BC School Sports Governance Proposal

Contributor: Doug Sturrock

Some thoughts from a long-serving Vancouver teacher, school coach, past VSSAA President, past V & D President and past Rugby Commissioner

The Governance Ad-Hoc Committee have lost their way and after reading their proposal for the Governance of BC School Sports what I see is an organization that wants supreme power and is becoming some sort of autocracy. Overall, I think it is a huge slap in the face for the many coaches, commissioners, individuals, teachers and volunteers who have helped to give BC School Sports decades of time and energy to be treated this way.

Two things I did agree on were that a distinction be made between operating and governing

committees and that expanded criteria for eligibility be examined. However, the growth and

excellence witnessed in sports such as Boys and Girls Basketball, Track and Field, Boys Rugby and Soccer did not happen because the people involved had their heads in the sand. Therefore, the proposal to have a Sport Advisory Committee may look good on paper but in reality it ignores the very good work and organization of many sports and completely ignores the role of Sports Commissioners and coaches in its mandate.

It seems to me that if something needs changing within BC School Sports, then all current stakeholders should be part of the solution. Until now it has been democratic, allowing each Member School to vote on policy. To change that would be undemocratic and to abolish Sports Commissions is also completely wrong.

The term Legislative Assembly sounds too political and American to me and I do not like it.

These terms may sound good in the USA but BC School Sports is in British Columbia and

different terms and structure could have been chosen.

I am usually in favor of change when new proposals make sense, but in this case I am deeply concerned and strongly object to this proposal and I will be deeply saddened if it passes.