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Best Letter of the Year

(13 posts)

  1. Ad Bot

    Posted 1 year ago

  2. Frank
    Member

    This is no average letter, thanks Mark

    Dear Graham

    I received your letter requesting more money. From your letter I understand you want to charge each member, both junior and senior, an extra $5 per year to raise $55,600 for the U20 program and to seed a new fund you’ve created. As you mentioned in your letter the U20 program has fallen from a ranking of 10th in 2006 to 18th in 2010 while you have been in charge. I’m not sure if money is the answer though since your staff numbers and payroll have also risen during that same period of time. If you think money is the sole problem I think $55,600 is insufficient so I propose we give the U20 program $200,000.

    I also understand you want to keep the insurance money overpayment instead of giving it back to the provinces. As well you think the membership fee add-ons that were supposed to end this year, like the Corner Insurance Assessment, should be maintained and entrusted to your care. You have given a figure of $12.38 for senior and $11.21 for juniors that you would like to keep instead of reducing membership fees. I understand how difficult it is to maintain an amateur sports organization on a meager payroll of approximately a million dollars and to suffer on a six figure salary but I think I have a solution that will benefit our U20 program and the membership.

    As I mentioned before I think $200K would be a good starting point for our U20 program and I liked the idea you had of starting a fund that would be jointly managed by the Provinces and your organization. I believe you called the fund “The Rugby World Cup / Olympic Preparation Fund”. I think the $200K would be a good start to the fund, you could even call it “The Rugby World Cup / Olympic Preparation / U20 Fund”. I should mention that although I have the utmost confidence in your ability to manage the funds I would feel better if the Provincial Unions would have to co-sign the request to take any monies out of the fund.

    As for the $12.38, I know how much you want to keep the money but I feel it’s better if you return it to the members by reducing membership fees. I think most senior members would be OK with applying the $12.38 reduction to the junior fees. So you can keep the senior fees the same as last year but reduce the junior fees by $11.21 plus $12.38. I’m sure you appreciate how this will make it easier for juniors to play and their families to pay, not all of them make six figure salaries, crazy eh, but that’s the economic reality in some parts of Canada.

    So I imagine at this point you’re asking, he’s going to raise $200K plus give money back to the membership, he must be crazy or have some super complex plan. Not at all, I know this may hurt to read, so prepare yourself... Cut Costs.

    Your letter mentions that approximately half of the membership money collected goes to pay for Staff and Administration. The actual figure is 52%, I think that can be reduced. Also the money that is being spent to send our government-paid athletes to North Wales could be added to this fund. So I’d like you to come up with $200K in reductions that can be put into this joint account to help our U20 program (and Olympic Preparation / Rugby World Cup). I know you’re a smart guy and get paid the big bucks so I’m sure you’ll be able to figure it out, but just in case here are some clues.

    Morgan Williams our former 7s coach, you may have heard of him, suggested we could get by with a part-time coach for the 7s program. I believe him. Feel free to contact him if you need any details, I’m sure he’d have something to say to you.

    This guy Mark Bryant, kind of a wacky guy, a little controversial, but he used to maintain the Rugby Canada website and online communication empire as a volunteer, and was paid a modest honorarium. He’s maintained this website called BC Rugby News or something similar for the last five years as a volunteer. So apparently it can be done, go figure eh? Also I see you’ve got a bunch of freelance writers already working for you so it should be an easy transition.

    The Commercial Department, come on, be honest, are these guys earning their keep. Any big TV contracts on the horizon, big sponsorship announcements you’re holding back on? This used to be contracted out you know, only pay if you get results.

    The North Wales program, so we’re going to beat teams like Wales by putting our best players in the Welsh 2nd tier competition. Shouldn’t they be playing against the top Welsh players in order to get better? It would be like Switzerland putting their players in the Western Hockey League and then expecting to beat the NHL players. I just don’t get the logic.

    So there I’ve given you four ideas already, it should be easy to come up with $200K. No need to thank me, your appreciative thoughts will be thanks enough.

    Yours in rugby,

    Joe Average
    Club Guy

    P.S. Almost forgot, apparently a part of our insurance or registration dues are used to “top up” your salary, is this true? Perhaps you could add this to the fund as well as a sign of good faith, just saying ... what a great way of saying you really suck without blowing.

    Posted 1 year ago #

  3. Ad Bot

    Posted 1 year ago

  4. Harry Craig
    Member

    I just wonder why Mark would write a letter and not sign it himself.

    Posted 1 year ago #

  5. Ad Bot

    Posted 1 year ago

  6. Harry Craig
    Member


    Posted 1 year ago #

  7. Ad Bot

    Posted 1 year ago

  8. Frank
    Member

    Harry, Mark did not write the letter. Does everything have to be spelled out for you?

    Posted 1 year ago #

  9. Ad Bot

    Posted 1 year ago

  10. Harry Craig
    Member

    Frank do you know that for a fact. Who ever wrote should sign his name to it if he feels that strongly about things.

    Posted 1 year ago #

  11. Ad Bot

    Posted 1 year ago

  12. Frank
    Member

    Fact or fiction it is still an excellent letter. Maybe it was a player who wrote it and that player does not want to be blacklisted by RC. Maybe the player is .....

    Posted 1 year ago #

  13. Ad Bot

    Posted 1 year ago

  14. Popo
    Member

    Joe Average did sign the letter the Harry.

    Posted 1 year ago #

  15. Ad Bot

    Posted 1 year ago

  16. Harry Craig
    Member

    I agreed with most of the letter, but if I wrote it I wouldn't be afraid to sign it.

    Posted 1 year ago #

  17. Ad Bot

    Posted 1 year ago

  18. Frank
    Member

    Just throwing it out there and seeing what sticks. Wouldn't be funny if it was RS, after he wrote that other letter.

    Posted 1 year ago #

  19. Ad Bot

    Posted 1 year ago

  20. Toothlesstiger
    Moderator

    Harry, the true test would be, would you have the courage to write such a letter knowing the high regard you hold your many friends in, at the Richmond Hill office???

    Posted 1 year ago #

  21. Harry Craig
    Member

    Yes.

    Posted 1 year ago #

  22. trentrugby
    Member

    This letter is a good indication as to why Niagara Flag Rugby left Rugby Canada and got their own insurance. I do believe that those at the top mean well and love our sport, but when it comes to costs that is the problem. If I registered our Board of Directors or Coaches for the price Rugby Canda and Rugby Ontario asks for then I would have to raise the cost for the kids. I believe that by providing rugby at a reasonable cost will increase the number of participants. The Niagara Region is suffering for jobs and if you offer rugby for kids at $100 or more then you will scare the parents away. Just look at USA Rugby their fees are low and the base is growing. The support that the national office in the USA gives the local rugby folks is amazing. I hope for a day when we can rejoin Rugby Canada but I doubt that will happen any time soon. On a positive note we have five thriving franchises and excited kids playing flag rugby. I still cheer for Canda and wish them well at the World Cup. You might see the Niagara Flag Rugby kids in the stands at the USA vs Canada game this summer.

    Posted 1 year ago #

  23. Bandito
    Member

    Flag rugby rebels! I love it ... keep up the good work by offering (any version of) the game to more and more kids by whatever means is best for them.

    Would you care to send me a message with some details as to how you went about it and what the costs are?

    Posted 1 year ago #

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