of its front end i.e. customer facing users (the Clubs) and riders. Their telephone support for license, permit, Club, rider or ACU hand book issues is always friendly and concerned, with follow up that can be suggested as always being there. However the ACU will need now to apply resource to making more of the form filling online as the completion of paper clearly needs to die along with Covid-19. However Centre Management can be suggested as that, "management". Clearly I can only speak on a local level, with the trials element being my main contact concern. However I feel the lessons learned here could would be applicable nation wide. How can Centre Management quotes like riders or Club officials wanting to attend an "open" meeting..... "whilst we are happy for any ACU South Midland members to attend Management meetings we would expect them to let me know before the meeting and also if there is an issue they want to discuss that they let me what it is so that it can be added to the Agenda". Surely the concept of encouraging active bottom up involvement and ensuring transparency should be intrinsic in the organisation of any amateur run sport. Reactive discussion is established as the basis of debate and evolution in schools of thought. Encouraging local ACU members to drop in on an ad-hoc basis to watch, listen and use the formal framework of AOB as a mechanism of interaction is surely the only constitutional method of overview interaction. The other advantage of course would be that non co-
opted members could also give feedback to the Clubs and riders and provide a breeding ground for future Centre Support. People give up their time freely to run and further the sport, involvement and encouragement is surely a strategic aim at ACU Rugby and Centre level? In terms of encouragement and involvement I feel that both Centre Management and Centre Stewards should not adopt a sole "checking of the rules" role, but one of advisors helpers and most importantly educators. For example encouragement of new COC or SOM roles are paramount. Help, supportive guidance and education, not imposition, is the only way to ensure amateur motorcycle sport will flourish. We all see that not only loss of land is an issue, but the volunteers at Club level, willing to run the sport in an ever increasing formalised environment, is becoming an ever more scarce commodity. I am not suggesting that there need be less formal structure to the sport, but far more encouragement and guidance to those attempting to promote, manage and run it. In all I would like to see ACU Rugby review the running of the Centre level structure. I feel that the name "Centre Management" should be changed to "Centre Support" to strategically redirect Centre level thinking. For ACU motor sport to flourish, I, like many others, feel it would be worth while that Rugby ACU effort be spent into vastly improving the amateur Centre level support for those many other amateurs running clubs "at the sharp end".Â
"the concept of encouraging active bottom up involvement and ensuring transparency should be intrinsic..."
Waterlooville Motorcycle Grasstrack Club As it stands as a club we are planning to press on for our meeting on Sunday 5th July The "Stellar Despatch British Upright Championship" incorporating The southern Centre Championships. At this stage we had hoped to have
Regulations and entry forms available but in light of the current situation and the issuing of race permits not being permitted we have had to hold fire. We will continue to monitor the situation closely and will be sure to update you all as soon as we know more.Â
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