Essex VA Chair Brendan Osborne Steps Down

Dear Colleagues and friends,

Some of you may be aware that earlier this year (and at previous AGMs) I indicated that I was going to step down as Essex Volleyball Association Chair and EVF Chair, and since I have been looking for the right time to do it.

Unfortunately there never seems to be a right time.

I wanted to go at an AGM with all things tidy having secured a willing successor at each level etc. I also wanted to progress a number of things at each level that I was operating at (club, county and EVF) – my clubs (Brentwood VC)  bid for a beach facility; to set in train a “total talent” inclusive pathway approach to get super 8’s played locally in Essex county and beyond; to cover Rees our Community Development Coach whilst he was absent on Olympic duty; to see through the change in constitution at Regional level, and to respond generally to the potential post Olympic interest and increase in new players to volleyball.

I think these things are now at stages where they will be able to move forward to the next stage without the need for my input, or being put at risk by my stepping down.

As said my hope was to make it to the next AGM(s) but lately I have come to realise that despite my best efforts the volleyball things that were calling on my time were growing rather than decreasing, I guess because there was a reasonable assumption that I would be around in volleyball for a while. The concern I have with this was added to by a few things that were really frustrating me, and that I really didn’t want to become “Mr Bitter and Twisted”.

None of the things I mention below are directly Essex VA or EVF related (or indeed my own club Brentwood VC), and taken individually would not be enough to grind me down. But to give some examples of things I have found difficult – there was an episode last year involving a long standing volleyballer who was treated in a way I wasn’t happy about, and despite my best efforts was unable to influence satisfactorily. My work on a bid for Olympic sand and Sport England beach facility resources, although successful, has been handled by VE through a non volleyball third party locally, and despite reassurances from the top to the contrary the communication has remained as such putting me in an invidious position e.g. finding out that the bid had been successful through the newspapers. There was also another matter where I considered the communication (not the decision) was handled in a high handed way that I thought was inappropriate verging on disrespectful.

I also find that this has impacted on my enthusiasm to continue to attend future meetings on behalf of Essex VA, and EVF. I have recently missed attending the VE strategy meeting (last Fri afternoon to Saturday pm) and a recent Essex Strategy forum. I had intended going to both but at the last minute declined in favour of some family opportunities that had cropped up. This I subsequently realised was a measure of where my enthusiasm and appetite are at, as previously I probably would have gone to the meetings.

The Active Essex Forum, the Regional Commissioners meeting and the Regional NGB forum are respectively important meetings for Essex and the Region. Such meetings I have attended in the past, quite often giving up on family or work opportunities, or opportunities for my own club, and I was happy to continue to do so, but not now against the above back cloth I now feel there is a  need to make alternative arrangements.

Despite concerns illustrated above I must also say that I have a great deal of time and respect for certain VE people such as Lisa and Richard and Stuart and previously Gemma Nunnerly amongst others. Their contribution to the massively successful Olympics has been exceptional, and I think VE is a much more professional organisation than it ever was. Theirs is not an easy job, and quite often the volunteers make their jobs more difficult with a constant stream of criticism. I must say I have tried not to be one of these. I have also greatly admired the work and industry of people like Charlie Orton and other Chairs and volunteers.

But my view (and it is only a view, that maybe born from a basic misunderstanding) is that there is a lack of real understanding from some centrally about the role and contribution of volunteers and for some it comes across that we are an impediment to how things should be done and the way forward.    

Essex VA and the EVF needs to be represented at these meetings by enthusiastic representatives.

So with these things in mind I am stepping back from volleyball at all levels with immediate effect.

At Brentwood VC they have immediately responded by holding a meeting and allocating the various pieces of work that I was personally taking forward, and I am particularly pleased to say that they have agreed to Steven Rosser acting as Chair in the interim. Many of you will know him as a staunch and very able volunteer at club and county level – I know he will do very well and wish him all the very best.

At Essex level there are options for Chair for the committee to consider – Steve Rosser immediately springs to mind as an existing and very experienced committee member – Alex Porter a very able guy who recently joined the committee as secretary with the medium term objective of learning the job and potentially becoming the chair, and Paul Bohannon who is currently President and also has a great deal of knowledge and experience. This year I was able at the AGM to pass on the role of competitions secretary (which I had held for a number of years) to the capable hands of Ashley Parsons – he will no doubt be able to get further advice and support re the competitions including finals day from Steve who has helped me with this in the past. The running of JUVO this year passed from Tony Pennock to Rees Warren under the advice and support of Essex VA and Brentwood VC. The committee will need to agree and monitor his plans and progress. There are a few meetings that should be covered which could be by either the new/interim chair or by whoever is available – I will forward relevant information to the committee. Correspondence received from VE and Essex Sport etc once the committee has agreed who will receive these I will inform the sender to redirect.

At EVF level again there are options for the committee to consider for interim chair – Paul Bohannon is an obvious choice pro tem, but there are also other very experienced people around like Keith Nicholls, Glynn Archibald and other County Chairs etc. The two main meetings to be covered are the Regional Commissioner/Chair meetings (Loughborough) and the Regional NGB forum (Pidley Cambridgeshire). Charlie Orton usually lets us know when the former happens and the NGB forum has just been set for 18^th Oct (all day).  I will until the committee informs me who to redirect correspondence received from VE etc. to send this on as appropriate to the counties, committee members etc.

I am also happy to take queries as to where things are at etc but would prefer these in writing.

Finally, I am sincerely sorry that I feel I need to step away like this and hope you understand. I wish you all the very best for the future and volleyball in your very capable hands.

All the best

Brendan