S.A licensed players to attend State Squad trials.

The selection requirement for the initial State Squad is based upon the results of skill tests. The skill tests can be taken on any one of the following Saturdays the 5th, 12th, or 19th of July from 11am to 4pm. The tests should take about one hour. Skill Test details are attached. Players are required to complete the skill tests only once, however, they may, take the tests twice and have the average score taken. The initial squad will be announced ASAP after the trials.

Persons not available will have the opportunity to inform the State Director of Coaching in writing of their circumstances and a brief outline of what they can bring to the squad. This will be presented to the selectors. At the discretion and approval of the Selection Panel, the State Squad may or may not be added to at any time. The selectors reserve the right to ask anyone, including those requesting special consideration to appear before them for further discussion. If invited to join the squad, suitable skill tests will be arranged for any prospective new players. The selectors will reserve the right to approve or disapprove of new players after evaluating their skill test data and their decision will be final.

The State Squad will then be trained by the coaches and observed by the selectors. Training sessions will be on Wednesday evenings and Saturday afternoons (see attached Selection Process Calender). A register of all attendees to all sessions will be kept with squad members expected to aim for a minimum of 80% attendances.  This will also be a consideration for selectors.

The State Squad training program will also include a tournament fixture
(August 24th) on the S.A.P.L calendar. Squad players will be expected to play  in teams put together by the coaches. (see attached Selection Process Calender) There will also be a training session on Sat 13th Sept from 9.00 am at the Adelaide Hills Petanque Club consisting of singles and doubles games for evaluation

Any player in the Squad can expect to be under the scrutiny of the Selectors in any tournament, training session or coaching session in which they participate in right up to the time of all State Team selections. Players who behave in a way deemed by the selectors or coaches to be in conflict with the expectations of the player qualities can expect their indiscretions to be noted. Serious misconduct will result in that person being asked to leave the squad for the duration being of the selectors  and/or State Director of coachings discretion.

A final selection will be made in mid September to reduce the State Squad to the required number of players in each category. Those selected will be expected to maintain a high standard and regular training sessions. Serious indiscretions or poor attendances without informing the State Director of Coaching can still result in that person being asked to leave the squad and someone else asked to take their place if endorsed by the selectors. Squad members not selected will be invited to continue being involved in training sessions and be regarded as reserves in case of unforeseen circumstances that see selected players unable to fulfill their role.

The terrain at Tempe, where we will be playing, is not a rolling surface. On this ground, to point well, a player needs to have the ability to play in the air (lob the boule).

To perform well in Sydney, we will need a tough, disciplined and skilful Team. To build that Team we need committed players. You need to be committed to working hard on your game, working as PART of the TEAM, working with coaches and making time for training and testing.

To make oneself available for State selection is a big commitment in energy, time and money. While, as a TEAM, we will do our best to raise as much money as possible for the State Teams expenses, it will still cost players to represent their State. To represent your State is also a great honour.

The Teams required for the Interstate Tournament are:
Senior Men        x 5
Senior Women   x 3
Veteran Men      x 5
Veteran Women x 3

The winning state will no longer automatically have the right to represent Aus in the Trans Tasman 2009, this will also be by selection from all players participating in the 6ers tournament. Players in a winning S.A. Team will have the right though to keep their place in the Team for the Melbourne National triples in January, if not successful a new team will be announced in December.

The SAPL web site www.sapetanque.com/ has a coaching section which will have regular updates of relevant information to keep you informed. We would also like to have every ones email addresses to further keep you up to date. This will only be used for communication purposes. Good luck and enjoy the journey!

I have read and understand my responsibilities and expectations as a potential State squad member and agree to fulfil them to the best of my abilities. I understand that I need to make myself available as is reasonably possible for the training dates on the attached calendar and have also read and understand the player qualities document.

Print name: …………………………………………………..................................................……………………………..

Signed: …………………………………………………………………….………………...........……………………………..

Email address (please print clearly)……………………………………...............................……………………………..

Postal address: …………………………………………………………………………..............……………………………..

………………………………………………………………………………………………...........……………………………..

………………………………………………………………………………...................….PC....…………………………….

Home phone………………………………………Mobile………………………………............……………………………..

Emergency contact:   Name………………………………………………………...…..............…………………………….

                                Phone no…………………………………………………………...........…………………....……….

Hi All
Please see attached updated trials and squad training calendar. It will be helpful for me to receive all suggestions and detection of conflicting dates to be sent to me ASAP.
The 3X trial days have been left at the AHPC (done deal), they have though been, brought forward to July. I have dropped the Wednesday night training sessions until the final squad is announced in Sept. I have nominated Wednesday night as AHPC. Reason: we have lights and there will be the minimum of distractions.
The rest of the sessions have been spread out as fair as I could.
I hope this addresses the consensus for spreading them over a few clubs. Other concerns raised at the SAPL meeting on the 4th April were:
   1 - An additional non playing coach for the veterans - as discussed, this will largely depend on logistics and resources not known as yet. I personally think the veterans have been short changed for a long time and will do what I can.
   2 - An additional non playing team manager as per point 1: I think 1 should be enough for both teams and ask you all to help me identify someone willing to take on the job. Don't have a problem with 2 though if we can do it.
   3 - CPA's concerns
  (a) I think a healthy revision of all processes is vital. There will always be room for improvement no matter what, this will largely depend on everyone’s attitude and willingness to keep looking forward with a positive outlook and working to a common goal. Last year, new ideas were put in place. Overall I think it was a success and gives us a model to make better and better together. Assertions that the process was far from favourable are a bit vague and open ended and I would guess would vary greatly from person to person. I have heard plenty of fors and against.
  I would like to ask everyone for your support and welcome your constructive criticism. I can assure everyone that I will endeavour to make all decisions with a holistic approach and will do my best to make them without any prejudice to any individuals or clubs.
   (b) I have amended page 2 of my proposal to reflect my oversight - apologies
   (c) I have nominated Andy Saunders & Grant Ashmeade as 2 selectors. I would like to have another 2 selectors nominated as soon as possible by clubs to be ratified at the next SAPL meeting. The National Director of coaching has given me approval to retain 2 of last year’s selectors of my choice.
   (d) I as the State director of coaching will be part of this election panel but the chair will be decided at their first meeting. This will make the odd number (5) of selectors as requested
   (e) Selectors like the rest of us have lives outside of Pétanque. I will however be strongly urging them to be present at as many trials, evaluations, training sessions etc. as they can possibly manage.
   (f) Conflicts of interest being avoided are a given. Selectors will be asked (including me) to declare any conflicts of interest during the actual selection part of their meetings and leave the meeting until a decision has been made on a particular person. NO exceptions.
   (g) The 3X initial selection trials will remain at the AHPC. Selected pistes have been nominated to be redressed immediately before the trials eliminating anyone having a perceived unfair advantage. All persons attempting to make the team are expected to be able to handle all conditions presented to them. Without wanting to sound trite, the initial tryouts will consume approximately 20 hrs of my time and approximately 1 hr of the persons trying out. As last year, persons trying out can have a 2nd attempt if they are unhappy with their performance, the average of the 2 tries will prevail.
   (h) Any process needs to have a starting point and the initial trials are it. As I said in my proposal, player qualities are on show at all times. Last year a certain number of players tried out. This was deemed to be a manageable number so were all asked to be part of the initial squad. I am in favour of encouraging as many as possible to do so again. If I find my self in the position of having a cast of thousands a bench mark will have to be reached by selectors. If a manageable number is the result then I would like to encourage everyone to gain some invaluable experience training with more experienced and seasoned players. Also, everyone will be under review after Tempe and the squad for the National triples could see some players dropped and others asked to step up to the plate. Selectors are expected to do so without having to explain how or why they have come to the decisions they have. Players are expected to do so with the minimum of fuss and strive for the constant improvement of their playing and people skills for the betterment of the SA assault.
   (i) The final squad selection has been moved forward to mid September
   (j) The concept of having a winning triples team to represent SA in the National triples is not in line with the National proposal and objectives
I would like to reiterate again that I will do my best to address everyone’s concerns and have taken on the job with 100% commitment. At the end of the day we all need to get on with the job at hand which is to get SA to NO1. We have to work together to achieve this. I am only too happy for anyone to chew my ear with whatever concerns they might have, if you don't let me know, I can't do anything about it. I would like to have a final calendar, proposal etc together for the next SAPL meeting so it will be great if club discussions took place ASAP and I got your final concerns ASAP also.

Regards
Brenton 0411860737

Function and Operation of the Selection Panel - S A Petanque Team

In order to deliver up the best possible State Team, the selectors will need to leave behind club loyalties and work together as a group on behalf of the State. As the selectors will ultimately be dealing with some sensitive issues, it is essential that we establish some ground rules for what we are doing.

Protocols:
Commitment by the selectors to act without fear or favour
Commitment by the selectors to work together to provide the State with the best possible State Team
Selection Panel confidentiality.
  1.  There is a need to know that we are discussing selection issues in confidence.
  2.  Selectors can not discuss reasons for non selection with players

Function of the Selection Panel:
1st meeting
Elect a chairman of selectors from within the selection panel.
  1.  to run the selection meetings
  2.  to facilitate information flow

The director of coaching will outline the selection schedule and key dates
Selection meetings will be held regularly and as soon as possible after selection days.
In addition to specific selection trial dates, selectors can observe players in any tournament.

Selectors to base their decisions upon:
Player skill test evaluation results provided by the coaches
Player match play evaluation results provided by the coaches
Input from coaches on player qualities
Selectors observation of players against the player qualities statement
Discussion within the selection panel

State Teams are required in the following categories:
Juniors
Senior Men
Senior Women
Veteran Men
Veteran Women

Selection will begin with choosing a Squad from those players making themselves available for State trials.
That squad will be trained and then re tested
Another round of selection will then reduce that Squad to a manageable number
Other players can be brought in to the Squad, provided that coaches have arranged suitable trials for
those players.

If you have any questions about the process, please contact me as follows:

Email   plumber@hotkey.net.au
Mobile 0411860737
Home Phone 83394870

Looking forward to working with you.
Kind regards,
Brenton Key

Proposal for
2008 SOUTH AUSTRALIAN STATE TEAMS -SELECTION, TRAINING & MANAGEMENT-revised 05Apr08

Presented by the South Australian Coaches
Brenton Key - Director
Tim Whelan

March 6, 2008

I would like to submit to you our recommendations for the selection, training and management of the 2008 South Australian State Teams.

     1  Selection to be open to all licensed S.A players
     2  Selection to be done by a Selection Panel

SELECTION PANEL
The State Director of coaching will appoint a selection panel of five persons including the State Director of Coaching to choose the State Squad and State Teams for the Six A Side competition in Sydney in November and the National Triples competition in Melbourne in January.

Selectors Duties

Working with the State Director of Coaching and using as their reference, the player qualities statement (attached) and the player skill test evaluation results (provided by the coaches)
Selectors should select without fear or favour.
Selectors should act to give the State the best possible Team.
Selectors will be unavailable for selection
Selectors for 2008 will be required to attain/have PA level 1 coaching accreditation as a minimum prerequisite to be elegible as a selector

APPOINT A STATE TEAM MANAGER
The State Director of Coaching will appoint a manager at the earliest possible time as it has been shown to be of great benefit to the organisation of the State Squad and State Team.
It is our belief that the State Team should be largely self-funded and not a drain on the SAPL coffers as it is now.

State Team Manager's duties:
To work with the Director of Coaching in planning selection trials, training sessions
and team meetings
To assist in the preparation of a budget for the State Team's expenses
To assist in putting together the necessary fundraising plan.
To keep a team contacts list
To arrange team uniforms
To arrange team travel and accommodation

STATE SQUAD TRIALS
State Squad Trials will be held over 3 Saturdays in August (2nd, 9th & 16th).  Players will initially be skill tested as per 2007 with the results being made available to selectors

A form with player qualities requirements and general reasonable expectations will be presented to everyone attempting to make the squad immediately before the skill test. This is will be a mandatory requirement and will be expected to be signed and dated to indicate that persons understanding and agreement of the above. 

Numbers permitting, the State Squad will initially be made up of:
10 – 15 senior men
10 – 15 senior women
10 – 15 veteran men
10 – 15 veteran women
  4 –  6 juniors

Persons not available will have the opportunity to inform the State Director of Coaching in writing of their circumstances and a brief outline of what they can bring to the squad. This will be presented to the selectors. At the discretion and approval of the Selection Panel, the State Squad may or may not be added to at any time.  The selectors reserve the right to ask anyone, including those requesting special consideration to appear before them for further discussion. If invited to join the squad, suitable skill tests will be arranged for any prospective new players. The selectors will reserve the right to approve or disapprove of new players after evaluating their skill test data and their decision will be final.

The initial Squad will be announced ASAP after the trials.

The State Squad will then be trained by the coaches and observed by the selectors. Training sessions will be on Wednesday evenings and Saturday afternoons. A register of all attendees to all sessions will be kept with squad members expected to aim for a minimum of 80% attendances. 

Any player in the Squad can expect to be under the scrutiny of the Selectors in any tournament, training session or coaching session in which they participate in right up to the time of all State Team selections. Players who behave in a way deemed by the selectors or coaches to be in conflict with the expectations of the player qualities can expect their indiscretions to be noted. Serious misconduct will result in that person being asked to leave the squad for the duration being of the selectors discretion.

Game evaluations will be made at random tournaments with squad members expected to play in teams designated by the State Director of Coaching over the next 6 weeks to be confirmed once the SAPL calendar is available.
A compulsory Saturday training session on the 13th September will include singles and doubles games also for evaluation. Evaluations will be an important and compulsory part of the process.

A final selection will be made in mid September to reduce the State Squad to the required number of players in each category. Those selected will be expected to maintain a high standard and regular training sessions. Serious indiscretions or poor attendances without informing the State Director of Coaching can still result in that person being asked to leave the squad and someone else asked to take there place if endorsed by the selectors. Squad members not selected will be invited to continue being involved in training sessions and be regarded as reserves in case of unforeseen circumstances that see selected players unable to fulfill their role.

The State Squad will continue to train after Sydney and a State Team for the Melbourne Tournament in January will be announced in December.

Player Qualities
When they are selecting the State Team, selectors will be considering
the following player qualities:-

Commitment
- to team goals
- to team rules
- to team training

Ability to work within a team environment
- ability to work with management and coaches for the overall good of the team 
- ability to accept any role within the team
- ability to learn
- ability to understand the benefit of reinforcing positive attitude within the team
- ability to understand body language, as signs of strength and weakness 
- loyalty
- ability to build team strength through following good routine and process

Good mental attitude
- respect for officials, opponents and team mates
- self confidence
- an absence of arrogance
- a calm and strong mental state, whether winning or losing
- concentration
- patience
- ability to turn poor form around

Good boule skills
- ability to point effectively on any ground
- ability to shoot on the boule
- ability to make decisive shots

Tactical awareness
- ability to follow the game
- competent assessment of play options
- good decision making