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Thanet Bowls Club

Principles and Procedure for Team Selection

V.5 06/08/2025

Introduction.

The aim of the selection committee is to select teams for matches. This is to be done in a clear and consistent manner that meets the reasonable expectations of our members, promotes widespread understanding of how selection takes place and provides opportunities for all members who wish to participate in TBC matches.

All teams will be selected in accordance with the Team Selection Procedure as detailed below and with due consideration of the Principles, (also below). Selectors will be guided by the principles, however their authority to decide team formation and the position of individuals within teams remains intact.

The selection procedure and principles will be communicated to members to promote general awareness. A widely communicated consistent understanding of how teams are selected serves both to minimise misunderstandings and concerns about selection and also furnishes selectors with the means to address issues appropriately.

Selectors undertake their role with integrity, without favour and to the betterment of Thanet Bowls Club and it's members. Selectors have been members of Thanet Bowls Club for 2 or more seasons and have a good knowledge of their fellow members, their skills and their preferences regarding favourite positions etc.

Members who have a concern over team selection will be encouraged to raise it directly with their Captain, (or Vice-Captain if the Captain is not available). In this way members queries are resolved quickly, and unnecessary escalation is avoided.

Principles

These are the principles to be taken into consideration when deciding who to select in a match. Some principles apply to all matches, whilst some are specifically applied to league matches or to friendlies.

n.b. Principles differ from rules in that rules mandate a course of action. Principles guide action but acknowledge that other influences come into play and can affect the outcome.

Principles that apply to All Matches

1. Selection is from those members who put their names down on the match selection sheet

2. Selectors may encourage members to add their names to the match selection sheets prior to the selection meeting taking place

3. Once the selection meeting has convened selectors may only encourage members who have not indicated their availability, to play if the names on the selection sheet are too few.

4. Selectors will appoint one, or, (if sufficient members have indicated their availability), two reserves. Ideally for a mixed match a reserve will be appointed from each section.

5. Those bowlers who participate in away matches outside of Thanet, (i.e. those involving greater travelling), will be prioritised for selection for the corresponding home fixture, over bowlers who chose not to travel.

Principles that apply to League Matches

1. Selectors will normally, (see 3 below), select the most competitive teams that can be assembled from members who indicate their availability. The focus is to select a team with the best chance of success.

2. Selectors will, to the extent that practical constraints allow, promote consistency within team structures. It is acknowledged that the availability of members greatly influences the practical application of this principle.

3. Selectors may occasionally select players for strategic reasons such as team building and personal player development. For example, a player who would not be selected based purely on their skills may still be selected to give them valuable experience, which will be to the subsequent benefit of the team as a whole.

Principles that apply to Friendly Matches

1. Selectors will provide opportunities to participate in friendly matches, to those members whose participation in league matches may be limited for competitive reasons.

2. The focus is to select a team that allows everyone who wishes to do so, to compete for Thanet Bowls Club and thus promotes their continued enjoyment of bowling and continued membership.

3. Teams will typically comprise members of differing skill levels. It is acknowledged that this may not result in the most competitive available team.

4. Where beneficial to the overall team structure an experienced bowler may be selected to bowl alongside 2 less experienced teammates.

5. Selectors will give members opportunities to 'try out' in different team positions e.g. try out a No.2 in the Skip role.

6. Selectors will encourage team mates to swap their allocated team positions if they wish.

Procedure

This is how the selectors perform the task of team selection. The procedure detailed below applies to the selection of all matches – both League and Friendly.

1. The Selection Committee Comprises the Ladies' and Men's Captains and Vice Captains together with an elected member of each of their respective sections. Thus, there is a nominal maximum of 6 selectors, (3 ladies and 3 men). In the event that the Captain or Vice-Captain roles are performed by more than one member the joint role holders will share a single vote. Thus although the numbers on the committee may exceed 6 the votes remain equal with three men's and three ladies' votes.

2. Selection meetings are scheduled to promote maximum attendance by selectors but may proceed as long as at least one representative of each section is in attendance. If at least one member of each section cannot be present, selection shall be rearranged to take place at the earliest date/time when at least one member of each section is available.

3. The selection committee will meet weekly throughout the season on the same day and time each week, (except as in 2. above).

4. Match sheets will be placed on relevant changing room notice boards for a period not less than 14 days prior to selection where practicable. For example, rearranged matches can be at short notice.

5. Each selection meeting will consider a one-week period commencing 4 days and concluding 10 days after the date of the meeting. (e.g. meeting on Monday 1^st - teams for matches to be played on Friday 5^th to Thursday 11^th will be selected. The following weeks matches, 12^th to 19^th, will be selected at the meeting on Monday 8^th etc.)

6. Selection sheets will be taken down, and thus the opportunity for members to add their name ends, immediately before each selection meeting.

7. Selector participation will be undertaken as follows:

a) All 6 Selection Committee Members for Catherine Wheeler League / East Kent Mixed Triples League / Mixed Friendlies

b) Ladies Captain / Ladies Vice-Captain / Ladies Selector for Ladies League / Ladies Heron League / Ladies Friendlies.

c) Man’s Captain / Men’s Vice-Captain / Men’s Selector for Men’s Premier and Combination Leagues / Men’s Representative Matches / Men’s Friendlies.

d) All selections are undertaken through a consensus by the groups for the matches as shown in the above categories. The Male & Female appointed selector will maintain a record of selections to enable fairness of selection where practicable. Selectors will select teams and allocate positions within the teams in accordance with the principles indicated above.

8. Selected teams will be posted in the relevant changing rooms after the meeting and on the TBC website, (usually within 24 hours of the selection meeting), for members to view the selection online.

9. In the event that selected bowlers withdraw before a match is played, the Captain, (or if unavailable the Vice Captain), will inform the reserve. It is at the Captains, (or Vice Captains), discretion to rearrange teams to best accommodate the reserves inclusion.

10. If practicable a replacement reserve from those members not selected on the original match sheet, will be appointed and informed.

11. Members should note - Please try not to call off at short notice unless completely unavoidable but if you do, inform the Team Captain or Vice-Captain in their absence as soon as possible. Crossing your name off the selection sheet does NOT constitute adequate notice to withdraw from a game.